Since the weather’s turned decidedly wintry, here’s a memory of the beautiful, clear days of fall.
The day started with potato donut holes; how could it be anything but perfect (or round and cinnamon-y, or fattening and heartburn-inducing, depending on your logic)? Our third fall excursion to Clear Lake included four Moms, four Dads, four sons, and four daughters. Each of the boys is three years older than his sister. Three of the boys are five, and one of the girls is [nearly] five. As the canoeists unloading their car next to us said, we were an REI dream excursion.
Seriously, don't drop me in that water
Eh, you'd never drop me in
Our independent daughter surprised us by allowing Chris to carry her for nearly the whole hike, so we finished the five mile loop in record time: almost a mile an hour! Our active but occasionally undermotivated son surprised us and walked the whole way. Not only that, but he finished the hike pointing out interesting mushrooms: “Mom, it’s a little weird bush made of fungi!†Yes, it helped that, after five years, I’ve finally learned the power of gummy bears and yogurt-covered raisins (both organic and shockingly expensive): “I’ll give you some hiking energy if you make it to that tree [walk another four minutes, catch up to the rest of the kids…]†Bribery? No, no. Motivation. I mean, come on, five miles is far. When was the last time you walked five miles?
The five-year-olds were subtly different from last year’s four-year-olds. They didn’t jostle for the lead hiking position this year. Mostly they noticed and ran and hopped and climbed and threw rocks in the water and hid and fished with creative poles. The two-year-olds ran and hopped and climbed, too, and also whined and napped and exerted their toddlerness. And the eight-year-old gave my son math problems to do in his head, although I think Sylvan thought he was talking about dragons.
Jumping
Fishin'
By the numbers:
- Eight adults
- Eight kids
- Four moms
- Four dads
- Four daughters
- Four sons
- Three bridges (Four?)
- One lizard
- One dead snake
- A couple dozen ducks (you’ll have to ask a birder if you want to know what kind)
- Nineteen or so mountain bikers (four of whom we saw again as they lapped us)
- Two very nice canoeists
- Seven canoes, kayaks, and rowboats out on Clear Lake at any one time
- One tropically clear blue lake
- Two fishing poles made with found sticks, found fishing line, and rosehips
- Five words to refer to the red of the turning vine maple leaves: scarlet, vermillion, lipstick red, brick red, and firetruck red
- Many, many different fungi popping through the soil
No, no, that's not a birthmark; it's the Joker (both under the shirt and on her belly).