Monday, February 11, 2013

Nature Walk

February 11

It has been raining and it is going to start again. But right now we are on a nature walk and it feels magical her in the woods. My first grader is starting her day inside and my little one and I don our rubber boots and tramp through the mud. My eye catches two perfect drops hanging from a branch. Once I stop and look, I see that all trees are decorated with heavy sparkling beads. My little one looks down so carefully. I think she must see more than I do. I just heard something on the radio about how we train ourselves to filter out things that we see so that we can focus on what we deem important. I'm sure that is helpful and important at times, but I would love to un-learn that skill at moments like this.

"This is my pretend stick," announces my little one, "Follow Me!" She prances through the mud finger held high. "Now you take the pretend stick," she instructs. I hold out my finger and am quickly corrected, "No, up!" she says showing me. I try again and she smiles. We walk together along the muddy trail. We climb over a fallen tree, and stop to look at beautiful pale leaves hanging on from last fall. I notice the tapping and ticking of rain drops starting to fall around us. The branches break their fall and we feel sheltered by the imperfect canopy of bare branches above. We pause and put out our tongues to taste a few drops before heading back to the car.

 



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