Tender Tracks Wed. Day 6

Oct. 17, 2018
Lake Lagunitas
Waxing Half Moon

Gideon was home sick today. We sent him much love and well wishes during our circle time.

Today was yet another beautiful day weather wise and, with the children. They were all alive, happy and raring to go for the day.
They instantly got into the bus with fun, out of the bus with glee and over to circle with aliveness. Every single one of them is so present and joyful singing our songs. As we do the finger plays they really work at counting their fingers as we sing. They sang a new greeting song that was introduced today about each other with excitement and joy.
We continue to sing these kinds of songs for them to learn each others name and see the beauty of one another.

Right after our regular songs we then sang a Tender Tracks Birthday song to Beau. He then happily shared the cupcakes that he, his Mother and his sister made yesterday for us all with some strawberries. What fun was that!!!
Then after story and circle they were invited, via the story and our personal invitation, to go down to the creek and find stones that we can make paint with. But first, I brought out the Morter and Pestle and we pounded a red rock/waterlogged, then dried, red brick. I then had a little cup with some water in it. We put some of the pounded powder of the rock into it, mixed it up and made paint. They then used the paintbrush I had made out of Soap Root and a Redwood Stick and painted themselves, their hair, their bodies… Nelly was REALLY happy to paint her hair, Sienna to paint her face, even Rohin painted his face.

Nathan and Rohin were having a great deal of fun with some very big sticks, Beau and Addie were with Ruby down by the water and then one by one the rest came down until we were all there. What fun everyone was having and then….. while Rohin was “fishing and trying to catch the fish” kersplash! he went in up to his waist in the water. What a surprise that was for him!  I was with him while the startlement, fear and tears wended their way through him and then found equilibrium again. After that we were able to take our time and eventually go back to the bus to change his clothes. Nathan’s one leg and boot feel in but he was not phased by this. He just took off his boot, wrung his sock out and put his boot back on. The day was still young and a bit cold, however, so I brought them both to the bus for a first, of many, “changing parties.”

They laughed and had a good time doing this. I was told from Ruby that while we were doing that, an entire musical event took place with the rest of the children. At first, they were banging on this steel flat door. As an adult, if you have heard children do this it is very loud and actually, not all that pleasant. Ruby steered them in another direction something like this:’ What wonderful music you are able to make. Go get two stones and some sticks.’ They came back and, with a little direction, they turned into a great band playing and playing. They then went to their favorite “tree house” continued to play and then invited Ruby over to hear their music. Right about then Rohin, Nathan and I came back and got the tail end of it all. 🙂

Right before lunch Ruby had them gather together, each with one green Redwood cone in their hand and she holding a jar of fresh and clear water. One by one they dropped their cone into the water and little by little the water turned red and kind of purple. They came to lunch in delight.

Rohin had the best and easiest day EVER with regard to the Yellow Jackets. He did not put his hands over his ears and he was just fine. We did, however, put an offering out for them, as well as sat in a place where there were far fewer of them and, no one was bothered and the Yellow Jackets were VERY happy for this offering.

After lunch, there was a great unity of play around their favorite tree and little muddy creek near it. Then, it was time for the Birthday present. But wait a minute, we missed two birthdays in September so, first Beau, then Addie, then Ellory, put their hand into a wonderful bag, felt around and around until they felt just the right something and pulled it out. A beautiful heart stone came out. Each one of them had a different type of stone and each one got a wonderful little pouch to put it in. They were happy! The other children, however,  couldn’t figure out  why Addie and Ellory got this gift and why they were not getting one as they had birthdays too. It will take a bit I think for it to fully sink in that we are waiting for their four-year-old birthday because Beau just turned three and so did they not too long ago. 🙂

I want to mention one last story of the day: Early in the day Rohin gave me some nice dried grass.  It was perfect for making a fire “nest.”  I gathered some more dried materials, went down to the fire pit, took out my ferro rod (Ferrocerium rods are a favorite fire starter among many outdoor and survival enthusiasts. Ferrocerium is a man-made metallic material that produces sparks in excess of 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit when it’s scraped with a rough surface or a sharp edge) and the back side of my knife and began making those sparks.  We needed more dry ingredients so they went searching and coming back searching, coming back, and learning a lot about what is actually dry, what is not and why green plant matter is not dry.  Sienna and Ellory came in and began looking for dry material as well.  I finally got a nice little fire going. YEAH!  They then ran off to play down by the creek with the rest of the group.

The ride back home was fun and so was the day. Nathan, Rohin, Beau, Addie, Ellory, Sienna, Nelly all, are acclimated to the rhythms and flows with greater and greater ease each and every week. Ruby and I are truly thrilled and filled with great joy to be with your children as they unfold here at Tender Tracks and with the Earth and Sky.
Thank you!