Today we took a circuitous adventure. It started as a backyard sit while I destoned apricots and my little one tasted them and went on mini adventures with his penguin and a car. Then little one asked for a walk. No reason not to. My big one was immediately displeased to be removed from the couch so every few steps we would implore me "let's stop and sit down or go home". "Just a little bit further" I coaxed. Bearing in mind, we were only five minutes and about 200 metres from home at this point! We ventured slowly down to the river pathway and eventually made it home 4 hours later with both children full of joy, enthusiasm and a little bit of remaining energy. Here in Palmy, our river, Te Awa o Manawatu, provides a varied adventure. Today we headed down to a river bank clearing between Ruahine and Rumahanga. While my big one stripped off and read her book, my little one threw stones into the gently moving water. A little further down the river we heard a splash. We looked over to see bubbles wandering over the surface of the water. Then a splish-splash again. We ventured down to have a look. We spotted four fish - fish colour with some white tinges! We waded into the water a little for a closer look. We watched for a bit (mostly me as my little couldn't see them and big one wandered back to her book). My little guy decided he wasn't quite sure about the water continually moving over his feet so he happily accepted a pick up. Soon he was ready for more rock plopping. We moved back upstream and left our fishy mates to it. Our little one threw more stones and encouraged us to join him. We looked flat stones and tried to skim. We will keep practicing before we can tick this one off the list...
Snacks snacked, drinks drunk and many stones sploshed, we headed back up to the pathway. We took a long route home along busy Napier Road and via Pita Pit for an unexpected lunch out and the supermarket for dinner supplies. The quietness of the river pathway is so pleasant and the busyness of the road so noticeable. Still, I was in pleasant company. We stopped by two playgrounds on the way home for a "wee" aka swing. We would have stayed much longer but our little guy needed more food and I was keen for some shade and more water!
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Today we picked apricots and plums, practiced ladder climbing, tidied the yard, drove cars in the dirt, and became very interested in a new, old TEA20 Fergusson tractor. My parents back garden is the perfect place for an afternoon of adventures.
Today I finally got around to making jam and chucking some berries into the dehydrator from a recent berry picking adventure. We gardened and sat around watching the clouds, the sleeping babe, bird watched (we have a few resident pals), listened to their birdsong and our favourite music and just enjoyed time together. But first, as sometimes happens on Saturday, we had the urge to rush to Bunnings for supplies for backyard maintenance adventures. Today it was plants (it usually is). We arrived home having eaten our obligatory sausage in bread with all the trimmings and set up camp under the shade of our big tree. Mr Wonderful, who had got a bunch of jobs done done in the morning while I faffed with the jam, set up shop in the hammock. We put down some rugs and chairs in the shade and watched our wee guy explore. He spent his time plane spotting, whacking the ground with sticks and throwing balls. Once he was ready, we lay down together and he fell asleep under the shade of our big old backyard tree. After a bit more lying around, I was ready to get the plants in the ground. Mr Wonderful supervised from the hammock.
It started with the pops of colour on the Clubhouse wall and a large pizza thyme on the table. Then I got down to business on the teeny, tiny vege bed that I am trying to keep. I weeded and pulled some spinach and rocket that had gone to seed and replanted some cauliflower (my garden diary told me to), basil and chives. Then removed a big fluffy grass and then decided my garden bed needed some edging. I found some stones (we have many around the place!) and made rock piles (does this count as rock sculpture!). Our little guy woke and we did some watering and he carried on with more water play. We admired our great looking yard and ate a cheese platter. By the time we came in it was after six and we were feeling wonderfully relaxed and sufficiently dirty. A good day, a good adventure. Back at work today so didn't manage anything more than a wander around the local streets. We have been trying to find a house we like the colour of and a house that has "cool numbers" on the fence. I don't know where either of these fabled places are so we are walking our various routes to find them.
I was in such a grump when I got home. The walk helped reset my mood. We stopped by the park so little one got his swing in for the day. We headed out to the Green Corridors for an explore. A new track opened a while back but we hadn't done it yet. We didn't get as far as planned as it was a hot day. But we got our new pathway walked as well as another bit we hadn't done before. We ended with a splash in some wild water. We started out on Old West Road and little one was ready for snacks and a drink at the top of the first hill (literally 100m from where we parked). After fuelling, he popped on my back and we paced out. It quickly became a fast walk between bits of shade. Fortunately there isn't much roadway walk anymore with the grand new stairway and access sorted (Google isn't showing all the new additions yet). The big girls loved spotting the next orange markers in the next bit. A warning of the hairy one way bridge that comes next... we used the opportunity to do some teaching of important things - walking towards the traffic, walking on the outside of the corners, being quick (don't dwadle), be alert... things like that. We wandered up the next meandering meadow and stream pathway. Halfway along we stopped for lunch under a really big tree. A macrocarpa I think. It was great to see such an active trapping programme, I hope it's making a difference. At that point we decided to turn around, head back to the car and either drive further into the valley or splash on the stream. By the time we got back to the car, it was decided. Wild water adventure! Little one threw rocks (as per normal) and the big girls paddled, as did I. It was wonderfully restful and cooling. Picnic tea then happened at Caleano Park. We made our own burgers and brought them with us. We ate then all three of our lovelies explored the park. Our little one just wanted to swing. The big girls had a furtive play on the ship (they are old and cool, you see) and then challenged each other to swing highest, monkey bar the furtherest and use the other various bits of fitness equipment to show off their erm, buffness. We are not a family of athletes… there wasn't really a winner...
No matter their age, children find a way to play and have an adventure. You just need to give them time and the opportunity. Today I thought we would head down to the Urban Eels. I checked the weather forecast - some rain was forecast, heavy and showers later in the day. I decided we were still aiming for that, we would just chuck raincoats in the buggy and reassess later on. We wandered down to the Albert St swing to swing under a tree. It was balmy, sunny and warm. We carried on around the star path (Tini whetū ki te rangi, ko Rangitāne nui ki te whenua), playing "the grey is lava" and other games. We took turns sitting on the throne chair. We almost made it to the Esplanade before it rained. Big splotchy drops. Luckily we were prepared. Jackets out, rain pants on (little one). My firstborn suggested we turn back. I pointed out that shelter and snacks were far closer. We carried on. The rain stopped as we wandered through the bush tracks making a trail toward the café. It was fully loaded so I suggested ice cream at He Ara Kotahi. I promised it wasn't far. We stopped for stand up sandwiches and meandered back down to the river pathway and along to the New Bridge. Fortunately the rain hadn't scared off Scooptruck ice cream. It was devine - 10/10 recommend! We did another weather check - both on Metservice and by looking at the sky. It wasn't looking good so we decided to do eels another day and start heading home. We walked back along the other side of the river to the Fitzherbert bridge then crossed over to the lagoon. We took a short break to finish the snacks and drink some water. We braved walking straight through the army of swans, geese and ducks. It started to rain as we passed the canoe poloists (poloists? players? something else?). I am guessing rain makes no difference to them! We rejacketed and walked home. We were pretty dry as we had our jackets and it wasn't particularly cold. It's important to remember that "there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing" (Alfred Wainwright + others!). Rain provides another kind of adventure! You've probably heard there is a new plane in Palmy. A play plane. Right in the flight path of the actual planes too - great for our plane mad toddler. Linklater Reserve has been in development for a few years now. Read about that on the PNCC website. The most recent addition is a real plane and looks as though it's drifted over from its airport neighbour and come to rest in the field. We headed to Linklater as we wanted somewhere with a bit of a destination. None of my crew had seen the plane yet so we kept them in suspense - "let's go a bit further and see what we see"... The afternoon was brilliant sunshine and exceedingly warm. Mr 1 wasn't keen on crossing the bidget on his own but very interested in looking over the side. The older two made a beeline for the double flying fox while me and toddler toddled slowly up. A few runs later, it was another family's turn to fly (or would it be called foxing?). We headed over the rise and vowed to come back for Ultimate Frisbee. We timed our visit perfectly as the afternoon aeroplanes both came into land. Toddler was stunned at how close they were compared to his usual viewing spot (our deck). The plane slowly came into view. It took our aviator a bit of time to realise that it was a real life plane and he was quite timid in approaching. We'd taken turns exploring the plane and watched the skies slowly turn very dark and the winds pick up. The first drops of rain were sun showers. Then all of a sudden the sky opened.
Big fat wet rain began to fall. Toddler jumped on my back (I had the foresight to bring the Tula Toddler anticipating the long wander back to the car) and we rushed to find shelter. It got very very wet, very very quickly. The thunder rumbled, which added the the experience. We found shelter in the pergola and waited for the worst to pass. It was over as quickly as it began but we decided to head home as we were all wet through and the temperature had dropped significantly. Back home, clothes hung to dry, the sun came back out and it was like it hadn't happened. Except for the chatter from the girls of how they survived near hypothermia and a tremendous thunder and lightning storm. Tales from children are the best! |
AuthorI'm Kate. I have 3 children - 2 bios and a steppie, 1 under 5 and 2 tweenagers. I am determined to spend more time outside this year and share more of Palmy's wonderful places and free play activities. Categories
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