Palo Alto Tender Tracks Wed. Day 6, Oct. 2, 2013

Waning Crescent Moon
Hidden Villa

Weather Report of the Children:
Jasper: perky, playful, engaged and really wanting to see the PIGS!!!!
Eric: said his cough was coming back though we never heard it.  He was happy, excited to see the pigs, asked to see
the pigs and when we got there, AHHHHH, he was AFRAID of the pigs.  He and I held hands and went half way
through the pig house and then had to leave.  Otherwise he was very happy and happy to try to catch a chicken
and  then pet it when I was holding it.
Hailey:  she was her quiet yet happy self, smiling, engaged yet a little pulled back today.  She liked singing the new
songs yet just listened as three year olds often do before they actually engage physically.  The chickens came
right up to eat her food. She didn’t like this but she didn’t show strong upset over it.  Natalie made a barrier for
her and  I  gently shushed them away.
Emme:  Happy, Alive, climbing, playing, loving the pigs, the sheep, the garden, songs, story….
Dahlia: she started the day full of life, joy and fun and then slowly, slowed down!  By days end she was clearly very
tired and tears with upset came easily.   Other then that she was her fun, creative self.  Socks made into mittens
and loving all the animals, songs, stories, sheep and garden.  She really liked petting the chickens too.
Anissa: she was not quite herself today.  She seemed tired, maybe a cold coming on?  She enjoyed the day yet her fatigue
seemed more present yet, she still had that glorious smile and warmth through and through.
Nareya:  that old backpack was not what she wanted and she was so hoping that she could either convince Bosch or I
to just carry it for her.  Well, the good news was that she got to take it off every time we stopped. The really
disappointing and very unpleasant news was that she did need to carry it yet, the nice news was that there was
always a hand there for her to help her carry the weight and burden of it.   She too liked having sock hands and
she too was a bit tired and by days end easily set to tears.  And the pigs, and chickens were such a joy for her.
She was such a brave person.  She and Natalie fearlessly shooed away those chickens for every one and
laughed and laughed as they did it!
Natalie:  Well, you just heard a bit about Natalie, or shall I say, Natalie the Brave!!!!  All day long she was in high
energy mode. She just was in hog heaven!  Laughing, playing, trying to catch chickens, running and having
fun in the garden, with story and new songs.  She loved the pigs and the sheep and of course, the Chickens!
She said how much she liked being the protector and guardian for everyone and so she offered her services
with delight.
Aurora: She had her Golden Guide Field book of Birds and never let it go.  Some children, in particular Nareya, really
wanted to hold and read it.  Aurora let this happen now and again but she kept an Eagle eye on that book and
then would ask for it back politely. It was clear however that having the book out of her possession was a bit uncomfortable.    She was her usual happy and energetic self. She and Natalie have the highest amount and most sustained energy of them all
so far.  She is like a bright light, observant and happy.

Now as for the days details, you might have put a few things together so far yes!?
When we got to Hidden Villa they got out and played a bit on the natural playground there with a little tunnel. Eric and I went to the bathroom and we helped many “Bay Nut Babies be born,”along the way.
When we got back I set up circle and we sang new songs yet there were some other children that came around to listen and sing with us.  It was very lovely. This often happens there.
The new Oct and Halloween songs were well received, they are on the web, and the story was  a bit of a participatory song About a Grandpa that planted a carrot seed that grew so big he needed lot’s of help to pull it out.  We then, in addition to the rest of our snack, ate a great big carrot!  More play then off to find the garden.
As we walked we smelled many plants and in the garden they all immediately went following the chickens in order to get them.  I finally was able to get one as Bosch went in one way in the gourd tunnel and the children went the other way. As it turns out they went in there to follow the chicken and Bosch went in the other way to be playful, I suppose 🙂

I went to one end and the chicken tried to scrunch through them all and….I got her.  They all petted her and then this happened a couple more times.   Then, many wanted to go see the pigs and off we went. When we finally arrived there, after petting sheep and smelling more lovely plants, and after Eric decided to abandon the whole pig viewing, Eric, Hailey, Anissa and I began our lunch.  One by one the rest of them came over and then the fun began with all the chickens.
At first it was just one who came by, but then after about 15 minutes it was like she called all her friends over.  We tried all sorts of funny things to get them to go away. Dahlia was distressed by them, and one of them got one cucumber of hers. This seemed more startling to her then anything. How could they eat my cucumber!!!? was a thought that seemed to be on her face.
We finally got ready to go but Hailey said that she was still eating. Oh dear, we waited a bit more and then, well,we had to go.  But alas, when I had to take a quick stop at the bathroom, so did about 4 of the childrne so, I tended in proper pace to that while Bosch took the others back to the bus and then finally made the rest of us made our way back to the bus and off we went.