Creek

Before school started, I imagined the children would sit with their journal during nature literacy time and sketch and write poetry and do the things I would do if I had free time outdoors in the riparian forest.  Well, turns out there is a whole imaginary play thing that happens.  The roles change daily, yesterday it was princes and princesses being put in time out by the king, and today skeletons chained to a wall.  As I sat above the creek I watched the drama unfold, trying to be a little invisible, and remembering a few weeks back when the players were sending large shipments of something or another to China, and making large batches of chocolate milk (mud).  The huge trees, the swirling waters of the creek, the sticks that magically transform to anything they want them to be are stage and props for the Mystery Game, or whatever they decide to call it from day to day.  As we walk back to the gate, leaving the forest behind, we pick up our fairy houses to take back to the workshop where we made furniture today, so it can be glued down, before getting down to chores.  There are four eggs from the chickens today to chart on the egg graph.  The new duck, Donald or Daisy, still hasn't gifted us with an egg.