Palo Alto Tender Tracks Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2013

Day 2
Waxing Moon
Foothills Park- The Big Meadow

Today our assistant for the year, Bosch, began his adventure  with us.  What an absolute delight he is for us all!!!  He is warm, playful, deeply connected to the Earth and Sky and very kind and fun with the children.   Thank you all for welcoming him today.  The children enjoyed him and he them.
I took us back to the same place because  I thought with a new person something familar is always supportive.
We took our time in the bus getting stuffies, then we took our time singing, playing, getting our mats out, getting our snack out and then hearing our story.  Then, there was getting extra coats from the bus because, Brother/Sister wind were quite active for a little while on this day.  Then, there was going to the Magick House/Bathroom and then finding our way down the meadow to our spot from last week.  But, OH NO!!! While I was holding Hailey’s hand and walking down the meadow she stopped and said that she got an owie on her hand.  I looked and there sticking right out was a Bee Stinger!  Her hand and the Bee must have just run into each other 🙁    Everything stopped there, the first aid kit came out, and all the children gathered round to see what was the matter and offer what they could.  They were all so very helpful.   We got situated at the tree and most of the other kids finally went off to show Bosch the edge of the pond where he pointed out some ducks.  He brought them into playing with Cat Tail fluff.  Jasper LOVED this as well as the others and they came back to share their treasures.  It took Hailey awhile for the sting to subside but after about 20 to 30 minutes, though I am not the greatest at time estimation, she joined the children and off to playing we went.
We rolled down hills, Bosch was brought into chasing games and hiding games with Jasper and  as they played more and more children wanted to play, and so they did.  Finally Nareya said, “I’m hungry. Can we eat.” so slowly they all came over and took out lunches and began to eat.  But then a rousing game of, Guess what is in my Hand began instigated by, Jasper.  The rest of the children joined in and for about 15 + minutes they all were calling out “Guess what is in my hand, guess what is in my hand?”  So, we did!  All the while there was a menacing Pink Monster up in the woods that was never clear to me if it was friend or foe so I sent them off to ask their questions to the Dragon.  It seems that the Dragon COULD guess what was in some of their hands but not others.  While this was happening Eric was delighted to be playing with a Rolly Polly creature that actually Anissa found and brought over. Eric some how got it and was completely engaged with it as it opened, closed, wiggled and waggled around in his hand.
After lunch we had a time to lay down and look at the clouds which Nareya and Aurora liked and named many things they saw but the others found something else and were all huddled up examaning something.
By the time it was time to leave they were really settling in, as is very typical, and did not want to go , but alas, we had to. But first, Bosch picked some of them up high and they got to take some bark from the Puzzle tree and then they all ran to look again at the water coming out near the pond.
Today there were animal games of being different animals, finding poop, noticing birds, trees, Big leaves and little leaves, and wondering how to get bugs from going into ones eyes.
On the way back on the bus Bosch began to play a game with them of pretending he was falling asleep.  They all laughed at this but Aurora REALLY had a lot of belly laughs and thought this was so funny.  Hailey was doing ALL THAT SHE COULD to stay awake but her eyes longed to be closed  and rest.  When I said, ” Have a good time in dream land,” she smiled and half closed her eyes.
It was  a beautiful second day.  Thank you for such wonderful children!