Palo Alto Tender Tracks Tues. Oct. 8, 2013 Day 11

Waxing Moon
Pichetti Open Space Preserve

What an absolutely FABULOUS day! Why? Well, to begin with we all went to the Laying Down tree to gather acorns. Three parents stayed and started gathering acorns. YEAH!! That was wonderful to have you there. Cole went up as high as he could and gathered and gathered and gathered. Zac found a cozy little tucked away spot to gather. Zara, Liam, and Eden climbed up the way Cole did but were very challenged as to how to get over this one bump/nob on the tree. First I helped Zara over. She was scared but then made it and had feelings of great success! Liam and I took a long time to try to help him over but I couldn’t. Which he didn’t really understand. I said it might be because I’m too short and we can only work together, I can’t do it all for him. Well, that still was not making much sense to him so, we called Jill over and, HE MADE IT OVER THE HUMP ON THE TREE. Another success! Height DID play a grand role in this support!! and, he beamed. Eden changed her mind as she waited a really long time to try this challenge yet, in the end, moved on to other adventures. Serena and Juliet were around the back side of the tree gathering a whole lot of acorns with Jill, untill she came to help Liam. Julian was all around gathering and Ridham was gathering with his Mom. The toddlers/siblings that were there were gathering lot’s of acorns and putting them in the buckets as well.
Zac started to get a bit filled in side of himself with urges of pulling and tugging. I didn’t really want to play this way but he kept being kind of like a fighting Pirate. Nothing I said would ward off his fullness so finally I said, ” I think I have to chase you!” And those were THE RIGHT WORDS. Off he went with complete glee and just what he wanted. Cole was with him and I chased them and then brought them into a game that was already planned. The intention of this game was to aid the children in coming when we call along the trail. It was just shared with me yesterday so I took it and immediately implemented it. What IS the game you ask? Well, When they hear a Coyote call they runnnnnn, when they hear the Crow call they FREEZE, when they hear the Ocarina they come running back to me and slap my hand. This worked like a charm. At first Zac, and Cole were playing, then Zara and Eden came over then Liam, Julian, and one by one most of them made their way over to play and then, they all just got into running all over and I blew the ocarina for them to run to the bus, and they did.
I did something in the bus, due to time that I RARELY do, let them eat snack in there. I needed them to have time to get to where we were going so putting some food in their bellies right then seemed best. They all agreed to do all they could to keep their snack in their bowls. They did great! And off we went
When we got there we played the Coyote, Crow game as we walked for a time. Then, Cole and Liam found a plastic bottle and Cole was convinced that he found it first. Oh No what to do with a great struggle!!??? A grand hearing was held right there and then but, we couldn’t solve it but oh yes, Cole did! he went to look for another bottle for Liam and found a cup for him. Liam was satisfied and then, later in the day he DID find a bottle of his own. What joy!!
Then Liam found a leaf he wanted to give me. Wow, this was just wonderful.
We found lot’s of Poison Oak all the way up the path along with Mugwort that helps ward off Poison Oak for some people. Isn’t it great that Mugwort grows right along side of Poison Oak a lot of the time!!!?

Tall and slender I do grow
With spikey fingers to and fro
With Silver fur upon my back
And with a fragrance I shall not lack
Who am I? Mugwort of course!

General description

Mugwort is a quite hairy, remaining and fragrant plant. The plant becomes approximately 1 meter high.
The leaves are feathery and deeply cut into. The top is dark green. The underside is white felt-like and hairy. The herb is to be found on fallow grounds and near roads, train banks and fields.	Mugwort flowers from August until September with reddish brown or yellow flowers. The flowers are rather small and stand in long narrow clusters at the top of the stem. The stem is vague purple to red.

Cultivate Mugwort yourself.
Place. The plant grows the best in the full sun Soil. Light, dry and good drained soil is most suitable for this plant. Multiply. Sow when available. Take cuttings in late summer. Cultivation. The plants thin out or re-plant on 45 cm to 1 meter distance of each other. Cut the plant back in fall.

When we got to the top of the hill we had to choose which way to go; to the Moon side(the left) or the Sun side ( the right) . They chose the Moon side and down the path we ran. Some of the children remembered this place from last year and were dissappointed that the “house” we built was a bit in ruins. But, there was another one built not far off. We sat down to eat but Zara and Eden wanted to go to the other side of the empty pond, another familiar spot. They went over, then Jill, and after awhile all made it over there accept Juliet, Serena, Ridham and me. Then Ridham said, “Can I go over there?” Why of course I said, and off he went with his pack and lunch in hand. I played with Juliet and Serena for awhile and then explored all the logs around there that were fun to balance on. Zac,Julian, Cole and Liam were busy making their boys club inside the big old tree that kids love to climb. Zac did not want the girls to play in there but, when I joined Zac in his vibratory storyline, we conversed in a very pirate sort of manner. He then came to the conclusion that it would be just fine for the girls to be there. I wish you could of heard how this happened. So filled with childhood play and fun. Then, all of them were going in and out of this fort with fun and delight. The girls finally created their own home and according to Jill played with much delight in their home for a long time. Zara didn’t want Jill to play with them but the other girls invited her. She became a baby and that was acceptable for Zara.
I decided to draw the boys into something other then what they were doing so I started looking under logs. They ran over and

we all got involved with finding Lizards and bugs under the logs. There was much play and exploring. Zac and Cole had fun tearing down the second structure. Ridham had a blast making soup and inviting us over. Julian and I ate two big bowls!!!

He ran all the way across the big empty pond divide to invite us over. We heard that he made a lot for the girls and then they made a lot of soup to be eaten to. Each had special fires but especially Ridham. There was so much play and enthusiasm going on ALL DAY!!!!! As we were getting close to leaving, Cole lost his wonderful necklace that he found the day before. We all helped him look and look and look but alas, it was gone and this was very sad. He let it go rather quickly though but he did have very healthy tears over this. We then had our good bye circle that we didn’t have in the morning, sang our songs, counted our days, and watched the weather, how they do so love figuring out what direction the wind is blowing. Then, as we were going to leave a Great Buck was not far from us. It didn’t even leave with all the loud sounds!! We watched it eat as we walked down the trail and back to the bus. A beautiful day and I haven’t even shared it all, though I in truth, I never can.

Palo Alto Tender Tracks Tues. Oct. 8, 2013 Day 11

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