Tender Tracks Wed. Day 28

April 24, 2019
Waning Crescent Moon
Roy’s Redwoods

Gideon was absent today.

What an absolutely glorious day.  Going to Roy’s Redwoods shielded us from the great heat and allowed us cool, comfortable and easy sensations on our skin.  They loved going back here too.

When we got there though we saw immediately what Brother Sister Wind and Great Rains had done over our winter.  Four big trees had fallen down. 3 were Bay Trees and One was a young Redwood tree.  We still had our bouncy tree yet the path that we take into the woods was thwarted and the only way was to go to the upper skinny trail, which we did at first to check the trees out and then to use to get into the woods.

After checking that all out they went straight to the creek. There they found ways to cross over and ways that were hard and ways in which they wanted to see if they could actually make it over such obstacles.
Beau was very hesitant all day, Rohin was glad for his rain boots. Nathan said “my shoes are water proof.”  Ellery fell down and got wet yet after her tears she discovered that she was fine and then went to the challenge of crossing over the big log. Sienna followed with no concern over getting wet. Nelly was LOVING it all and Addie was very happy playing in one spot on the creek where there was some water and a place for her to sit down and tinker there.

We all wound up over on the bouncy tree.  We took our time making sure everyone could get up and be safe and then: BOUNCE!!  We bounced our way to many different places: The moon, Hawaii, under the ocean to see Arielle and then, finally we bounced our way right over to circle time.   There we had such a fine and happy time ALL singing our songs, eating our snack and hearing the story from last week Rabbits Wedding.  Oh how they loved this.

After snack they went RIGHT into playing the games from the story, all together and then running back in one single line ready to play more at the creek.   I then took Nelly to the porta potty for her to go poop. We then packed up to go on our adventure through the forest and to the other side of Roy’s Wonderland.

They were all proud of themselves for going up and down a big trail and then down through the muddy swamp, over the big laying down tree and down onto a path where the creek showed itself. There we saw that in some places the water bubbled and in some places it was still. How could that be??????  We must watch and watch and watch and some day we just may begin to discover how this all works.

We spent a lot of time really looking at the LARGE sized Poison/Guardian Oak and staying clear of it and then finding our way to our spot. But wait a minute, what did we see there???  More trees fallen down at the hand of Mighty Winters friends, Wind and Rain.  This place however had lot’s of Yellow Tape all around these trees. Happily though the bouncy tree was not lost and, everyone had their turn on that with songs to go with it.  Then, exploring in the big Redwood tree Cathedral!!

I snuck up on the girls inside that were playing some kind of game. Beau was up top. I began to give a bird call and Beau just watched as I moved about with this call smiling the whole time in delight and never revealing what I was doing.  The girls wound up leaving and helping the group set up lunch time. I kept making my sounds and then saying “Come find me! Come find me!”  So they all looked about and looked about and looked about and then…THEY FOUND ME!! And it was time for all the little birdies and children to go eat lunch.  Most of them ate very well while others, we feared, had eaten a good deal of snack and left less room for lunch. 🙁

While we were eating some fine people came through. They were so very nice and we all struck up a conversation with them.  The children shared who we were and that we were a school.  The people were impressed how peaceful the lunch circle was too and, it was true, the beauty, ease, peace, and togetherness just keeps growing grander and grander as it has been doing all year.

After lunch we all played together and then got ready to leave.  The walk back was easy and fun and in the bus they all had thank you’s to offer while Ruby drew their gratitudes of the day.  As we drove home she told her magical tales. We actually got back 8 minutes early. Unprecedented!!!! 🙂

We all went down to the creek and painted with rocks, watched sticks float down the creek and get stuck, noticed that some of the rocks were hot, got them cool and delighted in the next moment of our day. Then they got picked up and our day came to a close.

Today was just one pure delight after another. They have been and still are an extreme joy to be with and share nature with and, oh yes, we came upon a Millipede. Nelly, Addie and Beau enjoyed holding it and feeling it tickle their skin. The others just watched.