Palo Alto Tender Tracks Thursday Nov. 7, 2013 Day 20

Waxing Crescent Moon
Hidden Villa

Cole was absent again today and it was Zac’s birthday!  He and his Mom brought a yummy snack of muffins and grapes.
We went to Hidden Villa because he got to choose which place to go. He chose Hidden Villa and then he was open to checking out the Big Rock and by passing the animals.
When we first got to Hidden Villa they charged out and instantly went to play on the playground there. Zac, Julian and Juliet went into a wonderful low lying tree and the rest playing in, near and around the tunnel there and in the sand.
Circle was set up yet a lot of time allowed for them to unfold, stretch their legs and engage in what four year olds do best, PLAY!!
There were a great deal of other children around getting ready for their tours so I thought we would wait them out a bit.  We weren’t able to do that and, as always, those children became very curious about us and what we were up to.  Their teachers invited them to play in another area so we took that opportunity to call in circle so we could celebrate our dear friend Zachary.
We sang our new songs and heard a grand birthday story that ended in the traditional Tender Tracks birthday gift which he received gladly.  Then, off to bathrooms and exploration.
We did need to see the sheep along the way and then the funny recycling garden.  They loved the toilet that was all painted with a Bay Nut Baby in the bottom of the toilet and lot’s of paint splattered all around it.  Then, over the bridge, down the path, into the woods, over another bridge and to……THE BIG ROCK! There they played for the rest of the day.  Zac, Julian and Juliet spent a great deal of time playing on the side of the big rock in grand games.  Towards the end of the day I snuck up on them and then entered their play world as a fox.  Julian joined me and became a fox.  He caught many wondeful mice for us to eat. Zac became a great big Wolf and then Mt. Lion who ate us, which of course is quite possible.  Juliet transformed into many of these creatures simultaneously.  Others joined us in this as well.
The rest went all the way to the top to, what I call, the Storytelling Trees.  It is a beautiful circle, of sorts, of Bay trees and rocks.  They ate lunch up there and played.  Zac actually started up there with Ridham. Those two talked, chatted and played for a bit before the girls made their way up.
Serena worked at going up and down and then she asked that I stay at the bottom and eat with her there. I did. Ridham then joined us and , after eating, he began building houses, which he loves to do, and Serena and I began to build Fairy houses.  Zara and Eden played Mom and baby throughout the day and visited us on and off.
As so often happens, there was much work around, ‘we want to just play with’ so and so and not wanting to play with others. By days end they figured out how to play with everyone.  I quietly came behind them all to listen to how they worked this all out.  It is so delightful to hear the strategizing and figuring out of how to play with who and how.  Deeply important skills to learn in life. Yes?!
This was a fun day had by all it seemed and then off and back on the trail we went to make our way back.  I made sure we left there early enough so that they could go in and out of the tunnel at the garden that they wanted to earlier and, they did and, they had fun.