Yesterday was beautiful and warm. We wanted to go to the park to enjoy the day. Packed up ourselves and headed out… The first one we wanted to go to was actually right next to a school but we thought that was the park {which had the nice play area}; it wasn’t. The second one we went to was closed for some reason {it has an awesome play area} so we went to the one close to our house. It was squishy and by this time, driving around, it had turned somewhat chilly and I had to go to work.
Our day outside was foiled. {Oh, yes, I know, we could have hung out in our backyard}
Today is cold. It’s overcast and somewhat drizzly {or is that snow?}. But we decided to head out again in an attempt to do some nature study. We stopped by McDonald’s for some hot cocoa, grabbed our journals {I also grabbed my colored pencils and water color crayons, just in case}, and set a course for one of the Metroparks.
Euclid Creek Reservation, one of the Cleveland Metroparks, isn’t that far from our house and we often pass by it on our way home.
This is one of our favorite places now! The kids were too busy having fun near, around and in the creek to worry or think about their journals. I sat by the creek and tried to sketch out the view. It was so cold. My fingers stopped cooperating, though, so I had to continue after we got home. The kids attempted to make a ‘bridge’ {it was more a path than bridge} to the other side of the creek. In the process they got their feet all wet and their hands were pretty much frozen.
I tore them away {they didn’t want to go although they were obviously uncomfortable from the wet and cold} from their project and we headed home. I took a chunk of rock that we thought was possibly the same as what made up the creek bed. As soon as we got here, we all made an entry in our journals. We talked about what we saw and what we liked most about the area.
It is a place that we will go again, that is for sure! There is another place we like but it is more than 30 minutes away. I’m sure we will go to both of these and more as the weather gets warm.
I think you ended with great success. Outdoor time is always valuable and even more so when you are flexible and you accomplished quite a bit. Love seeing your journals too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your link.
My outdoor time had difficulty getting off the ground this week as well. I'll try to make my blog entry of it today or tomorrow. Bumped from Friday; bumped again from Monday to Tuesday. By then, couldn't find my teacher print outs of my plan. Went out on the walk; one hadn't brought the clipboard supplies; sent her back to get. Got to goal spot, #2 had lost pencil. #1 announced she never brought a pencil in the first place, even though she brought the clipboard. :sigh: Went home to finish drawings. Ground squishy and muddy here as well.
ReplyDeleteFeel glad I'm not the only one who experiences this. Sigh with relief. ;0)
DeleteThat's how it goes sometimes...but keep on, keeping on, right? Now my kids want to do this every day! I have to make sure I don't drop the ball now.
DeleteWhat a pretty spot. The water is so clear and I love all the colors in the rocks.
ReplyDeleteIt is beautiful. Amazingly it is very close to a major road but the trees keep out the sounds and if you keep facing the creek, you'd not know :)
DeleteWe cannot wait until it is warm and the trees have leaves! It'll be so amazing- more so!