just a walk in the park
We don’t have a large back garden. It’s overgrown, a bog and a mess. It could be worse, but I’m not all that happy for Flower to play there, as there are some very toddler unfriendly bits. But the two parks accross the street may keep me living in this tiny Victorian servants’ house longer than is practical. We often refer to the parks as “our grounds”.
“Would you like to come for a walk around our grounds with me?”
One park has a large duck pond, a playground and an open ground where kids play ball and students have picnics. The other park has botanical gardens, tree covered paths and large open green fields.
I really love these parks. I feel like they’re an extention to my home. It helps that I can practically step out of my front door directly into either of them. It is a wonderful place for Flower to run and play and explore and they are all neatly landscaped, manicured and kept up for me by the pleasure of the city council.
For the past year and a half the Flower Child and I have ventured out together almost every dry day, to the duck pond, or the gardens, or the ’squirrel walk’. I love the hidden wisteria tree and she loves the hidden paths. This year we have cygnets. At the appropriate times of year she loves to pick daisies and buttercups, or collect pine cones, or chase dry leaves and splash in puddles. She’s a good walker for not even quite being 3 yet.
Currently, a month before her third birthday, she is suddenly becomming more aware of the world around her. Today she was impressed with the ‘big treees’ and said ‘look up! there’s hundreds.’ A couple of weeks ago she discovered her shadow. We had pointed out and explained shadows before, but she actually noticed it for the first time a few weeks ago. Now she is very much attached. she looks back when her shadow is following along behind her on a sunny day and says ‘c’mon shadow!’
and when the sun goes behind a cloud or we walk under a tree she says, worried, ‘where’s shadow gooone?!” So I explain that when we walk in the shade under a tree, shadow goes to meet us in the sunshine on the other side. today as we stepped under a tree into the shade she leaned toward the path, made a kissing sound and said “bye, shadow. see ya LA-ter!” (i wish i could type the vocal intonation.)
it’s very cute.
Tags: development, Flower, home
June 9th, 2009 at 9:32 pm
I think I shall start greeting my shadow – it’s been sadly neglected for years. Can’t understand why it is still sticking with me…
The Flower Child sounds to be a source of great fun and joy
June 9th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
I love your reply to the question as to where the shadow had gone. If asked, I would have taken the opportunity to impart simple science, but your creative answer is far more charming.
As is Flower, by the sounds!
June 10th, 2009 at 7:50 am
What joy — and what a blessing. You’ve made this cynical fellow’s heart melt a little with these wonderful descriptions. Enjoy.
June 10th, 2009 at 8:48 am
Oh so cute. Maybe one day I’ll have to come without the scary man and see her being more herself
Like Dith I think I would have attempted too scientific an answer to the shadow conundrum. Sounds like more fun your way. And hurrah for parks!!
June 10th, 2009 at 11:42 am
I think I would like to join you on a ’squirrel walk’, as it sounds very fun indeed…and wish I could be a fly on the wall to listen to your conversations together – delightful & charming. Enjoy your grounds, as all ladies of the manor have them – perhaps you could envision yourselves as a princesses or something…maybe on tomorrow’s walk : )