Tag Archive for: Tues/Thurs 2017-2018

Tender Tracks Tues. Day 67

June 5, 2018
Waning Half Moon
Peri Park/Car Wash

Austen was absent today.

This was our last regular day at Tender Tracks before our goodbye party. Well, actually, it wasn’t really regular at all!  We stayed at Peri Park most of the day except when we went to go wash the bus at the local car wash.

The day was filled with:
Finding a magical doorway in the creek
figuring out how to climb over, through and around the waters, the doorway, the hills and RUNNN       from their beloved MONSTER!
Playing games with balls in buckets, in a circle with each other, standing, sitting and MANY
variations of this game.
Playing blindfolding them and taking them on a walk to find a tree, bringing them back, unblind
folding them and seeing if they could find the tree they touched.
Devin playing extremely wonder filled imagination games with Ruby who became SOOO many
different things!
Meeting a woman that was tending to the plants all around the creek and Redwood Trees so that
all children that come there and play more easily.
Water Mellon spitting contest.
Rabbit Racing games.
Banana Slug race between Ruby and I.
But first, or rather after a great deal of playing in the creek, we went to circle. They heard the second story that they said they wanted to hear from last week, Shishegwa, the First Rattlesnake.
After circle they played a bit and then, the Watermelon spitting contest was set up and began. OHHH how they loved this, particularly Puma and Devin. They also were rather equally skilled at this,  After the initial taking turns, and marking with chalk on the stage where each one’s watermelon seed landed Puma, Devin, Ruby and I played longer, all together, to see how far we could send many of them.

We played around there a bit longer and then, we went to wash the bus. Well, that was just simply grand fun and, they did a fine job of washing, cleaning and drying the bus.  It sparkled!!!  We inspected it when done and deemed a job well done. We then went back to the park, ate lunch and played all the games above and so much more.  It was simply a great, full and very fun day.  Every moment was filled with fun as we played our many games together.

 

/0 Comments/by

Tender Tracks Thursday Day 66

May 31, 2018
Waning Crescent Moon
Lake Lagunitas

What a beautiful day we had re-visiting some of our favorite places. We had our circle in our sunny spot with the Magic Pot. Of course, when we got there they went to the pot, the swinging posts and  their “recycling” center. Puma was particularly delighted as he, without the aid of any logs, was, for the first time, able to get himself up on the bar and swing on it.  Avaline tried yet, being quite a bit shorter than Puma, still needed the aid of a log and she and Austen were struggling with her need for some of the logs he and Devin had pilled up for their Recycling center.  It all got sorted out and each was able to carry on with their lovely explorations and games.  Vita, well, Vita was just happy playing and, checking out the Fairy home.

At story we asked what story was one of their favorites and, they gave two. One was told today and the other will be told next Tuesday. For today, they wanted to hear again the story of Gluscabi and the Wind Eagle.   We had a great deal of fun with the story and the Wind did indeed help us out a bit with it. 🙂

After circle the question was, “Where to go and revisit some of our favorite spots?”  Vita suggested we go down to the Bon Tempe lake that we could look at from where we were.  Off we went down there. The first place to check out was the place that was a POOL during the winter rainy times.  They had SOO much fun with their memories of “swimming” in it in their rain clothes.  Ruby and I certainly remember that day as well!!!   The water was very low on this day yet ther was still water enough so that we could not cross it like we did at the beginning of the year.  We went down to the other side and played there like they used to by gathering lots of “seaweed” and making “fires” for it.  Then, it was time to move on.

This time they wanted to go visit the “Lake Lagunitas Junk Yard” that they love!!  There we saw many changes, checked out the old snag where the Wood Peckers love to go, climbed in and around the large plastic tubes and climbed some trees. Ruby made a little see-saw and Vita and Avaline had a fine time with that! Tthen, time to go too…….? The beach.  And off we went.

Down the trail reminiscing all the way until we got there and then, off they went to play in and with the water.  I took a little movie of them sliding in and out of the mud and water with incredible delight!!!  I am however, having trouble getting it to you. I will continue to figure out a way.

There was a lot of fun being with one another, playing together, relaxing and enjoying our time at this spot.  We had fun watching the birds and the ducks as well as see, across the lake, our other favorite spot to go to.

One of the delightful part of the day for me was walking back. Each one was so happy and content in their little world. Puma was in the front just singing and walking, then Austen doing the same.  Devin was navigating a few things yet was similar and Vita and Avaline chose to walk with their shoes off. About half way back they decided to put their shoes on, stopped and put them back on. Then Vita RANNNNN very fast and caught up with the rest of us.

Back at the bus there was a grand changing party, accept for Puma who chose not to get wet during the day, at all.  We brought out the chalk because one day this year they remembered loving drawing on the concrete during a past changing party. As each one finished getting changed they then went to draw on the ground together, play Tic Tac To and then, into the bus and away back to the park we went.

 

/0 Comments/by

Tender Tracks Tues. Day 65

May 28, 2018
Full Moon
Lake Lagunitas

Our last days are being counted and we are visiting our old haunts with many memories coming into our conversations.
Today we celebrated Avalines 5th birthday. She will be 5 in August yet, everyone else has been celebrated and we wanted to celebrate her too, of course. She was HAPPY about it all and we had fun hearing her story, watching her pick out her stones, and receiving her yummy birthday snack for us all!!!

The day was very warm today, what a difference from last week!  We stayed in the shade most of the day. We did, however, have our circle on top of our Magick Potion Pot hill. When we got out of the bus they made a beeline to that and then, to the Fairy house!! Well, the fairy house wasn’t there but Avaline made sure to put flowers there.

As I said, our circle was sweet and we sang the songs of their choosing.  They had so much fun swinging on the bars there and being more capable and competent than ever.  Devin and Austen had a BLAST continuing to build their recycling center too!!  After circle and this kind of play, we made our way to an adventure to find a cool/ not so warm, spot and a place for lunch. However, we did not get very far for we ran into the lovely man with the photo cards. He didn’t seem to remember us but the children remembered him. And, he gave the children MORE cards!!  They had a good deal of fun with him and we kept seeing him along the trail. He was so very happy that the children were out there doing what we do, Being in Nature!

When we got to the top of the stone stairs we looked out to see if the Momma duck and her ducklings were there perchance. They were not but a Mallard duck couple was. But oh, how could I forget, before we even got up there we all sat sweetly down below at the creek near the waterfall looking at the very large Bull Frog tadpoles. And some of them we could see their legs growing!!!!!!

Now, back at the top, they were remembering the frogs, the turtles and the crawdads we had seen down there at the beginning of the year when there was no water.
As we walked along the trail they figured out how to get to our spot. Vita knew exactly where to go and she led the way. Devin was in hog heaven running and being excited. Austen followed along. Puma ran ahead and Avaline was with me, tired and hot.  We all finally made it. They took off their shoes and went right into the water looking for, can you guess?  NEWTS!!  It was well-passed lunch time though so, after some initial explorations we sat to eat.

Lunchtime was filled with all the children telling their “favorite” jokes. A lot of them were knock-knock jokes and some of them only us adults would find funny. Not because they made a lot of sense but because the children, particularly Devin, cracked up at their own jokes. :)!!!

We finally finished eating and enjoying this sharing and back to water, newts, Redwood Forest and, finding a new friend.

I took Avaline to go poop. When she was finished down the creek came a Grandpa with his 5-year-old Granddaughter. We had actually met them earlier in the year at Alpine lake when it was basically empty.  While Avaline and I were talking with them a little Chipmunk came by and entertained us beautifully. Vita came by and enjoyed this as well.  Avaline, Vita, and the little girl went under the bridge and the Grandpa, well, he became a bit Bear crossing the bridge and making big sounds!!! AHHHRRRRR!! 🙂

The children played with them for awhile back at the creek until it was close to time for us to go.  We then packed up and had such a fine time walking back, saying our thank you’s and singing our song with their stuffed animals leading the way. Most of them were very thankful for wading deep in the water, and we were all happy for seeing the ducks, the birds and being outside.

/0 Comments/by