A Wednesday Wander

On Wednesday, we went on a Wander down the camp road and looped through the School Trails. For a bit, we walked in silence to listen to the many different birds singing. Iris noticed what might be an animal den in the banking and it was fun to hear them assess the habitat and who might be calling it home … an alien made the probable list. 🤪 We stopped to rest on an old plank crossing a berm, they were so kind to make sure everyone could fit. Greyson practiced his knife skills, picking the seeds out of his apple core and then planted them at his feet. We’ll check back to see if anything sprouts. We headed back into the forest, I leisurely hung back to see if they could find their way. (“Remember, we got here by going downhill, so to get back we need to go uphill”). They did great getting us to the trail. I suggested we do a Sit Spot together, laying on our backs and looking up into the tree canopy. The idea was met with a bit of resistence, but they settled in and couldn’t help but be in awe of the vast tree canopy above them. Just as it is in our new favorite story “Bob & Otto”, the tall hemlocks and pines are a Habitat to many woodland creatures, and each child had the chance to share their own perspective. Oh how I wish I could hold them there with me, nestled together on the soft forest floor, for just one more long, rooted moment. These kids continually amaze me with their resilience, curiosity, and camaraderie. They love to explore and collect “treasures”. They’re learning to use their Nature Voice (not yell) and to assess the site and signs of the natural world. They can identify deer scat, which direction animal tracks are going, and when a cloud is full of rain. My heart is blessed with joy and pride when I can witness this sweet and natural wonder. 💙🍁 #lovetobeanaturekid #missmaplesnaturehouse #dontstopwondering #notallwhowanderarelost