Tender Tracks Wed. Day 30

May 10, 2017
Lake Lagunitas
Full Moon

Jasper was absent today. It was his birthday but, due to stepping on a Bumble bee the day before and getting a very puffy foot, we were not able to celebrate with him as he staid home to rest his swollen foot.

Beyond that, it was a delightful day back from Holiday!
However, the day brought  MUCH cooler weather from the day before: close to 20 degrees difference!!!  The winds were up and the warmth of the sun was playing it’s customary hide and go seek.

No matter though, the children were alive with fun and exploration.
We began our circle time on our Sunny hill where the “witches brew pot” is and the Fairy house.  Alas, the Fairy house was not there and there was some disappointment around that.  However, they WERE delighted to play at the witches brew pot and filled it with lot’s and lot’s of wood and such. I really enjoyed seeing Avaline drag a VERY large log over to it and then pop it in the water!  Oliver wanted to splash, Susie didn’t want the splash, Vita was fine, Puma was just playful and happy and Ruthie was mesmerized with some Dandelion look alike flowers that she was playing with. And Oliver, well, Oliver did what he does so very, very, very well, FIND BUGS! and such. Yes bugs and critters of all kinds he always finds and today at the pot he found what looked like a deceased Cicada.

After circle of new songs that will last us through the end of the year and a new story that they will hear for a week or two more as it is a sequential story, we made our way to an adventure.

We went along a great path that they have been on before and truly enjoedy.  It meanders through the Redwoods, along the sides of Bon Tempe lake then out to the open sun and waters.  They remembered this place and ran down to greet it!  We then settled in for the fun of the day.

Oliver and Puma fairly quickly found a little one to one and a half inch frog. They played with that friend for at least a half hour when, at that point, I thought it best to give the little frog a break from handling. That was a bit of a challenge for them as they were LOVING it so. The other children got to see it yet were not so fully engrossed as Oliver and Puma! 🙂

Vita, Ruthie, Susie and Avaline were delighting in the waters edge, gathering “fish”/ lake plants, and putting them in our “cooking Pot.”
I made a make shift Pot out of sticks on the ground and they all added to this. I then made a fire pit while Linda was with them gathering. Ruthie was involved in the many plants that were around us and washing her hands with them all. She found wonderful Peppermint along the way and Linda then shared with us how lovely they smelled upon ones hands.

At lunch they all wanted to wash their very muddy hands. They first washed in the lake, then were given peppermint for a lovely smell.  And, there was the hand sanitizer too!

It was getting quite cold so I thought we would leave a bit early but after lunch they were having such a good time.  Susie actually was not having such a grand time. After lunch she curled up in my lap. She said she wasn’t hungry but that her tummy ached. I thought she might need to poop as that is often the case. No she said. Then she pointed to where it hurt; her lower left intestine. And within a couple of minutes after that she said she had to go poop. We went up the hill and sure enough, poop came out. After that,  she seemed just fine for the rest of the day.

Avaline really got into painting her face with mud. Susie was not so interested in that yet after a bit put some on her arms and loved it!!!!
Linda was playing with them and I began gathering materials to make a magnifying glass fire.  Puma and Oliver helped me gather as much dry moss and lichen as we could. I made a little fire that we put straight out and then they wanted to try.  Puma got really good at it and Oliver needed some practice.

Our walk back was fun as we walked together. Linda and Ruthie however, took a grand meander and came back with some stories. We hid from them and they found all the children!!!!

Into the bus we went and away home as well.