Palo Alto Tender Tracks Thursday Jan. 10, 2013

Wanning Crescent Moon
Day 32
Denis Martins Creek

All were here and the day began with singing our new winter songs.  The day was filled with GREAT joy, aliveness, noticing the clouds, the sky and taking estimated guesses over whether it would rain or not.  Since the counting stick has gone somewhere else unknown to me, I have brought in something that I do believe I like, even better then the stick, Counting Ropes.   Each day there is a knot in the rope to touch and count with. Today there just was my rope but they will get their own ropes soon and will be able to work with tying their own knot each day with help beginning next week.
They watched me count the rope as we sang our seasonal counting song and counting the days. We sang to Grandmother Moon because as of Friday, her “blanket” was all the way over her head.”
When we got to Martins creek it was cold so I made sure they all had or brought their warm clothes and I brought out the Tender Tracks mittens.  They immediately went towards the puddles and the only one who really was ready for this was Miu.  Her boots are actually quite good for a long walk, which we were about to take, but the others I prefered them in their regular shoes.  I think next time I would just have them in their boots anyway!  There was, as you saw, A LOT OF MUD on this day.  I shared with them how to walk around the mud oceans and Giselle was GLORIOUS with her determination, fortitude and skill with this.
Evan was in his excited and joyous helpful mode, Kaden and Taz loved running ahead,( well Taz mainly as Kaden followed him), Miu, Aoife,Alice, Emme and Paul were happily trooping along.
However,  Kaden, and Taz had gone too far ahead.  Audrey caught up with them as the rest of us did and then, we shared with Taz some of the ways that we stay together that he might not really be aware of  yet.  We reminded ourselves of how we call to each other, wait and listen for the call back and more info around that. The rest of the day they were all GREAT about this!!
The hike up to the pond was filled with wonderful challenges of branches, fallen down tree trunks, lot’s of mud and how to get over, under and around things.   Miu had to get her hands dirty in a way that is well beyond her comfort yet at the same time, she was in heaven with keeping up with the boys and running, building, climbing and the like.  It is just the dirt on the hands and clothes that are challenging for her.  Emme had a large challenge today as, for the first time, I insisited on something: putting warm clothes on her.  She had a very large discontented reaction to me yet, I just could not bring my self to allow her to stay that cold. Learning self care is so very important and if they cannot yet find a way to do so, oh dear, the grown up must step in and up to the task. So, I did!     In the end, I called upon her Nannies love and strength to aid her in taking care of herself and, IT WORKED!!!
The rest of the children were supportive and they all got their warm clothes on too.  They seemed to really get that it is out of love that we grownups must make sure that they take care of themselves even when they are unaware of the need to do so.
When we arrived on the other side of our usual place the only one that knew where we were was Evan. He had come with his family on the holiday and even knew an easier way to go back, which we did when it was time to go.
The children had such a grand time though today inspite of  the struggles of cold for Emme, the cold for everyone and the big hike. It was actually so much fun!!  Everyone was in such beautiful spirits. The behaviors that were present were very typical of this time of year: a group unity that finally forms after 3 1/2 months of (staff) focused intention to create this.
We found some incredible mushrooms, waterfalls and beauty.  Every where we looked everything was alive with beauty and wonder. The “Beeping Fairies” are now inviting us, when they hourly beep, to look at what is beautiful and comforting to us.  The children all got right into sharing what they loved each time this happened.
Taz had moments of falling down or being pushed?( there were big upsets and questions around this piece, if he was actually pushed or not) and yet, his humurous and good natured self was able to be comforted and soothed back into ease and readiness to get back up and play rather quickly.
On the way back, Audrey, Giselle and Alice took up the rear and were blessed with a grand and long story that Audrey told them all the way back.   Aoife and Emme took on going turns holding my hand, as one of my hands were filled with a bag of things that I was carrying.  The rest, they were in HEAVEN, running ahead until they couldn’t see me and then stopping,  until they could and then RUNNNNNINNG down the path.  The path was VERY slippery in places and there was some falling but they were up for the fun of it.
When we got on the bus and gave our thank you’s Taz said he was so thankful for when I was chasing them to, something about being a monster and eating them up or something like that. Well, here’s the truth,  I HAD NO IDEA I WAS DOING THIS!!!!!  I am laughing here.  I thought they were just practicing running as far as they could in fun and then waiting and doing it all over again.  The truth was, I was some kind of a MONSTER!!!  And so this is the way it is with the “Wild and Wonderful” four and five year olds!
Before they could even get on the bus their muddy clothes, each to whatever degree needed, was stripped off of them.  After being in their seats they were all covered up with blankets and made warm and cozy.   Then, it was greatly requested that Audrey retell the long tale that she told Giselle and Alice as they walked down the trail and, she did.  It was a long and very magical adventure that she and her dog Kane went on.  “Was it true?” I heard some ask.  Well that’s the thing about stories, truth is always in the eyes and ears of the listener!