There is nothing more easy and beautiful than a leaf rubbing. I did this activity with toddlers a couple of weeks ago while at work and again with Phoebe just yesterday. Phoebe is old enough to understand that veins transport water through the leaf and this activity is a good way to bring the veins to the fore. I dried them flat for a day before sandwiching them between two pieces pf paper and rubbing a crayon over the top.
Although we don’t actually have jaguars here like Phoebe was imagining, we do have mountain lions and sightings have been quite common lately even in urban areas. Attacks are still extremely rare across all of California. Still, I keep my baby close and we hike where we know there will be a lot of people on the trail.
Phoebe and I climbed this tree. I was wearing new knee-high boots and a new sweater dress bought with some Christmas money, so I didn’t want to get dirty but also couldn’t resist myself. No one was around and this tree just needed to be climbed.
Phoebe spotted a mossy branch the other day and pointed it out.
“Yeah,” I said, “You can take that home and examine it with your magnifying glass.”
“What does ‘examine’ mean?” she asked.
“To look closely and make observations. You know what observations are,” I replied. “You’re learning a lot of scientific terms.”
“That’s because I am a scientist,” she asserted. “I’m a ballerina scientist. Do you know what ballerina scientists do?”
“No, what do they do?”
“They dance all around through the forest and when they spot something interesting, they stop and take it home and observe it. They do that again and again and again. That’s what they do.”
While on my break at work I collected some leaves to show Phoebe because she said she wanted to start a collection. When I showed them to her she wanted to arrange them in this nice circle.
The fall rain has brought new greenery to my muddy yard. Before Phoebe could consider asking to watch cartoons I sent her out in the mud with some dinosaur toys.
We explored a new trail today at Point Lobos: Whaler’s Knoll Trail, which seems to have the highest elevation in the park. Phoebe was a trooper and walked up the steep path to enjoy this view. She has been walking 2 miles with me just about every day this week. Her secret? Tortoise steps.
The smell of play dough
In the carpet while I do
My yoga session
Heart swelling with love
Like high tide on a full moon
Sudden clarity
