Tender Tracks Wed. Day 32

May 22, 2019
Waning Moon
Lake Alpine

Gideon gone on holiday and our friend Terry came to play and visit again.

We were to go to Sorich. When I went by just a day ago the road was clear with no road block signs. But today, ROAD CLOSED the sign said. What to do?  We turned around and, since the day was so beautifully sunny our goal was to go to a sunny place. Off to Lake Alpine we went. And, indeed, it was sunny and beautiful all day. Gentle breezes would come in on and off and cool us down and freshen up the air. Rain clothes and extra coats were taken off for the day and hats were put on, NOT RAIN HATS that is. 🙂

We had such a fine ride just going to Lake Alpine. They so love feeling the bumpiness of the rocky road right before we get there and all the twists and turns of the road.  They always laugh with joy and delight.

We decided, since it took us longer to get to our place today, that we would just have them play and explore straight away and then have a standing circle where we sing our songs, eat a little easily held snack and then make our way to the TURTLES!  Nelly and Addie were “fishing” with Ruby down by the lake when we got there. The boys went to go play by the water.  Siena and Ellery wanted to go over and build and such with them. Rohin said something along the lines of to Ellery, ‘You might not want to come and play because we are playing boys games.’ Those were not his words but the jist of it.  Ellery was quite fine playing with them so they all were playing with logs and in and around the water quite happily.

When we got together to sing our songs they were just grand and so present and involved.  And then, backpacks on and down the road to find the turtles.  We found so many treasures and delights with the birds flying around us, Poison Hemlocks growing up tall right now, poison oak all over and continually helping each other out with where it is.  Going up the big hill Sienna was saying “My legs are so tired!”  And, not long after that, those legs got to go DOWN hill.  At the top however, we watched the water from both sides of the bridge go down singing it’s grand song and changing shape in different parts of it’s adventure down to the still water.  We wondered, if we were to do down in a boat, could we then paddle to our bus? Nathan did not think that down below would allow that.  Many things to ponder and , at some point in time, discover the answer!  But, for now, curiosity and observations.  And then, we went on to go down a hill that looked like what they remembered and then again did not as the grasses all around were very tall.

When we got to the bottom and nearing the bend where we would find the turtles we went very, very, very quietly as the turtles are SO sensitive and leap in the water so quickly.  We did a great job with our stealth and, only about half of the turtles or less went plopping into the water.  They came back fairly quickly too, which was grand!

I believe it was Beau that noticed that our “boat”, the one that you see when you go to the Website with two children sitting on it with their backs towards the on looker, was gone.  I have been coming here for a long time and the huge log/boat truly was not there. So, “WHERE WAS IT?” we all asked. The children scrambled here and there and said they could not find it.  I went back to where they went and Ruby and I think that truly it was over on this other side, slightly submerged and looking a bit different yet, truly the log.  WOW what winter storms and wind we had to move such a large log as that.

We went back and sat for awhile watching the turtles. There was a Mallard boy duck sitting sweetly on a part of the log where only one turtle was and as the turtle was about to get off the duck began pecking at its leg!  The turtle went away from that duck.  Later on most of us saw the duck leave it’s cozy spot, climb up on the other log where all the turtles were and start pecking at one of those turtles. The pecked turtle just pulled himself inside its shell and waited until the duck went away.  We all guessed for awhile why that duck might do that.

The children were sent on an adventure to find a rock that they really liked. They ran off to do so and came back with great stories about what they liked.  Then Nathan, Ellery and Sienna found great rocks with sharp edges to clean up sticks that they had.  Rohin, Beau, Nelly, Addie were having fun throwing things into the water.   Addie and Beau went down further with Terry and found a great log to play with. Most others came with them for awhile and then, it was lunch time.  Watching some Merganser Ducks be with the turtles was fun.   After eating Ruby was fixing Sienna and Ellery’s hair. They began playing with hers for awhile.  I went with Nathan, Beau, Rohin and Addie back to the log to try to get it closer to shore. When we did we found great creatures on it.  Then Sienna, Ellery and Nelly played “Family.”

We all just merged in with the land, the birds, the plants, and all of their own unique curiosities about the Earth but then, it was time to go. Beau so honestly said NO, it is not time to go.  But alas….

We had fun hiking up the big hill, going down the big hill and getting back into our bus where Ruby, again, played the Kalimba and told a story of the day that was sweet and mesmerizing.