1.13.2015

October Picnic in the Big Woods

In the short stretch of time between the last walk and this one, the rampant exuberance of orange and yellow began quieting to blocks of gray and brown.







The children were still exuberant, though.










I don't know who took this picture of squinty me, but since three of the children are in the frame, it must have been one of the four older girls. (Just call me Sherlock.)





Since hlearning was in full swing at this point, the half-day in the Big Woods was supposed to be a "nature walk," chock full of field guides, curious children, eager identification, and elaborate (and realistic!) sketch renderings in their nature journals.





Like most of our nature walks, it ended up being a picnic with lots of tree climbing.





And reading purely for FUN?  What a waste.





When Lucinda was a baby, I called her my little tree frog.  In hindsight, I may have been more right than I knew.






Shimmy down, tree frog.













So was I once myself a swinger of birches.










I don't know who took this picture of me, either, and there are no clues! No clues!!! (Just call me Watson.)






























They're standing as stiff as soldiers here, ramrod-straight, because a buck had just walked by.








These pictures are funny because Zeke was reprimanding fungi in them.  He'd tried to eat some until we all said, "YUK!" so here he stands, telling them just how "ukk" they are.











Sorry for the graininess.  We were in a dim pine grove.


















They had a footrace and left Luci in the dust.  She is, after all, a tree frog, not a cheetah.





When Aidan and I (who am also not a cheetah) finally caught up, Millie had made a teeter-totter.






 They played on it for the next half an hour, until we walked back to check in on my folks.





















6 comments :

Laura said...

I cannot get over how much Millie resembles you. I haven't noticed it as much before, but she has certainly grown into it.

Thank you for posting. Sorry it has been difficult time. I think of your mom and say a prayer for her every time I do.

Molly said...

What a "wonderment" of outdoor beauty to learn in and to live in! Love the posts. You and your family remain in my daily thoughts and prayers, dear one.

Much love.

heidiann(e) said...

These are wonderful.

Abigail said...

Thank you, Laura! ...for your thoughts and prayers and for saying Millie looks like me. I told her triumphantly, and she rolled her eyes, but I did see a pleased little smile peeking through, too. :)

Molly,
It is, indeed. And thank you.

Heidi,
Wanna go for a walk in those Big Woods? We'll eventually get to where we're going. :)

Rebecca said...

Is that a new Moby, I spy?

I can almost feel the warmth in that last picture. Ahhhhhh. Warm Sunshine. Someday.

Abigail said...

The Sleepy Wrap is on loan from my sister (and I'm grateful, Beck!). Warm Sunshine. Warm Sunshine. Warm Sunshine. (Repeat ten times, and then begin again.)