Tender Tracks Wed. Day 8

Nov. 2, 2016
Lake Lagunitas
Waxing Crescent Moon

The day began with some children having a hard time leaving Mom’s and Dad’s. Basically Susi and Oliver. They found their way with tenderness and care. They were invited to find a special box of whatever color they liked. ( an imaginary box) They all shared the color they liked. And then, in side the box was great love. They would put their heads inside, take a big smell and LOVE went right into their head and heart, body, legs and all!!! They took this right in and from there gave Oliver some of this great and ever abundant love and warmth. And then we got them cozy inside blankets and snuggly with stuffed animals and off we went.

At the lake they played for quite awhile before circle with the water, trees, sticks and the waterfall. I showed them how to go under the water fall. Puma LOVED this and was the first to go under. Then Oliver with Linda. It was exciting to do this and I invite everyone to try going on the back side of any water fall. There is something very magical and exciting about it!

From there we went to circle, had three new songs, said good bye to some old ones and heard a new story about Little Tommy Tittle Mouse. There is a song with this and it leads into a game of listening, with eyes closed to your friend making a different voice sound and you guessing who it is. This was just the beginning of the game through the story. After the story though Puma, Avaline and Oliver laid in my lap as we sang our song and someone was picked to make an animal sound for the child in the lap to guess who it was. They did not really get it all but they loved playing it and we will continue. Part of this is for continuing to aid them in learning each others names and know each other in yet another way. This is laying yet another foundation for nature connection with other things such as the birds, and sounds all around us.

After circle there was much more exploration of the area and then off we went in a new direction. We were limited in time so we stopped at a spot sooner then I wished yet just fine and there we settled in. It is always good to see the children just settle in and spread out in their bodies, minds, and play.

Ruthie and Puma just love the water and bond so much with playing in it and around it. Jasper and Vita are still doing their friendship dance where they play and play until Vita is tired and wants to do something different or with someone else and Jasper does not like this. Susie was trying more new hiking and climbing adventures, Oliver was having a great deal of fun playing with water and climbing all over logs and such. And Avaline was happy and content until she fell and got a little scrap and then, the clincher, at the very end of the day she fell into the water.

There were four poop adventures today out of 7 children! It is very nice to know that they are regular:)
I miss managed a bit with the time and we really had to scoot back quickly. Linda had Ruthie, Oliver, Vita and Jasper and she got very creative with her encourgment to get them back. At one point Ruthie, in her usual sweet, innocent and beautifully honest self sat down and said something like,’ it’s time to take a little rest now.’ And Oliver concurred and did the same! Dear Linda, she knew she had to get them back so she playfully took their hands and got them to where the hill was. There Ruthie ran down and Oliver went down more easily but not with a run. Jasper and Vita however came happily down the hill and into the bus. Avaline was very happy that I had her in the front and in the bus first because we went straight away to changing her clothes. Susi and Puma were happy to skip down the trail and into the bus.

We were all day on the look out for the Woodpeckers as we went through “wood pecker heaven.” We heard the frogs in the morning and Puma wondered where they were when we got back. We made “nests” out of all the Doug Fir cones around us and the Oak tree leaves. We felt the earth and how wet it still was and smelled many wonderful things. The Light Fairies on the water were glistening and many of the children could not help but comment on them as they were dancing all over with such great beauty.

It was a fine and kind day out on the Earth, after a big rain storm playing with the puddles and smelling and feeling the Earth after it has been drenched.