The Ice Pond

We started the morning off with ice, ice, and more ice. There were colorful ice gems we had made the night before and a frozen pond to break up with hammers, sticks, feet, and whatever we could find.

We noticed that the pond was starting to thaw a bit. Meanwhile Lincoln, Andy, and Felix asked if we could get out the pink canoe, remembering that we had played in it last year. We set it out on the ground and lots of dramatic play involving pirates and sea monsters ensued.

Then Chris wondered aloud to Mandy, "What if we put the canoe in the pond and go canoeing for real?" So that's just what we did. Much of the pond was still frozen so we gradually carved out a path for the canoe by breaking up the ice with spades, rakes, and more sticks. We took turns with two kids and one adult in the canoe and gave the kids paddles. It was such a blast paddling through floating chunks of ice on a real canoeing adventure!

We also fed the birds, both domestic and wild. Harper enjoyed feeding all the chickens as they crowded around her. Mandy, Rosalind, and Oswyn went up the hill to refill the birdfeeder where lots of chickadees and finches have been hanging out.