Palo Alto Tender Tracks Day 19, Nov.17, 2011

Waning Moon-third quarter
Foothill Park-Slippey Sliddey

Audrey was not here today for her last extra student teaching day yet the rest of us were.

It was a bit of a more exuberant and higher volume day then last Thursday and filled with excitement.   We had a story that is just for this time of year: The True Story of Humpty Dumpty.  It is a tale about the importance of giving gratitude.  The morning was a bit squirrely too accept for Giulio today.  He was more the way he was a while back, quiet and reserved more of the day then less of it.Of late his typical way has been running full steam and loving playing with everyone, particularly Lucy. And, MOST unfortuantely, later in the day, he got mistakenly hit with a Buckeye.  This has never happened and I couldn’t believe it when it did.  However, he did not get so much as a red mark and definetly no signs of  bruising. However, he was, as to be expected, filled with tears and discomfort. After some loving support and letting it all flow, all of that appeared to subside and he bounced right back, smiling, laughing and presenting himself as fine.
This was well after circle time though.

During circle and while driving to Foothills Park we watched the clouds and the sky continually transform, wondering if  rain was actually going to fall upon us.  Due to it getting so gray I changed plans as to where we were going to go for the day.  Many had expressed a desire to go here since they never got to play at the Slippey Sliddey at our Halloween party so, off we went with the plan that if it rained we would be able to find shelter at the end of the park under the great Redwood Trees there.

However, rain never once feel upon us and the day was spent slidding, climbing and exploring.  When we got there I went to the bathroom while they all played inside some of the Redwood Trees close by with Laurie.  I tried to sneak up on them but they had good eyes and saw me straight away!   Then down the trail, over the bridge, turn to the left, pass the Poison Hemlock and into the Bay Grove we went.  Packs dropped straight away and up the hill they went. Jasper found a “secret Passage” that was really an easier way up though Gracey did NOT think it was easier at all.  There was a GREAT deal of running up and down and up and down and slidding down with a wonderful amount of gaiety.   Then, Lucy went exploring and Anjalie followed, Aleki followed, Bodi followed, Giulio followed, Gracey followed, Kashi followed, and Jasper followed.  They went up the path and then wound up creating a game together that was all about running down the trail to, “on your mark get set go” and then one would run down the trail and then another and another.  They really liked this game and played it for awhile.   How beautiful it was to see every one of them playing this group created game together.

I was given a Buckeye by someone and I carved a face in it and put a stick in the bottom of it. This became a real hit and then they all went searching for their own Buckeyes to have their own toys.  They then created a puppet show. Laurie held the tree branch up when the “players” were ready to come out and then the play began.  Basically there were several children, a Mom, a Dad, a brother and the like.  They were lined up on the back side of the large bending sideways Bay tree trunk and their”puppets” would come out over the top of this.  But then, ” I lost my Buckey”, ” I need another Buckeye” so off I took them on an adventure to get more beyond our little Bay Grove.

Many “hitchhiker” plants got on us, especially Kashi who did indeed walk fully into these dried up plants with their velcro like seed children that LOVE to attach to you and go for a ride.  He spent some good time trying to get these off too!   We found many Buckeyes, came back, I carved some more and then we had some Buckeye races at the top of the Slippey Sliddey.  Bodi thought it would be fun to throw it over the large trunk so we discussed waiting until all the children were out of the way.  Well, Giulio was to the left and I thought for sure Bodi would not hit him so I said go ahead and throw it. And, I could not believe it, that Buckeye curved completely to the left and hit Giulio dead on, exactly what was trying to be avoided!  Well that game changed, they were encouraged that if they wanted to throw to go down below COMPLETELY  away from everyone.  I felt so poorly as this, believe it or not, has never happened.  I would think it would over all these years but this was the first and, I did not like it. NOR DID GIULIO!!!!  But, as I said, there was not even a red mark so, I am hoping the pain of it all floated away like the Autumn leaves on a cool and windy Fall day.

After that there was more carving of Buckeyes, playing and climbing across the high and big branch that crosses over the trail.
I was the first to climb all the way over and then Lucy was really excited about this.  Well, let’s see, who followed, Aleki, Anjalie, Kashi, and Bodi.  Not all could go across because we had to leave but I was impressed with their determination as well as comfort with crawling across this high branch.  I am imagining that Roxannes role modeling of this last year was the joyful image that they had left in their minds and it paved the way for comfort and freedom to explore.