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Palo Alto Tender Tracks Day 58, May 10, 2012
Waning Moon
Pichetti
Audrey was out ill today.
The children came about 75% more wild and filled with large voices and many words today then our more peaceful return of Tuesday. Circle was nothing like Tuesdays which held cohesion, ease and unity. Today I almost sent them off to play yet when I suggested we leave circle behind for the day without snack or story because their bodies were calling for something else they expressed a great desire to stay within the circle. They rallied yet in truth, something in them was calling forth great outward expression! The story however was truly the only real thing that held them together. And, since it was so whirlwindy we wound up, instead of singing, going around and saying one thing we were thankful for in that very moment. This was not easy for most, to find a thank you in the moment, yet they each found something.
I was amused within myself as all morning I kept hearing this story I know about Gratitude asking me to tell it and then this wound up happening. This is a part of the journey of deep listening that I love. Somehow it seems that giving thanks and having gratitude was the theme for the day and I was happy to do my part and roll with it. When story came they were totally quiet and present. In the bus Jasper happily made the Moon look the way it does in the sky and Bodie took his very happy time giving out the stuffed animals.
I thought today would be the last day ever for going to Pichetti for the year so right as we pulled up I invited them to be very still and quiet (not an easy task on this particular day!) to see if the Peacock would give us it’s welcoming call. This hasn’t happened in a very long time yet, THE PEACOCK SANG as we drove up and there it was standing regally on the chicken coop roof!
The children were delighted and ran to see this wonder. As they did it flared it’s wings and gave a great show! Then off to the pond. The children are so very skilled at running to where they are instructed to go and wait until the next spot to run to and so they did. Then up and up and then down and down to the pond but, NO WATER! Well, I pretty much figured that would be the case. However, the greenery in the pond was alive and rich with life.
There was a man, a woman and two children of four years of age there and all of the children took to each other. The man had a net, loved bugs and caught lizards. Instant friends he made with most of the Tender Trackers. I encouraged the children at first to go to the otherside of the lake where there is a shelter that they always play in in order to give these people some continued peace from before we came. When we went over there Alexi actually caught a Blue Belly lizard and Lucy, Anjalie,Grace, and myself circled around and held it. Well, Lucy and I got it but Gracey and Anjalie did not as it scurred away before it was there turn.
After awhile the man and that group came over. He had a net and all but Kashi, Paul and Bodie were following him around as he caught many delightful bugs and Lizards to show and then release. They were ENTHRAWLLED and, this Man and Woman were amazed at the focus and peacefulness of your children. The little boy came over and he and Kashi played in the shelter. Paul wound up setting up a great eating spot there and sat contentedly for quite sometime eating on his makeshift table.
The little girl was very delighted with Oak Galls and sharing them and then they all had to leave. Whenever we go there of late we meet such wonderful people.
A big group of the fifth grade science camp kids came around and did what they usually do. Later in the day, Gracey told me in reference to these folks that she, Anjalie, Alexi and Lucy do not like meeting new people. ’Because they might hurt us.’
The children got very involved in searching for bugs and lizards and then began great imaginative games. I noticed where they were many, many Eucalyptus caps so I gathered some, brought out my awl and Laurie and I began putting holes in the center to make necklaces. One by one they all got involved with gathering these gems and then threading them. Grace and Kashi made partial necklaces and then, we had to get ready to go. It was then decided that we would come back next Tuesday and finish this wonderful project.
Driving back was far more peaceful until the last 8 minutes of coming back but even then it settled quickly. They expended their energy and found some rest.
Marin Tender Tracks Day 23, May 9, 2012
Waxing Moon
Lake Lagunitas
Leo was not with us today.
I had great plans for this day but alas, your children who are so alive, creative and present with themselves, had their own organic plan so, it was my job to follow with some quiet direction. As soon as we got to the Lake they wanted to run, go to familiar places, explore where they had been to see if anything was the same or different. More specifically, to see if the Banana Slug home they made was still there and if any Banana Slug’s were residing there in. The house had but no Banana Slugs.
I did my best to call them in for a story that I had planned. They stayed, ate, listened but the activity I had, had to be brought in far more invisibly so that is what I did later in the day. I wanted to lay different trails with different materials, rice, crackers and dried string beans and follow them back to see if they were there, if we could see them, follow them etc. It was from Hansel and Gretel that we would learn such great skills. I told the story but with a different focus. The focus was on Hansel and Gretel’s great skill at observation and team work.
However, as I have already said, they just wanted to unfold in their own natural time frame so, that is what happened and I just broadened this a little bit.
Lenny and Bodhi went straight off to a certain part of the creek to explore and Sidona and Simone went exploring close by on the other side of the creek. We walked over the log and Simone was delighted with recalling how brave she was when she walked over it last time! She chose to scoot over this time.
I started to work with stones and share with them how to listen to the different sounds of the stones to figure out which ones are better for hitting and turning into knives and tools. They joined me for a bit. I then quietly made a trail with the green dried string beans and made a call that they are familiar with to try and find me. Sidona took the lead with this and finally found me. She said she didn’t follow the trail though. Then all of them came over to me and we worked at finding the trail back. Each one of them found parts of it. It actually was not easy. They blended in far more then accpected!
We saw this man, woman and their little child go under the water fall and off the children went to explore this. Such giggles and delight when they were able to figure out how to get under the waterfalls and look through the water. They had to get a bit wet in order to really get under there so Sidona, when finished playing here, came back and changed her clothes. Simone really didn’t want to get her great shoes wet ( every week this challenge occurs. She REALLY likes the shoes she wears to Tender Tracks and they take a long time to dry apparently!) so, she took them off! and went barefoot with joy.
Later on we saw some other people go under and thought that they saw how we did this and followed just like we did. Sharing joys can be very fun to pass along!
They then remembered making potions with the buckets and asked if I would get the buckets out again. I did and great potions of ash and dirt were made. When that was done we went exploring down creek to find the Bull frogs that some of their friends that were there told us about. Down the creek we went and we heard the Bull Frogs but never actually found them. However, we did find the Horse tail plant that I had just told them a story about. I didn’t know where they were but here, we found them!!! How wonderfully supportive of life to guide us there!
The funniest part of the day for me was earlier, when I asked if they wanted to go on an adventure. They were clear that they did not. And, right as we needed to leave they all said, “Let’s go on an adventure” as if this was a new idea. I just had to laugh as they were so involved in the perfect adventure of the day with what they were doing. It takes a while to unfold and after three hours or so they were THEN ready to expand out. But alas, we could not.
I did not yet mention that earlier there was a man fishing there, illegally.His movements and communications were a bit guarded yet he caught a beautiful trout and was willing to share this with the children who were so very, very curious and inquisitive about the fish. They had fun touching it, holding it, looking at the blood coming from it and feeling it’s slimy skin. It was very beautiful. And, right before we left and right before they were ready to venture out into a grander exploration, they went back to the waterfall for one last giggling joy behind the waterfall and, Lenny and Bodhi emmersed themselves in the water.
Palo Alto Tender Tracks Day 57, May 8, 2012
Waning Moon
Hidden Villa
Everyone was here and back from holiday. It had that beautiful togetherness that often happens when we have all had a break. Circle was fun and we were all together. Since Kashi was talking about his trip to Hawaii and I have been changing our morning greeting to the day a bit I thought I would introduce a Hawaiian morning gratitude song. They took to it though it will take a bit to learn the foreign words. I then brought in another new song and they took to that as well about little beings coming out from under the earth:
Five little ones lived beneath the ground, One climbed out and went to town
Listen to his story he was feeling rather shy, snap, snap clap, he turned into a butterfly.
Four little ones…she needed to be free…she turned into a Bumble bee.
Three little ones….he sang a little chant…he turned into an Ant.
Two little ones…she needed a hug…she turned into a Lady Bug.
One little one…he sat beneath a log…he turned into a Frog. Ribbet, ribbet, ribbet, SPLASH!!!!!
A very lovely little song.
The story was the same one that I told right before Holiday. You can find it in the library One Fine Day. I elaborated on it to bring in more usage of our senses and the focus for my telling was to bring in mapping, sequential learning, memorization and deppening into a sense of place, Hidden Villa.
When we got to Hidden Villa we ate straight away and then they all paired up, accept Bodie, and got some drawing books and crayons and began to make a “map” of how the story went. They needed to find woods, a place where an old woman would come out of the woods to chop wood and be able to get milk from a cow. We needed to map where the Cow was, where grass was and a creek. Then we needed to find a path that led to the chickens and where they would have an egg and where the chickens food was for a piece of grain and where the farmer would be. They mapped all of this and were so into it. Well, I thought all were until the end of the day I discovered that Giulio, though he was partnered with Jasper and LOOKED like he was drawing really was only playing with Jasper. So far, these sorts of things have not been Giulio’s joy’s. Playing and running though ARE!!!!!! How normal of him!
Lucy, Anjalie, Gracy, Kashi, Alexi, Jasper, Paul and partly Bodie (until we went to water) were really into making these maps.
It was a hot day so stopping to play at the creek seemed in order. They had an opportunity to not follow our map to it’s end and stay at the creek but all but Bodie, Kashi and Gracy put their shoes right on to go and find the rest of the map. They were right on it too because we had little time for all of this. They are so ripe for this sort of thing and they drank it up with delight and focus.
Giulio walked barefoot and a bit slower then everyone all the way back. When I was needing to get him in the bus a little faster I offered him a piggy back ride but he said “No, I want to keep walking.” I let him walk until the ground became filled with mowed down sharp edged thistles. He did not mind then.
This was a beautiful day back from holiday.
Palo Alto Tender Tracks Day 56, April 26, 2012
Waxing Moon
Foothill Park-the long walk to the Island
Alexi and Laurie were home sick today. We wished them speedy recovery.
Circle time they all chose to be there. I have cut the songs down to just two. It is delightful to see how they sing this one very gentle song with words that go like this:Happiness runs in a circular motion, life is like a little boat upon the sea. You can have everything anyway, anyhow, you can have it all if you let yourself be. How come, because, How come, because. And then we repeat it all with flowing soft hand movements. The point of this tender song, there are actually many, but one is to create internal calm and gentleness. It seems to fulfill this intention. We are also singing a finger play song about taking care of caterpillars so that they can turn into butterflies: I’m a little caterpillar crawling about. If you see me on a tree please, please let me be. I don’t wanna be poked or picked way up high. If you leave me I’ll come back as a butterfly. The last movement of this song is with arms spread out and gently flapping like a butterfly.
They have had some Butterfly stories this past month and we have been finding lot’s of caterpillars and seeing butterflies.
After circle and clean up we packed up and made our way to the bus. Lucy is still delighted with giving out the stuffies and learning the fine art of how to give them out in a timely manner. At the moment I would say this is the most favored “job.”
When we got to Foothill Park the air was much,much colder then any of us expected so I got out all of the gloves and we bundled up. Then, off and up the trail to find our way we went. None of them seemed to remember this trail so all along we saw marvelous new wonders.
Anjalie and Paul did not understand the point of such a long trail and wanted to be at the destination more then the journey. However, all along the way we saw the water down below and how the landscape changed. One of my quiet intentions was for “mapping skills.” We discovered the different plants that were growing along the trail and which Miner’s Lettuce would be good to eat. The Poison Oak is rampant so we needed to be ever so vigilant and the Oak Tree’s Illness/ Sudden Oak Death, was visible all around.
When we got to the cross roads in the trail Jasper really wanted to go up and NOT go to the Island. All the rest of the children wanted to go down. What to do? Right then a Man and a woman crossed paths. The man told the woman, it seemed they knew each other, to take the trail going up. I asked her what was up there and she said it went to a road. Jasper then decided that going down was just fine.
Down, down, down they went. No more water was visible through the trees until, there they saw something, WATER! I always like this part because what they see and think is water is really the road. The process of discovery I always find delightful when they finally realize that the road can actually look like water from a distance. When we got there half were quite hungry. But where to go? Where WAS the Island now and when do we eat??!!!! Gracey wound up taking the lead on this after much debate. There was a trail right to our right but she was convinced that it would be too much of an up hill and very long trail to take so she wanted to go up the road and over the big hill. All were fine following here . As we did this we then discovered that the sign on the grassy slope hill said something to the effect of , Don’t climb here. Habitat restoration. What now? She was very clear that if we just kept walking up the road we would get to…..?
We needed to walk single file for safety and they all got into line with ease and without one complaint or distraction from the course. Then, low and behold, we came to a big meadow and the path was made clear!! Jasper and Grace were overtly delighted with knowing exactly where we were and where to go so off we went. There were two trails leading to the Island, higher and lower. They all took what they wished as they were parallel and visible one to the other and off we went. They noticed how different things looked from this way of approaching the Island and then there was our well known bridge. On up and over we went to settle into where we would eat!
The rest of the day was spent with playing on the Island in traditional style with repeating games with different twists. This time Jasper had the restaurant not Kashi. Anjalie, Grace and Lucy wanted me to make Sage brush crowns for some play that they never actually did share and Paul really wanted a crown too. His was most beautiful upon his head as were the others!
They were all clear that they didn’t want to go back the long way which I was slightly surprised by. Maybe today they were just tired as we have walked longer and have walked this when they were still only three!
No matter, we only had time for the short walk and made it back with a lot of fun along the way.
Palo Alto Tender Tracks Day 55, April 24, 2012
Crescent Waxing Moon
Martin’s Creek
What a beautiful, beautiful day. One by one the children came and brought flowers. Pink ones, white ones, large ones small ones, fragrant ones and not fragrant. They then picked wonderful wild flowers galore and added them to the most glorious bouquet that they made for me. They were picking so many flowers that I suggested they put the abundance on all of their mats for circle. They did and the circle was glorious. You parents are quite tricky how you conspired to bring all of these lovely spring flowers. It was a birthday wish of mine to be surrounded by this kind of colorful flower beauty!!!! We really are connected like the concentric rings in a pool from a pebble thrown in.
At circle I told my favorite story from when I was five, Ferdinand the Bull. And, I then realized HOW appropriate that was because, like Ferdinand I was SURROUNDED with flowers and I found myself saying ” I could just sit here all day smelling these flowers!” I love these kind of “coincidences.”
Since it was my birthday I got to choose where we adventure for the day. I have been wanting to go back to Martin’s creek for months now and today seemed like a great day to do it. And, it was! A few things have changed but not much and I think the changes could even be for the better! The waters were flowing greatly and the creek has been restored in a very beautiful way. Audrey immediately, with her grand Eagle eyes, saw a California Newt on a rock just sitting there as we were about to cross the first creek. We all came down there and watched and watched and watched. Then I wanted to bring them to the place that we would stay for the rest of the day. There the waters were flowing grandly as well. The water fall was full, the pond was full and the creeks beautiful movement brought delightful water songs into our ears throughout the day.
Lucy and Anjalie found another California Newt and actually found a few more too. There was some support with having them be aware of being handled from the Newt’s point of view which meant that it was best not to handle it to the children’s fullest desire.
Today Kashi and Jasper had no struggles and were playing all day but Jasper and Giulio had some upsets with one another. Giulio has clearly grown because his heart was so hurt from some of Jaspers words and/or actions that even though he REALLY wanted to hit him with his stick and he threatened with hitting motions, he DID NOT hit him and, he was able to calm himself down. WOW!! Great self control and inner temperance. Seeing this kind of growth in the children is such a joy as well as a testiment to developemental stages and all of your parental support to help these stages grow towards health and harmony!!!
Paul is clearly four now. Where once there was a sweet, moving along with the group guy, he now has his own feelings, thoughts and expressions. The super dreamy world of the three’s has been replaced with the “Wild and Wonderful Fours” so they are sometimes labled. Gracey spent the day playing a lot with a small piece of green glass that she covered in lot’s and lot’s of mud. She was excited to unrobe it from it’s muddy cloak only to cover it up again like a grand secret waiting to emerge and amaze everyone. Kashi was delighted to be playing with Jasper and, Bodie, Jasper and Kashi had some grand times playing by the water fall and experiementing with throwing certain things over the waterfall to see what would happen.
Alexi, Lucy and Anjalie were involved with the newts and all of them on and off tried out the incredible Redwood vines that are so much fun to swing on!
As soon as the children got to this area they all just went in all directions and explored with such grand child abandoment, joy, wonder and curiosity. I can see Kashi just being in such utter delight over some stick floating down the water. Watching the childrens deep involvement in their play and exploration was a true treat to behold.
Giulio and Kashi had built a log bridge across the creek. I watched Bodie try to climb across it, fall into the water and silently get back up and figure things out again. No one was with him and he was unaware that he was being watched. He never flinched or complained. He just got wet, got up and tried again.
Alexi later on wanted to build a Fairy house and he made sure that Gracey came over to help. She laughed at this with a laugh and attitude of, ‘oh of course you asked me to come because I AM really good at this’. Almost all the children were in on gathering materials and making what was needed to build a beautiful Fairy house.
When it came time to leave, well, they have gotten quite proficient at taking the five minute call that we will be packing up, then packing up, asking for the help they need and then being ready to move on.
Gracey, Bodie, Kashi and Jasper ran out ahead and it was nice to see these four all running together.
The improvements to this place have made the walk to and from the bus far easier, which I am sad about, however due to this they made it down quick and easy.
I did really like the challenges that the trail provided for the children but alas, so it is in most places. We must find those challenges in other places for the children’s growth and benefit.
Palo Alto Tender Tracks Day 54, April 19, 2012
Waning Crescent Moon
Hidden Villa
All were here and we were hoping that today would actually be the day that we could see the baby pigs!!!
Circle was a bit wild and so the spring season and time of year often brings such things. Giulio and Jasper just really needed to move their bodies. The catch for them though was this: ”You are very welcome to go and play yet once circle begins it will be closed until we are finished.” Meaning? No coming in and out. Well, this was grand for quite awhile until “I’m hungry, I’m thirsty.” We will be finished in just a bit” I shared.
Natural loving consequences to ones wonderful choices is the intent. Next week the “fruits of this labor” will be made manifest.
During circle I brought out, before Giulio and Jasper opted to leave, a beautiful “Talking Stick” made of deer leg, rabbit fur, beads and turtle shell. They each got to hold this and share what they wished for the day. The repeat of all the stuffies that they wanted was most loud and clear. When we got into the bus Lucy, who this week is the one who passes out the stuffies, took a great deal of time passing MANY stuffies out. Some of the children chose to just have one or two while others loved being covered in them.
Then, Jasper and Kashi had their seating arrangement challenges. Kashi REALLY wanted to sit next to Jasper and Jasper REALLY didn’t want to sit next to Kashi. I love these moments for many reasons. One is because it is a real math problem for them to figure out. There is a lot of looking at the seatings and figuring out, well, if you sat here, then you would be near so and so but oh no, then we would have to change it here and there and on and on it goes until finally the equation is completed. Also, they get to have their feelings and let the other know when and if they change their mind. ”Jasper, will you let Kashi know if you wish to play with him?” I say. “Yes, but I probably won’t want to play with him.” And, what happened not less then one hour later? Kashi and Jasper played together for most of the rest of the day. They probably will not grow up to be great buddies but, they are learning to honor their feelings in each moment with space and time for them and this, is what I believe is so vital for a beginning to conflict resolutions in the future.
Alexi, Lucy, and Anjalie at the beginning of the day found a plastic bottle to put some beautiful green caterpillars in. They cleaned the bottle and lovingly cared for these treasures. They added Lady Bugs and Rolly pollies too. At Hidden Villa they found more but we needed to leave those ones where they were.
We ate lunch straight away at the natural playground there. They had such a good time. A little boy of almost five and his younger brother were there and Jasper really liked playing with him. The rest of them found a great Coyote Brush to climb in. But then, alas, if we wanted to see the pigs we were going to have to go now. We finally made it there, though wonderful discoveries were all along the way and then, there they were, red little fat piggies!!!! But for Lucy, catching countless chickens and just siting and holding them was her total joy! Anjalie joined her and Alexi in and out. The rest of them? Well, they discovered the pig transport cage and played in that the entire rest of the day, even when they could have gone to the creek. They were either chickens squatting on the top clucking or being pigs locking each other in there or….?
I have always found that this time of year what children really are drawn to do is to create, explore, play, create, explore, play, create, explore, play……. And, that is what they did with full 4/5 year old delight.
We finally had to leave and, they found the creek on the way back, took some quick splashes and then made it back to the bus. It was much hotter by this time and, off went clothes down to their underwear and off we went. When we were almost back I was delighted when all of a sudden, the bus got very quiet and, THERE WAS A FULL BLOWN CONVERSATION going on with the entire bus, peacefully!!! I am laughing here, please join me in this delight
Marin Tender Tracks Day 20, April 18, 2012
Waning Crescent Moon
Alpine Lake
All were here and that was so much fun. I wanted to take them here so that we would have a beautiful open space to share the birds nests that I have in the bus that Simone had requested to see and some other items. It made it much easier to be close to a beautiful place to sit and also right next to the bus to take these things out and then put them back in before we went on an adventure. The boys got RIGHT into pushing and pulling around the many logs there and trying to get them to go into the water. Lenny found a fishing hook and Leo found some fishing line. They were in their element! Just DOING, DOING AND MORE DOING!! Sidona and Simone were delighted with looking at all the birds nests and feeling them.
A wonderful fisherman came by and we spoke with him for a bit. He circled the Lakes as we did so there was on going greeting from the children to him throughout the day. There were actually quite a few very nice people that the children greeted on our adventure. People do so love to see the children out and about. It seems to bring great joy and a smile on many people’s faces when they see children romping around outdoors.
I told two stories today and one included a real turtle shell that I used as an instruement. They all got to play this instrument and were delighted. This paved the way for us to go see if we could find the turtles here and off we went. Lenny had also found a great big thick rope and that was dragged about for the rest of the day. Well, almost the rest of the day until there was such a bit of a tussel around it that I kept it until a beneficial way of tending it could be found by all. But, until the unresolvable struggles came the three boys were pulling, tugging, running and playing with this rope down the trail.
Sidona showed us the place where she went fishing with her family. When we were there the girls picked beautiful flowers and the boys played with their rope by the waters edge. We then saw lot’s of turtles on the otherside. ”Do you think we can go and find the turtles?” I asked. And off we went on our long journey to the other side of the Lake.
We had to go over water, through mud and avoid a lot of poison oak. Simone was not too keen on getting her shoes soaking wet as last time it seemed that they took a long time to dry. However, by the end of the day she finally abandoned this need and got them wet and muddy. There really wasn’t much of a way to avoid this! Along our path we came across wonderful and fresh Rattle snake weed which is DELICIOUS, this time of year. We gathered Wild purple Iris so that we can paint with it next week and we discovered so many beautiful wild flowers. We were able to eat and gather fresh Doug Fir tips which are so yummy too and one can make fine tea with them. The children all had fun eating these gourment treasures. When we finally got to the turtles it was hard to actually get to them due to the Poison Oak. We found one opening yet getting close really was hard. One was left sitting there though and we were able to see it more closely as well as see where we were sitting just one hour earlier.
We spent a little time there and then needed to make our way back. The walk was long and the girls, at the end, meandered, talked, found beautiful flowers and, due to the time, the boys piled in the bus and then I pulled the bus up right to where the gate was where the girls came out and they gleefully hoped in like getting picked up at a bus stop!
Palo Alto Tender Tracks Day 53, April 17, 2012
Waning Moon
Foothill Park, the big meadow
Alexi came but left straight away as it appears that what he was ill with over the past week might be coming back and Kashi was home not feeling well too.
The rest were here and in fine form. Circle time started with more of a need for their bodies to move about so all but Gracey left to play on the big Redwood stump in the sun. However, I made a decsion for them that they are more then welcome to choose to play but snack is part of circle and circle is when we sing, eat and hear story. They all came back and settled in with much greater ease.
Before the big departure Jasper asked “What IS tender Tracks about?” He seemed to be missing some experience at Tender Tracks and so I brought out, for the first time with this group, the “Talking Stick.” This is the stick that when one person holds it, no one else speaks. The person gets to share what is being called for. They were asked what they needed and wanted for the day. Anjalie, Gracy and ….? they shared first. The rest passed but then were inspired and began to share. What came out was a desire for, Lot’s of stuffies in the bus, blankets in the bus, to have Mom keep her promise about something after TT and on it went like that. When we got in the bus I took a long time making sure that all their needs were met as they requested and they took quite a bit of time finding just the right seat to sit in and next to who they wanted to sit next to. The rest of the day there was GREAT peace which was a bit different then the way the day began.
The story had them captured as it was about a beautiful and benevolent King. All loved him as he was caring kind, respectful and loving towards all in his kingdom. However, one day he became very, very sad and no one, not even himself knew why.
A shepard boy who knew the songs of the Earth, Sky, plants and animals knew he could help. He played for the king on his flute and (more to the tale, but for now) he healed the King and from that day forth the King each day would go to his special spot in nature and receive all the love, kindess and beauty of nature so that he could sing his own very special song too. Or something like this.
The Intention of the story was multifaceted: working with feelings, connecting to nature for support, what it is to be in a position of power/King and some more themes. I heard some of the boys later in the day saying “I am King, I am king!”
When we arrived at Foothill Park they knew right where to go and the new adventure began. There were so many hightlights yet here are a few:
Anjalie found a “Sea Monster” in the pond.
YES we thought she did too! It was a huge fish splashing back and forth. We watched as it’s body made ripples in the water.
Audrey thought it was a Carp and was spawning and sure enough we found out later that it was a carp. We then saw
three of them swiming in the clear water in perfect flowing formation. This was so much fun!!!!!
While we were watching them we discovered a Bull Frog just sitting out in the Sun.
Finding a fisher man:
Paul attached himself to him and this kind man, who used to be a ranger there, showed him all about fishing and the fishing
bait that he had. He used only catch and release and all the children had questions about this!
I read them a great book called The Rabbits Wedding by Garth Williams. This is a book I love to read this time of year for this age
Much to my surprise they all came to listen to the book story. They were all enthrawlled and laughed at some of the great spots
in the story. One of the reasons I like to read it is because it has great spring nature games to play that the rabbits “role model”
in the story. So, we played “jump the rabbit” and, though not in the story, Fox chasing rabbit game from one marking spot to
another. They delighted in these games.
There were many more discoveries and peaceful and “Kingly” sit spots during the day. The boys were peacefully “fishing” with their Cattail rods on a beautiful rock on one side of the pond and the girls spent a lot of time building a nest for other birds in the grasses so it would be slightly hidden for the birds to be safe.
A glorious, glorious day!
Monday Tender Tracks April 16, 2012
Last Quarter Waning Moon
The Lakes area near the look out spot half between the toll booth and Lake Lagunitas
I have been talking about taking them here and exploring for quite awhile and today was the day. However, my idea and vision of the day never came to pass. The day THEY were in the flow for is what was desired and so, it happened. Which is how this program is pretty much set up yet I thought it was rather funny. They REALLY wanted to go a very short distance and stay right there!
We found a path when we got out of the bus, it went to the waters, we wandered around the lake, found a log, they wanted to eat a snack and there we sat. I told them a story, they ate and then, the play and exploration took place. Today’s unfoldment was just that. A sweet, peaceful unfolding of so many discoveries. Purnat found an incredible being in the water that he thought was a tadpole. He finally pulled it out and it was a perfect, yet dead, large Potatoe bug. He then found a leg of a crawdad. Oh wait a minute maybe that was Aero. It must have been because Aero was IMMERSED waist deep in the water having the time of his life. He just loved it and didn’t mind getting wet and exploring. We followed the little tunnels made by, most likely, voles or small rodents and came across what looked like Deer lays. Bodhi LOVED this and snuggled right in. Purnat cuddled up to him and the two of them cuddled with huge smiles about it all. They found this great large stick that looked like a prehistoric sea horse. We all worked together with another stick to get it out and we did it! They found a lot of sticks that were played with.
We looked under other logs and found lot’s of treasures. Bodhi was really into stomping so they stomped and stomped and stomped down this bunch of mud and grass where they rolled a log from and into the water. What was so wonderful about this is that later on they were on a big log that turned into an amubulance. Well, Aero discovered that the ambulance was broken and they needed to fix it. So, they started to patch it up with the little sticks they found below, like a puzzle. I suggested that they use “mud glue”/ mud mixed with grasses, to put the pieces together. At first Bodhi went to the waters edge to get the mud and then I saw this plentiful section of mud from their earlier stompings. YEAH! how great, they had LOT’S of glue! they must have spent 30 to 40 minutes completely involved in this project and seeing the three of them stomping and stomping to make more glue was a true delight.
We were surrounded by an incredible array of bird sounds and got to see a beautiful White Egret and hear the callings of the Turkeys. The waters sparkled with their fairy beauty and the winds gave gentle music to all of our ears.
They all played in and out with each other in on going games that morphed from this theme to the next taking turns with themes. But they were the most fun watching how much they all loved just moving logs around and building all manner of imaginary creations with them or discovering what was under, over or on them.
Your children are a delight and each Monday is like desert being with them.
Palo Alto Tender Tracks Day 51, April 10, 2012
Waxing Moon
Walk to Jr. Museum
Three out of four children were back from their holidays. Bodie is still traveling about the Earth with his family.
The children spent the first half hour with Audrey exploring the plants and playing in the area while I interviewed a new family. Actually the children helped with this as they introduced themselves and were very curious about he and his family. They were also finding LOT’S of left over plastic Easter Eggs and they were delighted to find these. When I came back to join them all the entire group was climbing on the trees in the Olive Tree area accept Giulio, he was VERY focused around the circle area looking for more plastic eggs. I think he found one over there earlier and was not about to leave this area due to potential treasures!!!!
Circle time was a bit wild and Jasper was being accused of taking a stick that was not originally his. This was a theme throughout the day; sticks being taken that a child found, put back on the ground and then became very upset that someone else picked it up and “took it, when it was mine!!!!” Giulio and Jasper were like two rambuncous cat cubs throughout the day. They were enjoying fighting, rolling and rough housing. Paul was delighted with this too and Kashi was in and out of this. He and Jasper had their typical struggles and then would be seen playing joyfully together and then not and then mostly together.
We picked new jobs and realized that we only have about 7 1/2 more weeks together. Due to this a plan was devised so that everyone would for sure get to experience all of the jobs before years end. Then we had a short story about taking care of gardens and beautiful flowers due to the Fairies that live in them and this laid the foundation for discovering all the beautiful flowers and plants along our walk to the Jr. Museum.
The walk to and fro was BEAUTIFUL!!! They all got so involved in taking in, smelling, touching and experiencing the many, many colors and different types of plants growing all around. It was a magickal and delightful walk. The rain started to gently drizzle as we got there and kept up this sweet shower for the rest of the day. They ate in front of the Jr. Museum and played on the wonderful logs there. We then became our traditional caterpillar and made our way through the museum and out into the back where all the animals were. They stayed right with being this caterpillar and staying together better then ever before. They know this now to be a tradition and even though it is quite tempting to play inside they were able to stay with our group. Quite an achievement!!
Outside they all ran to where they were drawn. At first it was hard to find all the animals as it seemed that the rain brought many into cozy hiding places. That is all accept the rats. There the children starred at them as one Rat appeared to be trying to climb up another Rat’s tail! They just all laughed and laughed and laughed at that!!! Jasper, Giulio and Kashi discovered the wonderful Bob Cat play ground and took off there. Some trouble arose with being less then friendly with children they didn’t know in there and rearranging of play strategies was introduced. They were playing a game of being cats and protecting something. Gracey stayed snuggled right up to these statues of baby Bobcats because she was “protecting them.” The rest were moving in and out of the “cave” in the back. Due to the struggles with others though we needed to leave this area and make it out to the wilds of the Museum spot. They spent at least 30 to 45 minutes then entranced and in joy on the bridge running back and forth and back and forth watching the turtles and the ducks go under the bridge. There was a turtle there that seemed quite stuck under the bridge door. It took this turtle a long time to finally figure out how to get past this dilema. He then made it underneath and onto some land under the bridge. They were all very excited about this!!!!! The birds there were BEAUTIFUL as they had this Pheasant that was filled with Golden colors and another exotic bird of many plumed colors.
When we finally had to leave the walk back was delightful again and Audrey became the tickle something that they were filled with joy over. We stopped to watch a man put a car on his tow truck. Giulio’s babysitter was right there, as his house is on the way. We finished watching, he went with her and down the road we went.
And oh yes, in the beginning of our walk to the Museum we took a different direction and discovered Bodies house as well as HUNDREDS of snails that they really enjoyed holding and then putting on other plants. I have never seen so many snails of so many sizes in one area. It was remarkable and they enjoyed these beings GREATLY!
