Off to the Raptor Center today...

To catch a glimps of some predatorial birds. Saturday, sun and fun of the summertime has been replaced with more thoughtful exercises, such as homework .



Nine years old and experimenting with authority and sharing. The baby brother is often tattling on me for no reason and the big brother ignores me in his teenage pursuits. Such is life!

Who's the cool 9 year old? ETHAN!

...think, I'll take a seat under this tree

Walking for a few more minutes down the path, I see a tree. Lots of loopy willows hanging low and lots of different insects to see inside the leafy looms of the willows. I wanted to sit under the shade, because the heat was making me feel like sitting down.
When I went to sit down, some gooey stuff fell out of the leaves and gunked up my arm. It might be sap, but I don't know what it is. I am not sitting here.

Several butterflies...

Flitted past me and almost hit me on my nose, but it called attention to the beautifully woven spider webs lining the path where I was walking. The butterflies didn't go near the spiderwebs, but the beatles used them as a trampolene and hopped from one to the other along the bushes. That was phenomenal to see.

Stomped on 5 ant hills

I stomped on 5 ant hills. I don't know why. I just felt like stomping on them. Ant hills are so interesting, but everytime I see them I want to stomp on them. Still no sign of the brothers and sisters.
Shhhh! someone is coming down the path, I think it is a jogger.

What to do without a gameboy?

Ordinarily, I would be sitting on a rock or the bench playing my favorite game on the gameboy. I could be angry with myself for not having brought it to the park with us today. That way, I would have a choice as to whether to chase the brothers and sisters or play tennis or play on the gameboy.
My mind is wandering because I don't know what to look at when I am not looking at the screen. There is a big sky above us. Do you think that that is the screen for God's gameboy?

Beatles

Three of them on a branch in front of me caught my attention. I wanted to carry the biggest one home with me, but I had forgotten my camera. Still no sign of the big children. Make my own fun, I said to myself.
I tried to think of a song in my head.

Back to the path...

A little robin was hopping on the path. I am not used to seeing a robin on the path with me, they are usually flying or flitting. This one wanted to make my acquaintance, but was afraid to because I was holding Indiana's paw. Squirrels and robins don't get along, I found out.
The robin looked at me and said "Are you with him?". Yes I am. "Why?" she said and then flew off. I guess I am not going to get to know this robin and Indiana today.
We walked and walked for about 5 or 10 minutes and still I didn't see my brothers and sisters. I was starting to wonder if I was going to be stuck playing tennis with mom for the rest of the day; because I wasn't sure if I was brave enough to go out of her sight and around the lake and find them or not find them and still find my way back to her. It was a big decision for me.

Eight is about wondering...

Wondering why the birds fly. Wondering where the tadpoles go when I can't see them. Wondering where my brothers and sisters went and why didn't I choose to go with them initially?
I am stuck and I have to make my own fun.
Thankfully, Indiana squirrel and I will find them or have a good time trying.