Palo Alto Tender Tracks Tues. March 18, 2014 Day 49

Waning Moon
Huddart Park

Juliette gone on holiday this week.
Spring is just about officially here but as far as the Earth, Air, Wind and Weather, it IS here!  Wow, what a glorious day. Not only with the weather but with each one of your children.
We began the day with Eden not being with us.  There was no call so I figured something came  up and not to worry, so, we took off. While we were driving though the children had a grand task, to  shake a small glass jar with two marbles in it and white cream.  Why were we doing this?  To make golden butter for our snack!  Now,as we began to drive who should be behind us but Eden,her Daddy and baby sister.  We pulled over in a gas station nearby and then Zara’s Daddy called. Coles’ back pack was left on the sidewalk.  So, Eden entered with gifts for the children. They opened them up while we were waiting and then Zara’s Daddy came with Coles pack. YEAH!!  It just seemed like all the “errors” were actually PERFECT!  If Eden hadn’t come late we would have never gotten Cole’s Backpack!
And then, off we went again.
At the park they piled out, played for a bit and then came to circle.  There were many new instruments ( that I have promised Zac I would bring for two weeks!): hand drum, jimbae, two conch shells, turtle shell, and one instrument made from animal parts that they had to guess what the parts were: , rabbit fur, deer antlers, deer ribs, cow hide. I think that was all the instruments. Julian, Cole and Zac really, really liked these and just played throughout circle.  It turns out that Cole is REALLY skilled at playing the conch shell.  After circle the three of them played and played and played with the instruments. We made up songs and Julian wanted to get a band together. Zac let me know all about the many instruments he has at home, which is partly what inspired me to bring them.
But, back to circle.  The story was called Mrs. O’Malley and Sean O Hollihan, a leprechaun.  Sean O’hollihan learned that you can make gold from cream and that beautiful gold was all around him.   The children had fresh made butter, bread and honey for snack and ate it all up!  So, if some of their lunches weren’t really eaten, no worries. Their bellies were filled with good sturdy snack.
There was a pot of gold right in the middle of our story so remember this because, something happened to this later on in the day.
Now, after snack  you heard that some were with me playing and singing with instruments for quite some time.  Then, as I was told, Jill and Serena went to the sand and had found some tunnels that were left there from some one from the day before.  They were having quite a good time and then Julian left us and went over with them. Eden and Zara went immediately to gather sticks because they made a very wonderful and unique house structure to play in.   Ridham was very involved with building something with some sticks.
After “music time” I went over to see what he was doing.  Finn, after making a clay ball like he did last time we were here, came over.  He wanted to play with Ridham so, after much explaining by Ridham about how he could play with him, I wound up gathering sticks with Finn and coming back to Ridham’s creation.  But then Zac and Cole wanted to WRESTLE!! and the three of us wrestled and wrestled.  Finn, Ridham, Zara and Eden, one by one, made it over to the Serena group and they all wound up burying their feet in the sand and having an extremely relaxing and enjoyable time feeling and playing with the deep wet sand and warm sand on top.
Finn and Julian later joined the wrestling match.  Finn was funny as he growled with a great smile on his face and the rest were just laughing and being some kind of strong hero’s yet they greatly honored my “Strength!!”  Little did I know!  We all laughed and had a good time.
Julian and Cole went to the Redwoods and began making some kind of fishing area with a lot of sticks. I asked  the rest of the children if they would like to do the Blind fold walk game again only this time we would have the wonderful big drums.    Well, it turned out that they ALL, I do mean ALL ran up the hill and wanted to get blind folded and come down the big hill towards the constant drum sound.  This is technically called a Drum Stalk Walk.   I had them do four at a time so I could spot the ones walking.  Oh my, this was grand.  I told them that if they really wanted to they could “peek” and they also could stop, if they got a bit scared, take a breath, feel with their feet, and then keep on going.  I do believe Ridham and Finn were the only ones that  didn’t “Peek” but in truth , they all went at their own pace and wanted to do it again and again. Especially Serena , Eden and Zara!!!
After this they went for lunch and then, playing off of the story earlier in the day, I had them go run and find three different things that were gold/yellow growing on the earth like what Sean O Hollihan found.
Off they went but oh my, what should happen?  I heard something and ran to follow it in the woods. I do believe it was the Leprchaun and he stole our pot of Gold!  The children bravely went into the forest to find our pot and they found it along with the gold.  What fun……. And then they got to find more gold and when they went into the bus there was even more gold for them!!!!
The day was filled with a great deal of joy, ease, games and a fine time.