Palo Alto Tender Tracks Wed. Oct. 23, 2013 Day 8

Waning Moon
Foothills Park: The Island

Natalie and Jasper were absent today.
The day started with the sky covered in fog. Typically on these days the children are more subdued and indeed, this held true. We all got in the bus and gave some thoughts of health and happiness for Jasper and Natalie. Well for Jasper, safe travels home as he was away on a long distance journey.   They received their stuffies with new little “blankets” made of alpaca fur.  As we drove Anissa asked Bosch where his “Lovie”was.  I figured out that that meant a stuffed animal.  We gave him one and she was content.
She was sitting next to Emme and was annoyed by something with her.  They had a tussel that we helped them through and then all of a sudden they were laughing and playing.  Oh to work through troubles that easily, knowing how to be with the true feelings, be heard and then let go and move on!!!
When we got to the park the Sky was still covered and the air was cool.  Jackets, backpacks and fun all left the bus.  To the bathroom some of us went and then to circle.  There we sang our songs, ate our snack and re heard the story from last week.  They remembered right away when to clap their hands back and forth when the turtle shell was played and it was fun.
Bosch began throwing up Maple leaf seeds and we watched them twirl down like happy dancing ballerinas from the sky.  The children found their own and threw them up to watch them dance down too.  We found a wonderful bug crawling about right as we were singing one of songs that spoke about Bats eating bugs but, do Bats fly and eat flying bugs? Or do they eat bugs crawling on the ground????
Now, which way to the Island?  Down the trail we went and what wonders we saw!!!  There was Old Man’s Beard, Lichen growing from the trees that we could wear.  We found baby Mugwort growing and Toyon Berries to try.  There were the most BEAUTIFUL spider webs dressed in gowns with diamonds. When we very gently touched them our fingers got wet.  Coots/waterbirds, were swimming on the waters and Cattails for fishing poles were to be had.
On the Island, relaxation, fishing, exploring with ease, was all about and the Fog lifted and opened to blue skies and warm air.   I started cracking last years acorns.  We came up with many ways to crack them such as, the bottom of our water bottles
(Anissa had the best bottle),having the acorn lay on it’s side and hit it with the bottom of the mortar, or the side of the pestle and a few other creative ways.  It was mainly Anissa, Eric, Dahlia, and Noreya that were cracking the shells.  They would come in and out. The rest were with Bosch on this wonderful little rock over looking the water.  Auroa, Bosch said, was quite the acrobat climbing through “treacherous” terroritory over water and through trees!
They were all just fishing, cracking acorns, watching ducks, gathering plants, finding places to give their pee too and so on.
When it was time to go, well, they were, as has always been, just getting so settled in.  We made it back safe, sound and with smiles and off we went.  The ride back was sweet.