Tender Tracks Tues. Week 31 Day 61

May 14, 2019
Waxing Moon
Deer Park

Josie was absent today.

Well, the day had a small twist in it. We were going to go to Sorich Park.  Last week we were planning on going but when I was planning the week I discovered that the road to it was completely full of construction. This week, I did not check and assumed it would be finished enough to go. So, in the bus and off we went but….when we got to the road it was blocked/closed at the end of the road and therefore we could not pass.

So, we pulled over and looked at our options with Ruby and I deciding.  But first, we wanted to discover places that they would like to visit before school ended as there are only 7 regular days left.  I took out our book and made a list and from there, we went to Deer Park. This is a place that they have always enjoyed and we have gone very rarily this year.

When we got there it was indeed delightful.  The boys went instantly back to spots they remembered and Ellie and Luna played, all day, so sweetly and cooperatively together.  Very warming.  Ellie went to play with the boys after awhile and Luna joined but for only a bit. She discovered many Bay nuts on the ground and engrossed herself with deep curiosity about them.

We had circle, snack, we played our Rabbit fingerplay songs, came back to circle, had Eamon share with us about the weather and watch it radically change within a five minute span.  Then, off they went again with DEEP explorations and discoveries.

Eamon was in 7th heaven when he found a tool/two sticks, that aided him going up and down the hill. He said “I am a Mt. Climber!” with extreme pride and delight.   As we began our adventure away from this hill he said ‘Will we be able to climb more Mt’s?’  He very much wanted to make sure that the hill he was climbing would just keep following us.

As we walked down this trail Theo and Holden were up ahead with me.  I heard a Spotted Towhee alarming, quite a bit, and really wanted to see it and have them see it.  We started to get quiet and to slow down. This still doesn’t make a lot of sense to Theo, the slowing down part, yet Holden encouraged him.  We started to see the Towhee flit through the ground brush when Eamon came by and wanted to play with Holden. Holden asked him to be still three times and then, I am not exactly sure what happened but then Eamon cried and cried.  When simply validating each one of their feelings and desires Eamon’s response was so precious, he just wanted to Holden to do what HE was doing and, Holden just wanted the same from his perspective.  I smile here as the children’s brains still have not activated the part where they can have two feelings at a time so, when what they want gets thwarted such BIG tears arise for the loss of what they wanted. This happened for all of them throughout the day today as they played and worked with what they wanted with and from each other.  Oh growing up takes such courage and is a valiant endeavor!!!

As that got resolved we kept walking. It then became Holden, Theo and I again. All of a sudden Holden said “when are we going to be there?”  and right then, he said, “There it is!”  His body knew where the place to leave this trail was and how to get to the next place was. For me this was exciting as we have been, quietly as teachers, working with Body Radar or trusting your body to help you find places and things.  Here it was in full action, our inherent  and organic ability to feel and sense things!

Earlier on the trail, when we first started out, Ruby found a Ca. Hazelnut tree. It had some nuts from last years crop.  I opened one and we all got to eat it. WOW so YUMMY! The new spring flowers are just showing and the nuts are in their very young stage. We can’t wait to come back to harvest some of them come the right time!

We finally made it to our intended destination, the Old worn out fort. But first, it was lunch time so, we sat down and ate lunch and then, went to the “fort.”  Truly run down it was and they got to pay close attention to what was safe and what was not.  There was a bouncy part that they thought was so fun to jump off of “like a diving board” from this great ship!  Ellie had to poop so Ruby took her to go do that while I stayed with the rest of them.  Fun games we had and then, by the time Ellie came back it was indeed time to go.

Going back I found a feather. They all wanted it, accept Ellie, so a challenge came upon them: stalk all the way back in total silence and win the feather. But alas, NO ONE could fully do it, though they DID give great effort to do so!  And, what does that mean??? We get to practice again and again and again!!

We drew our picture of the day and remembered the things that warmed our hearts so from the day and then took our short drive back to Peri Park.