EIGHT PLUS

 I did not take pictures today. I wanted to be present in the moment , and not behind a camera lens. But try to picture in your mind the glorious connections the children were making with the natural world as you read. This is DAY 9 of The Great Outdoor Challenge.


 There were eight plus children here taking full advantage of Nature. It was orientation day of my Earth School today and families came to walk the land and see the animals and get a feel for the environment their children will be in each Tuesday for the next ten weeks.


 Boys played basketball. Girls cuddled with large, fluffy angora rabbits. Most all children interacted with Rocco, the bulldog ,in some way.

 Children leaned against the paddock fence and Lilly,one of our Haflinger horses, immediately came to greet them. 

The nine hens milled about here and there among the children scratching the ground looking for snacks.

 Gracie, the female Pekin duck kept a low profile and waddled back into her run as the children came near. She waited until they moved farther away before she came out again. 
Gilligan, the male Pekin duck, jumped out of his run ( Pekins are domestic ducks and domestic ducks cannot fly!) . I screamed. It was a reflex action as I have been bitten by him numerous times, too many to count. He was quickly returned to his run and all was well .


 We took a walk down the driveway to the pond and children ran and scampered everywhere. They crossed the narrow bridge of logs to get to the small island, a special treasure for make believe. 


 Children ran through the meadow that is still awaiting the new growth the warmer weather will bring. Two young children filled their arms to the brim with daffodils to bring home. Joy radiated from their faces. Some others picked a flower or two to hold or to put in their hair. 


 The children crossed the bigger bridge to the grassy knoll and ran and chased each other. It is  a glorious respite on hot summer days with the tall pines shading the whole area. 


All of a sudden we saw him in the sky! It was the Mallard drake!


 The duck was circling and circling, coming closer and closer to the ground until he landed in the middle of the pond. The children witnessed this and watched him swim around the pond quacking his *soft* quack ( It's the female ducks who have the loud quacks!). He didn't seem to mind the onlookers one bit.

In all things of Nature, there is something of the Marvelous. 

                           -Aristotle

VISIT the others who play the challenge.