Friday, 16 March 2012

Nature Walk Week 11

Hannah and I went for our nature walk this morning. Hannah's favourite way to go home is via the waterfall. Before we got there she immediately said "let's look for sticks". So we had a good hunt and found a few great sticks. I used the opportunity to say "I've a got a long stick and you have a short stick, would you like the long one?" or "Who has the shortest stick?" She does not yet know this concept but I thought it would be good way to introduce her to the words long and short. We were able to find a lot of Y sticks (as in We're Going on a bear hunt) - I did not realise that this was a common shape! It makes sense when you think about it but this was the first time I had really noticed :-) Thank you Charlotte Mason. We spent a little time throwing sticks in and watching whether they got stuck or went over the edge of the waterfall.
After a little while Hannah stood still and said to me SO seriously " I know, I have got an idea!" I said "what is it?" to which she responded "come,come!" She held my hand and we ran all the way down the hill by the stream with her laughingly shouting "faster, faster"  - a beautiful moment until she fell! I said we could slow down and she said "No, let's run again!" We then got to her idea - the little area where we can get so close to the stream. It was then time to throw some more sticks - great for throwing practice! She threw one in and said it was "stuck" but was so pleased when the next one was able to move down the stream. She said "what's that" and pointed to another drop in the stream (probably to do with the old mill) but sadly that is the area of someone's property. We then had a look at the little waterfalls we could see. I am still amazed we live somewhere so beautiful.

She then got excited and ran to the double white chestnut area. We had a good time playing hide and seek - I think she is beginning to get the concept of taking turns an actually hiding and looking! We then met a lady called Lucy who works at the school  - she has a dog called Finley who is a Border Terrier - that is the third we now know in the village! Hannah did some incredible climbing onto the wall to see the dog - her balance is amazing. We then played Owls - we had played this before but Hannah clearly understood the roles now. I wonder what I looked like, standing there with my hands raised saying, "I want my mummy" several times. Hannah then swooped towards me with her arms raised hands and gave me a bug hug.

We then went on to the little daffodil hill - I must take a picture! It is a little area which was betrothed to the people of Lindale forever and it currently has loads of daffodils. This is where Hannah can touch a "berry" tree - (I must work out what it is) and today she took a berry off and held it in her hand and said "Birds' Here you are!" and she waited patiently. She came over to me and said "The birds didn't come" - she was SO sad; I think I need to read Play with Me with her. I encouraged her to smell the daffodils and when she did she said "Yum!" I was getting tired at this point - her stamina is greater than mine ad it confirms my need to get fitter. Hannah then said would you like to sit on the big bench - there is a lower smaller one and a larger higher one (it shows me she knows there is a big and small). There was a little more hide and seek and I managed to persuade it was time to go home!

On the way I asked her where the Octagon Stop sign was - we got near and she said "oh I can only see the back!" - she then worked out that we had to walk around to see the front. She had a look at the little blue flowers and with a few distractions (if that is what they are) including going round the roundabout sign and getting dizzy we got home. A wonderful walk!

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