Palo Alto Tender Tracks Tues. Sept. 17, 2013

Day 5
Crescent Waxing Moon
Foothills Park-Slippey Sliddey

All were here, the sun was shining cooler yet still with the last efforts of summer yet the Wind Fairies were busy this day on and off and we soaked in the wonder of it all.
To begin the day Jill and I brought out all of the stuffies for the children to fully “meet and greet” in a way that they have not done yet.  It was an idea from last week that I forgot to do so today was the day.  They forgot as well because half of them were buckled up yet, unbuckled we got them, out the bus we went and to the stuffies we met.   They then got to have the ones that they wanted or take turns with ones that many wanted and went back into the bus.   The children  listened to a great old story that Jill read and all were silently listening the entire time!
When we got there some thought ,oh, Foothills park again yet, we drove right past all the places that we have been so far and the we heard, “Where are we going?”  Down the road we continued to find out exactly where we WERE going.
I was just mentioning to them that we might see some Deer when who should be right in the middle of the road?  Yes, two bucks and a doe.  It seems that Mating season has begun . At the end of the day a buck was behaving very oddly, crossing zig zag across the road while we were driving and seemed confused and intense.  This is the time of year when, if  you see a Buck, stay far away.
When we got out of the bus some of us went to the bus and Jill brought them into a rousing game of chase.  When I came back with the other children they all ran right into our makeshift circle.  They do show great enjoyment with taking their corn meal and giving it to the directions, singing songs and then, having snack and story.  Story is an on going adventure of Trilly Truly and Trippy Troopy with Grandmother Spider, the Storybox whose stories from the past days magickally appears and a Candle to guide our way.  This day they met the “Guardian of Directions”/WIse old owl.  A large Owl wing was brought out that they got to feel and a hand drawn picture of Owl tracks was laid out with the story that then commenced.  They learned how to see with Owl eyes in order to find their way and not get lost so easily.  The great Wise Old Owl told them to come back another time to learn more of how to find their way any where they go. The story ended and some decided to keep eating and others went to play.
Eden really likes first and second lunch which I said on the second day and it has stuck with her, in a very good way, since then.   There were often groups of three at a time  playing. Some on the bridges  being trolls( Juliet, Julian, being Mom, Dad and Baby (Eden, Zara and sometimes Serena), Being Fire fighters in the “men’s group, stated Liam, ( Liam, Zac and Cole, and Serena, Ridham and I gathered incredible seeds from the Cedar tree above us as we ate peacefully.
After a time there was a convergence. Cole found a play airplane sort of thing as well as a long Turkey Vultures feather that he stuck in it.  We used it to play a game that would help our Owl Eyes. Ask the children if they remember how to play.  They had to work with the wind because it kept changing directions so when they went to fly the flying toy it went right back in their faces.  And oh yes, Cole was the “Weather watcher” today. He got to hold the counting stick with the feather on it and see where the wind was blowing and what “house” it was coming from.  Meaning, we sing a song about the houses that the Sun goes to throughout the day.
After a great deal of play we made our way to the slippey sliddey.   What fun.  Every one of them made it up and then down this VERY slippey sliddey place.  There were logs down below and one that wobbles a lot.  They became ships, boats, surf boards, trains and whales that we went inside and then listening to the heart beat( me playing the beat on the stumps) and the Mermaids singing ( me singing and Jill responding back).  Zara in particular loved the Mermaids song and Serena as well.
Ridham got wiggly woggly coming down the slippey sliddey and had a grand time.   Cole seems to be the great builder in the group as he loves to find logs and move them.  Zac found some caterpillars and was a great guardian of them and Liam was just quite curious about them.  Juliette is just  happy and loves to play rough, particularly with me!!!  Julian too but not as passionate as she.   Serena came in full openness and joy and stayed that way all day.
Your children are a pure delight and we are all finding our way one with the other and with the ways of Tender Tracks with what looks like a fair amount of ease and grace.