Indoor Outdoor Kids-- and the Mysterious Man in Black

Though this week failed to bring another

major snow event to our portion of the

Sandhills, the epic play sessions of Thursday

and Friday were noteworthy.  Let's begin on

Thursday, playing indoors with Claire and Evan.

When Claire plays "Horse Ranch," it's serious business.

Evan had a ranch, too, but his included some cowboys
and other characters.

And of course, where there are horse ranches, you must
have . . . castles and dragons?

Grandma and I do as instructed when it comes to
these play sessions.  There are certain rules of engagement.

Methodical Claire patiently arranges ALL her horses
in a line.  They're on a raiding party looking for "bad guys."

 Soon, it was time for some fresh air.

TO THE STREAM!

At this bridge, the melting snow and overnight rain
had raised the stream's level even with the wood.

As we crossed our other bridge to the main island,
the current had carved what the kids dubbed
"an EXTRA WATERFALL!"
Quite accurate. When you go down that bridge,
you'd better take a sharp left or you'll be in the brink!

Here's a closeup of the "extra waterfall."

Claire's eyes are full of wonder and excitement as
she takes it all in.  Grandma and I simply tried not
to fall in, and to prevent Evan from doing so (he's
a water magnet).

We're all delighted to see our little stream in
paradise so full of activity and energy today.

Claire used various sticks and assorted implements
to gauge the depth of the stream at several points.

On Friday, it was Bri and Hunter's turn.

After playing with pirates, dragons, and

super heroes for a while they were revved

up about heading outside. First, to the stream.

Bri is dredging soggy leaves out of the stream to
speed up the flow of this tributary.

 Hey, who's this mysterious man in black?

There he is again, making a stealthy getaway

ahead of Grandma and Bri.

Bri and the Mystery Man are breaking up those bubbles
to send them downstream.  But who is he?

Whoever he is, he likes Hunter's game of fishing
with hockey sticks.  But he cleverly keeps his
face away from the camera.

Even after two afternoons above freezing, we find
remnants of the snow in the most secluded nooks
of our property.

Slipping away from the stream, the Man in Black sees
Grandma and Bri approaching his hideout in the tree house.

Can he elude them once more?

Yes, even if he has to rappel a steep gorge to escape.

"Wait," says Bri. "Who are you?"

Bri covers every foot of the trail, over and through the
tunnel, up and down steep banks, searching for clues
to the identity of the Man in Black.

Back at the house, while playing a game of "Cat's Eye,"
(ever heard of that one?), everyone puzzles over the
Mysterious visitor.

It was Hunter!

In an unguarded moment, Hunter allowed himself
to be caught on film.  There can be no doubt, he's
our Mysterious Man in Black.

Let's close up with a couple of short videos

of the sights and sounds of the stream

and waterfalls in winter. Relax and enjoy.

I hope you're having good days,

whatever the weather!

Another Mystery

Back in 2011, when the grandkids were not

quite ready for hikes and gypsy walks, I began

to prepare a future play spot five acres back on

our property, where an untainted stream, fed by

underground springs, flourished and never ran dry.

(Note: This picture predates the bridge I later added.)

This pool, more than two feet deep, is at our

favorite waterfall, just as we cross a little foot bridge

to our island paradise (small though it may be).

At some point during the clearing process

I made an interesting find.  While clearing 

branches and debris from the stream, I dredged

up an odd specimen of wood.

It is remarkable in several regards.  First of all,

there is evidence that it had been burned in the

distant past, only to find a resting place in this

deep pool, where it had rested undisturbed for

who knows how long.

When we moved here in 1978 we were

told there had been at least one historical

fire in these woods, but I am uncertain when

it would have been.  As years go by, evidence

of forest fires diminishes.  But being submerged

seems to have preserved the scars on this piece

of wood.  

Note the graceful spiraling striations

that mark the wood.  Whether it grew

like that or whether decades of whipping

by the streams waters made the marks, I

cannot discern.

The wood is heavy and solid, exhibiting

no sign of rot.  Whether it washed downstream

or was tossed in long ago by a strolling 

woodsman, I cannot tell.

Until I cleared the area in recent years,

there is little likelihood of human intrusion

in that secluded area for a long, long time.

Though Jennifer and Amanda made occasional

excursions to the stream in their childhood, we

never established much of a play space.  We could

always hear the waterfalls, even when we didn't

want to fight through the brush to see them.

Here's evidence that the black is indeed

charred wood, not just discoloration.

My imagination begs to know who

else has handled this "ancient" artifact,

and under what circumstances.  I'm glad

it has come into my hands, where of

course it will receive the homage it's due.

I will appreciate any theories my readers

may wish to share.

As I've learned before, especially in writing

"Mystery at the Loyd Homeplace," mysteries

don't always have to be solved to be mesmerizing.

Exuberant Grandkids Bring the Tree House to Life!

No, that's not one of the grandkids in the

tree house.  It's Chipper, who some of you

may recognize.  Chipper was my classroom

mascot the last several years I taught, and now

he accompanies me to all my singalongs and

other events at school and nursing homes.

A few weeks ago I outfitted him in this

construction outfit and created a narrative

for his rest home friends.  It goes like this:

"You may have heard that the unemployment

rate has gone down.  That's partly because 

Chipper got a job!  That's right.  I've hired him

to build me a house.  Of course, with him being

a monkey, it had to be a tree house.  I couldn't

be too picky, because I only paid him with bananas."

Now these are grandkids.  And I was thrilled

with their response this week.  On Tuesday

Bri and Hunter made their first visit.

Bri is on the upper deck.  It takes a little

getting used to.

Amanda could get attached to this place.

And Hunter hopes she stays put.

Tree house follies with Bri and Hunter

It takes three to make a ring around this tree.

It's not part of the tree house.

On Wednesday, Claire and Evan were

introduced to the new tree house.  They

scampered ahead on the trail and arrived 

before the adults.  Up they go.

They made themselves right at home.

Claire was all smiles the whole time we were there.

Posing on the "deck" or "patio." Whatever.

An equally big hit was a deer skull and

assorted bones just a few feet from the

tree house.

Now that all the kids have seen it, I think

Amanda is going to take the bones home

and use them in science study.

Claire has an eye for the camera today.

That old ladder from my childhood bunk bed

is serving admirably for getting to the top floor.

One happy girl!

It's so relaxing to just sit and chill. Judy

and Claire sat there swinging their legs

for several minutes.

Just a swingin.'

Evan, our daredevil (one of them), likes to

lean over the railing and grab leaves off the

neighboring trees.  Then he watches them

flutter to the ground.  

Speaking of daredevils, here's another one.

Claire was emphatic that I should get her

"in the air." And I did!

I was snapping a picture of Judy and Evan

hanging out on the top deck when guess

who should pop in?

Yes, it's been a big hit.  And all of us will 

enjoy it even more as winter inches toward

spring.  Even Chipper!