Tender Tracks Thurs. Day 24

Dec. 7, 2017
Waning Moon
Lake Alpine

Devin, Austen and Ruby were absent today.
When such a small group comes it is fun to create the day a bit differently so, that is what we did.  The intention of the day was the same yet we immersed ourselves even more deeply into a true organic flow in each and  every moment.

When we got to our usual spot they instantly wanted to see if there was any water in the Lake.  Very little there was they discovered.  Avaline was telling us all about her adventures that she and her family had recently had at this place. What grand adventures they were!!  The children then ran up and down their beloved rock, came down and had a snack. Then off we went.  I pointed them in the direction I wanted us to go and then they took it from there. First, it was Puma who found a path off the trail and got curious. He wanted to go down it into the dry creek bed, or rather partially dry.  Vita and Avaline wanted to go too so down we went. They explored the muddy and the dry, the full of water and the tracks down there. I then saw another trail. Avaline really wanted to explore that way instead of going back from whence we came so we did. From there she took us on an adventure. An adventure that led us up the side of the hill. It seemed she was making a beeline to a big Oak tree where she thought lunch would be grand to have there. It was quite early however for that so, they checked it out and then we carried on.  Puma took over and drew us up, up, up, up and then….. They all collapsed and said “Do we have to keep going up and up, anymore? We’re tired!!!”  I ran ahead to see if the trail flattened out at all but it did not so, DOWWWWNNNNNNNN we went and back on the trail that led us up there.

There were several forks in the trail to figure out which way to go, we did and then, they went off onto another trail.  I saw two INCREDIBLY RIPE RED Rose hip bushes!!!!!  I asked if they would be happy to play there while I harvested and, that is exactly what they wanted to do!  They also wanted to eat lunch and proceeded to plop down upon the thin trail.  They gobbled up their lunch as they were very hungry from such great climbing.  Afterwards, I started to harvest. Avaline joined me, Vita a little and Puma got intrigued with playing around the area and exploring.  Vita was happy finding mushrooms too.

I saw a woman walking down in the dry lake bed with a babe in arms, a small child walking, and two dogs.  For some reason, Puma really wanted to find them and catch up with them.  He ran over there, I then followed him and then Vita and Avaline came along as well.  As Puma got closer to them they headed off. It seemed that they were not up for company. He really, however, wanted to come up to them.  I dissuaded this a bit as they truly seemed to be trying to get away from us.  We then found ourselves in a place that I have always wanted to go but have not been able to due to water and Poison oak keeping us from getting there. But here we were, in a GREAT and marvelous Madrone Tree Forest.  Vita was in HEAVEN.  All day long she was delighted with picking fresh Madrone berries and eating, eating, eating them up.

Here we stayed for the rest of our day playing many games, Monsters for one and then I drew them into being inside this beautiful Doug Fir tree. Earlier they had gone down into the dry lake bed in an attempt to GET AWAY FROM THE MONSTER!  I went and hid inside the Doug fir tree and then gave my usual call that they know is me and they know to come and see if they can find me.  Sure enough, up they came out of the lake and into the Forest!  “Make the sound again so we can find you!” they all said.  The sound got less and less, and they had to work harder and harder to remember where their ears were telling them to go and finally, PUMA FOUND ME!

While I was waiting, however, I saw an incredible abundance of birds feeding all around there.  When the children came inside the Doug Fir tree they discovered great limbs to climb on.  They climbed and then they began to settle in, settle down and the birds came back.  We heard and saw some .  I then told them stories. One was about Why the Doug Fir cones Have Tails on Them.

Avaline wanted to finish her lunch. She came out, Vita and Puma came out, they all got quiet again and, the birds came back. It was such a magickal moment sitting with them watching and listening to the many birds around us!

Puma then had to poop so I found a place for him. Vita had to poop and she pooped near his spot. All three of them found black soot to scrap and gather and then, time to pack up and find our way back.

We had to make our way back through the Burdock plants where the seed babies LOVED to attach to Avaline, mostly.  We made it through fairly unscathed though!  We didn’t realize we were as close to the bus as we thought so they played a bit more on the rock, got into the bus and then I gave them a comical singing rendition of the day where afterward they shared their gratitudes for the day.

What fun!