There is nothing quite like spending time in nature with children, and yesterday I did just that for my Touch the Earth program. Children are natural explorers. They are drawn to things we adults walk right by. They force us to stop, to look, to listen, to be in the moment with them. Spending time in nature with them opens my eyes even more to the world around me and fills me with so much peace.
Last year after we took our Christmas tree down, we moved it to the back deck and decorated it with treats for our feathered friends. We called it our Giving Tree and we replenished it regularly so our friends were never hungry. I thought this would be the perfect activity for my little nature explorers yesterday. After an opening song and our welcome circle we ventured down to the water, the kids were feeling the pull of the water as soon as we arrived. After some rock throwing it was off to find the perfect spot to hang some treats. We rolled pine cones in lard, dipped them in birdseed and then hung them in trees. We are pretty sure the birds are going to love them.
We sang a little song to the birds, hiked back, celebrated and shared our gratitude and finished with another song. It was beautiful, as always.
After the tragic events of last week, my soul needed this time in nature with these little ones. Fyodor Dostoyevsky says "the soul is healed by being with children", I wholeheartedly agree. The sparkle in their eyes, their spirit for life and the joy in which they go about their day, it is beautiful and gives me hope. Hope that we, as a "community", can find our way out of the darkness of this time and into the light.
What a lovely day!
ReplyDeleteIt was Carrie :)
DeleteWhat a lovely post - and I agree - time with children (and with nature!) is so therapeutic. I love how you can identify Reece in all of these pictures by his cute little hat! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Tess!
Deletei wish i could've joined your little happy group on your excursion! the weather looks beautiful too!
ReplyDeleteOh Simona, that would have been wonderful. And yes it was a lovely day, I have been so lucky with my Touch the Earth program every time we meet the weather is perfect...fingers crossed it continues :)
DeleteI hope one day I can join you in these groups! I totally agree with you that we are healed by children. That's why I think it's such a shame that as a western culture we have separated ourself by age groups. All the age groups need one another to heal and be healed and renewed. Otherwise we get stuck in our own space in time.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right KC, we need each other and we have so much to learn from other generations, both older and younger.
DeleteHow wonderful it would be to have you and your little ones join us...one day.
This was so special. It brought back so many memories of my little ones and I out taking a nature hike. They too were all bundled up, so that they could hardly walk with little red cheeks and runny noses. As a room mother for several years...this pinecone craft was one of the kid's favorites. Thankyou for reminding me...Balisha
ReplyDeleteAwe, that is such a lovely memory. And thank you for stopping by :)
DeleteWhat a lovely post! It looks like a wonderful day. Being a teacher, I wholeheartedly agree with your quote....children never cease to lift my spirits......being with children in the outdoors doubly lifts my spirit!
ReplyDeleteThanks Margot. It was a wonderful day indeed.
DeleteSo true! I love your giving tree.
ReplyDeleteAwe, thanks Amber.
DeleteI so wish we lived closer so we could join you for these events!
ReplyDeleteThat would be so lovely Renee. Hey, do you know the dates you are planning to be in Canada next year??? I can maybe schedule a Touch the Earth while you are here...then you could come :) Let me know, it would be awesome!
DeleteHow wonderful to stumble here...those long walks, the open strides and holding of hands heals the heart every time. XO
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by...I couldn't agree more with all you have said :)
DeleteSo cool. I am looking forward to these kinds of days even more than I can fully explain.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sara. I am looking forward to reading about your nature adventures with Isadora...you are going to have so much fun!
DeleteI too wish I lived a bit closer. This looks like a lovely time.
ReplyDeleteIt was Jennifer, and it would be so wonderful to have you and your boys join us...maybe one day.
DeleteWhat a beautiful activity....and words. Thanks for sharing, Kim.
ReplyDeleteYes yes yes. this look lovely. it is true, Avi slows me down and helps me reconnect and see that which I am "too busy" to notice. hand on heart.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jules. I thank my lucky stars every day for the little man in my life who makes me slow down and see.
DeleteAnother beautiful post Kim and gorgeous photos. Thank you. xxoo
ReplyDeleteThank you Julie.
Deletehow wonderful! I wish that we lived closer-- I would have loved to join in!
ReplyDeleteIt was! And how very cool would that be, it would be so wonderful to have you in our little nature group.
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