Adventure!
Josh and I went out to get some poles for a Bean Tent. Years ago, I'd mentally noted a spot beside our townhouse for a good place to get poles. Red alder grows fast, straight, and each tree isn't strictly speaking an individual organism so I didn't feel bad cutting 8 sturdy poles for our tent.
We parked at the church across a busy street, and dashed across the road. Next, the Long Path to the Steep Hill. Before we'd started, I'd explained to Josh that this was an Adventure, and there might be mud so we were wearing our boots. All the way along the path, he was obsessing over the mud and the Steep Hill, and telling me that it was too scary and that we should go home. I managed to convince him to keep going:
"If it gets too dangerous, we can go back home."
"It's too 'kairy! We should go home to our house!"
"But it's not dangerous yet - wait and see if it gets dangerous."
And so on. On, to the top of the Steep Hill, and carefully, carefully down. We found a stand of accessible alders three quarters of the way down, and made our way over. I had a little dozuki saw for me and a child-sized saw for Josh - the little one was from a set of child-sized tools that J had from when he was little, and it actually cut things. I set about finding little trees that were dead, dying, or crowded, and soon cut and trimmed 8 with Josh's help. Josh enjoyed having his own saw very much, and tried to cut on the stumps I left behind. I tried to discourage cutting live trees that we were not planning to take, and each one we took we thanked solemnly.
I was worried about the return trip, as I can't haul 8 poles, 2 saws, AND Josh. He was game to climb the hill by himself though, and made it the whole way up with a little encouragement. For half the trip, he cradled a big black slug in his hands, holding it carefully when he tripped so he wouldn't squish it. Once we were back on the flat top of the hill, I suggested Josh find a nice patch of tall grass for the slug to live in.. I was picturing it escaping in the truck, or worse yet, living in my garden! Josh found a nice place for it, thankfully, and left it without incident.
After the Long, Flat Path, we had the Busy Road to contend with. I decided to run Josh across to the truck and put him inside to play in the far back, then run back to get the poles. Success! Tied the poles on top of the roof rack, convinced Josh to get in his car seat, and headed home.
After untying the poles and unstrapping Josh, I noticed that the saws were missing. Eek! The dozuki was replaceable, but the little kid-sized one was not. Back in the truck, and back to the church parking lot. I ran across the road, and thankfully found the saws balancing on a post.
Back home, milk and digestive biscuits, and sleep. Fun trip! I wish I'd brought the camera.
We parked at the church across a busy street, and dashed across the road. Next, the Long Path to the Steep Hill. Before we'd started, I'd explained to Josh that this was an Adventure, and there might be mud so we were wearing our boots. All the way along the path, he was obsessing over the mud and the Steep Hill, and telling me that it was too scary and that we should go home. I managed to convince him to keep going:
"If it gets too dangerous, we can go back home."
"It's too 'kairy! We should go home to our house!"
"But it's not dangerous yet - wait and see if it gets dangerous."
And so on. On, to the top of the Steep Hill, and carefully, carefully down. We found a stand of accessible alders three quarters of the way down, and made our way over. I had a little dozuki saw for me and a child-sized saw for Josh - the little one was from a set of child-sized tools that J had from when he was little, and it actually cut things. I set about finding little trees that were dead, dying, or crowded, and soon cut and trimmed 8 with Josh's help. Josh enjoyed having his own saw very much, and tried to cut on the stumps I left behind. I tried to discourage cutting live trees that we were not planning to take, and each one we took we thanked solemnly.
I was worried about the return trip, as I can't haul 8 poles, 2 saws, AND Josh. He was game to climb the hill by himself though, and made it the whole way up with a little encouragement. For half the trip, he cradled a big black slug in his hands, holding it carefully when he tripped so he wouldn't squish it. Once we were back on the flat top of the hill, I suggested Josh find a nice patch of tall grass for the slug to live in.. I was picturing it escaping in the truck, or worse yet, living in my garden! Josh found a nice place for it, thankfully, and left it without incident.
After the Long, Flat Path, we had the Busy Road to contend with. I decided to run Josh across to the truck and put him inside to play in the far back, then run back to get the poles. Success! Tied the poles on top of the roof rack, convinced Josh to get in his car seat, and headed home.
After untying the poles and unstrapping Josh, I noticed that the saws were missing. Eek! The dozuki was replaceable, but the little kid-sized one was not. Back in the truck, and back to the church parking lot. I ran across the road, and thankfully found the saws balancing on a post.
Back home, milk and digestive biscuits, and sleep. Fun trip! I wish I'd brought the camera.