Science is fun! This activity started out with a net and a bucket. Caddis Fly larvae, dragonfly nypmhs and other water creatures were caught. No crayfish though and that was the hope. He didn't have the gumption to bring the bucket back to the brook after showing me all of his findings. So I pulled on my boots and went out with him to return to the brook what had been pulled from it. As I stepped down into the mud at the side of the ponding area in our brook, what should appear out of the mud between my boots but a little silver dollar of a thing. A sleeping turtle. Last year's baby, sinking into the mud for the cold nights we were having. Inanimate it lay in my hand. Curiosity to my son. Into the bucket it went while we watched the brookie fingerlings ripple the water as they grabbed the tiny bugs from the surface. Eventually our little friend was warmed up and moving. So in we came and pulled out the nature study book I enjoy so much. I read aloud while a pencil on paper began to record the observations. Where does shell begin and end? How many sections? How long a neck, a tail. Little sharp claws. Watching those eyes and observing the movement of neck with breath. Lots to learn from one young fellow to another. Back to the mud he went but our pictures remain to remind us of the day.
This stunning view was shared with a wonderful friend of mine on a gorgeous day. Up the mountain we went and what an adventure it was. King is not a fan of flowing water. He will cross it but he first must give his opinion of the exercise in a refusal and a look back to me to ask if I really mean it this time. But show him a rock face to climb and he's quite a different horse! Let's go! Up and up and up. We felt like we were on top of the world but this is just a tiny mountain compared to the presidential range...
Still, it's a mountain and that's something. Coming down the other side was less steep, but the trail was tricky. Too tricky for me to ride comfortably. The trees were too tight and there were several rocky ledges which required thought. I led him for some and tailed him for others. He's such a good leader as I follow along behind him on foot. He will let me rest my weight and get my balance by placing a hand on his hip. When we need to stop I grab his tail and he stops right away. Good horse. He's enjoying all the riding we're doing lately. We are wearing out horse shoes and getting our money's worth there. Better that than wearing out his feet which I was doing before the shoes went on!
Remember the Ice Cream shop I mentioned in another post? Well, horses loaded an we're on the way home...but the ice cream was calling. We made a quick stop for some frozen milky sweetness. Ahhhh. Life doesn't get better than this.
~Rachel
