Palo Alto Tender Tracks Tues. April 16, 2013

Waxing Moon
Day 57
Thornwood Open Space Preserve

Alice brought her Mother with her today and that was very grand for all.  Alice was so very happy to have her there!!!!
For the bus ride I asked Jill to read the story for the day: The Legend of Indian Paintbrush by Tomie DePaola.

This is a very small picture of one of the kinds of Indian Paintbrush plants that we found today.
They come out in spring along with the Soap Root plant.  We will be spending a couple of weeks or more with this story as there are many parts of it that are pulling together so many things that we have been or have done during the year.  Today I wanted them to see the plant and then find the Soap Roots.  I usually harvest soap root in September but it worked out SUPERBLY today. The roots were perfectly ripe for us which I have not had this experience before so YEAH!!!  The children had a great deal of fun working together to dig out these deep rooted bulbs. TRULY!  ask them about how hard it is to dig them up.  Miu dug up the biggest and was very, very proud of herself!  The children are continuing on with their most gracious and cooperative selves.  They are so much more peaceful and filled with ease.  Kaden began the day and carried on throughout the day with grand giggles.  Emme is steady with her peaceful and very happy self.  Today she played in the water at the pond as if she WAS a fish!  Evan was delighted to get in water, freeze, change his clothes, get wet again, get cold again, change again.  Taz was so, so, happy running up and down and up and down and up and down the hill amidst the Doug Fir and Redwood Trees. Giselle and Aoife were content with playing in the mud with Alice and looking for sticks for the paint brushes.  Miu was busy gathering leaves for cooking. Or, shall I write more to her words “make believe” cooking.  Paul wanted me to make him a grand and sharp sword and Taz and Kaden wanted the same.  I got to making one for Kaden and Paul today.  Taz cut his toe and Giselle REALLY wanted to put the wound lotion on but Taz would have NOTHING to do with this.  He was so scared that his toe would hurt more.  After very careful inspection it seemed that it was not such a bad cut and that going home to clean it with Mom was the best choice for the time being. He was very, very contented with this.  Giselle however found some sort of cut on herself and DOWSED it with the wound oil. She was very, very content with this!
We ate fresh Doug Fir green tips today, saw many little Minow type fish in the pond and some kind of bug whose pond reflection made it look like a Water Skeeter but it’s body did not look like a Water Skeeter.
My favorite part was playing with some incredible mud that Alice discovered. She got the entire group playing with the mud or at least watching and helping, in one way or another , to create some kind of something!
Much joy was had today on this warm, yet cool breezy day.
On the way back Alice’s Mom read the story again and they were so very quiet all the way back. I do believe all the walking and discovering and digging out soap roots really tired them all out!