New Moon

"Once there was an Ohlone Indian boy who lived with his family on this very hill. His name was Sage. Sage had straight dark brown hair and brown skin. He wasn't very tall, but then again he was only 8....

"One morning as Sage rubbed the sleep from his eyes and stretched out his lanky limbs, he heard quite a racket of chatter and excitement outside. It was normal to hear the birds shouting in the morning and maybe a rustle from someone slinking through the dried leaves, but this was unusual. Sage poked his head out of the tipi and looked around. He wondered if maybe the earth was going to rumble. But he heard no sounds from deep below the ground. Sage picked up his satchel and went out in search of the commotion... "

The children had gathered under the wisteria and this became the story place. While I told the story of Sage and his animal friends, one of the girls spied a bird's nest tucked away above where we were sitting! Such a sweet little diversion; we all had to get up and take a peek at the bird sitting in its nest.

An unplanned excursion down the road to the swimming hole proved my amazing flexibility and spontaneity and the kids loved it. It wasn't hot enough to swim today, but I'm hoping that we will go back next week.

Just through the woods is the place where Sage and his family once lived. We walked there and the children began clearing and planning for fort-building.

With tomorrow being the first day of summer, the story today brought the meaning of the solstice. A craft honoring the sun followed. We gathered sticks and created "God's Eye"-like weavings. But with four sticks crossed (rather than the two used to make God's Eyes), the shape of the yarn turned out round like a sun.

It was a wonderful first day of Poppy Mountain. Now that feeling of anticipation, nerves and excitement will transform into the creation of a new rhythm, one that will carry us onward into story, imagination and wholesome summer fun.