Tender Tracks Tues. Day 23

Dec. 6, 2016
Roy’s Redwoods
Waxing Moon

All were here as well as Old Man North.  Under the trees it was COLD!

We started our day at this place from a different parking spot. From there we walked down the trail until they recognized where we were and then found our way to the Cathedral of Redwood trees and where the bouncy tree is.  Jake, Kai and Kuba worked at bringing one of the snack bags down. Jake relinquished this job after a bit, as it was very heavy and then, after a very, very hearty effort Kuba and Kai let go and I carried it the rest of the way.  I believe they helped carry some of it back to the bus though a bit after snack with Michelle.

The story today had beautiful props of Trilly Trully, Trippy Troopy, a Gnome, a little lantern, a little hammer and many beautiful stones.  The adventure was about discovering the Gnomes and how they take care of all the stones. They find them, and polish them and make wonderful lanterns to guide their way, just like our song talks about!!!   At the end of circle I showed them how we were going to make our own lanterns. I took out a can with frozen water in it and hammered some holes in for the light to shine through.  The children were clearly very inspired because right after snack and story time they went out of our Cathedral and found sticks as hammers and rocks as the stones, made a circle and began hammering together. It was a beautiful, beautiful site to behold.

The circle was already made so I took out the tin cans with ice and one by one they each worked at hammering holes in the cans.  We decided to break this job up into two days so only five children today: Jake, Kuba, Ruby, Skylar and Archer.  Each one of them really took to it so well and liked hammering, even though their hands were cold!  We wanted to finish this though as it was getting really cold.

Michelle took a group to the bus to get extra TT clothes, hats and mittens on.  When we left the cold Redwoods it was indeed warmer. However, the Cloud Children were very playful. They   kept covering up Grandpa Sun’s face and then running away so we could feel the warm rays again. Cold, Warm, Cold, Warm, Cold, Warm…… so coats and sweaters went on and off on and off, on and off!

They all found a lovely spot on a hill to lay our belongings down.  We discovered that we really could not go in the trees any where on that hill because Winter poison oak was all around.

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This is what it looks like in the winter time. Naked shinny and smooth sticks sticking up all over.  It turned out that it was lunch time, noon, when we got there as Archer said he was hungry. We looked at our watches and “How did it get to be noon already???”  So we all circled up and ate our lunch.

After that there was running up the hill, listening to stories by Michelle, some children became Santa and were making presents for everyone and others were with me/Archer, Jake, and Jesse running up and down the BIG hill. We were gathering lot’s of the dry grass and I began to make a little nest. Pretty soon all the other kids came by, one by one, and wanted a little nest too. Some put little leaves inside and made it for presents. I think Jake was the King or Prince and he was getting a lot of presents.  Ruby was Aurora and Skyler was Cinderella.  Archer was King of the Land and Kai was the Knight.  Kuba continues to show everyone everyday all the things he knows how to do like, hammer really easily and sing a lot of great songs!  Edie came in so gentle and kind and stayed that way throughout the day.  Isabella too was soft and playful and Jesse was able to say what he did and did not want to play.

By one o’clock it seemed like a good idea to pack up and make our way back to the bus so, we did.  Jake, Jesse, Isabella, Ruby and Kai went with me to go get the lanterns. They all still had ice in them that had to be taken out. When we got to them they had to shake and shake and shake them out. All came out but Ruby’s and Jesses or rather only half of theres.  We then made our way back to the bus and surprisingly before the other group. They all got in the bus and got their Children’s Nature Field Guide books they were looking at from the beginning of the day. We shared what we were seeing and showed each other the pictures and off we went. In the bus there was some talk that half the children did not like and so I stopped and they figured out a different way of being with one another that would work for all and then we made it back.