Monday, August 30, 2010
Trees and the manly art of climbing
It has been shown in study after study that trees call to boys like strappy sandals call to the real housewives of Orange County. Today Jackson needed some time with his dad so the took a walk to discuss attitudes and using kind words. The next thing you know their climbing redwood trees. Oh well, I suppose it's a bonding thing...
Monday, August 2, 2010
The Road to Adventure
The Edewards clan specializes in turning lemons into lemonade. When Jordyn's soccer practice was not scheduled as we thought it was, we decided not to drive straight home, but rather to go on an impromptu deer hunt.
Nearing that magical twilight hour when the deer come out to forage, we pulled off the beaten path and heard that familiar hallmark of adventure, the sound of gravel under tires. Soon Lucy spotted road kill, "Daddy, let's look at something dead," she plaintively requested from the back seat. Nothing thrills my three-year-old princess like animal guts on the roadway.
Jackson's more pedestrian request to climb hay bales dovetailed nicely with Vaughn's desire to see tractors up close and personal. We pulled off into a field and accommodated both.
The lowest tier of this stack was three bales high, just over 8 feet. Aaron had to throw him up to the flat so he could climb all the way to the top. Then Jack wanted to jump down!
Safely back into the car, we resumed hunting deer. It didn't take long to get sidetracked by Jordyn's love of horses. Soon we were feeding this Shetland/Welsh mix and petting its friendly nose.
Sadly the camera was not at the ready when a bear (Mommy confirmed the creature was large and bear shaped) crashed through the brush behind the horse pasture. So back into the car we went to continue the search for deer. Since the gravel road was deserted and visibility was still good, the big kids stood out the sunroof while we drove 2mph for a while. Jackson swallowed a bug. (Great fun for everyone inside the vehicle).
With everyone back in seat belts, we picked up the pace and discovered paradise. Near Kings Valley a hidden dell is tucked back off of the main thoroughfare. A hundred acre pasture, a small abandoned dairy and beauty as far as you can see was our reward for making a little investigation off of the pavement. Traversing a weed patch mommy picked this flower for Vaughn, who loves when the fauna touches his window. "Again!" he shrieks when vines scrape the sides of the 'Cruiser.
We did finally see a deer, and mommy spotted a cougar, bringing our hunt to a successful conclusion. (Except for Lucy's disappointment over the meaning of 'dead end' road. She had been excited for more carnage) Everyone made it to bed, after baths and ice cream, before 10 pm. All in all a great night!
Nearing that magical twilight hour when the deer come out to forage, we pulled off the beaten path and heard that familiar hallmark of adventure, the sound of gravel under tires. Soon Lucy spotted road kill, "Daddy, let's look at something dead," she plaintively requested from the back seat. Nothing thrills my three-year-old princess like animal guts on the roadway.
Jackson's more pedestrian request to climb hay bales dovetailed nicely with Vaughn's desire to see tractors up close and personal. We pulled off into a field and accommodated both.
The lowest tier of this stack was three bales high, just over 8 feet. Aaron had to throw him up to the flat so he could climb all the way to the top. Then Jack wanted to jump down!
Safely back into the car, we resumed hunting deer. It didn't take long to get sidetracked by Jordyn's love of horses. Soon we were feeding this Shetland/Welsh mix and petting its friendly nose.
Sadly the camera was not at the ready when a bear (Mommy confirmed the creature was large and bear shaped) crashed through the brush behind the horse pasture. So back into the car we went to continue the search for deer. Since the gravel road was deserted and visibility was still good, the big kids stood out the sunroof while we drove 2mph for a while. Jackson swallowed a bug. (Great fun for everyone inside the vehicle).
With everyone back in seat belts, we picked up the pace and discovered paradise. Near Kings Valley a hidden dell is tucked back off of the main thoroughfare. A hundred acre pasture, a small abandoned dairy and beauty as far as you can see was our reward for making a little investigation off of the pavement. Traversing a weed patch mommy picked this flower for Vaughn, who loves when the fauna touches his window. "Again!" he shrieks when vines scrape the sides of the 'Cruiser.
We did finally see a deer, and mommy spotted a cougar, bringing our hunt to a successful conclusion. (Except for Lucy's disappointment over the meaning of 'dead end' road. She had been excited for more carnage) Everyone made it to bed, after baths and ice cream, before 10 pm. All in all a great night!
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