Black-cats and Wigwams

Black-cats and Wigwams

January 1, 2011

 

Stewart often tells me a story from his childhood about playing at his creek and taking firecrackers and sending them down the creek on little leaf “boats”. He tells how he would blow up anthills and “houses” of twigs. So of course he has to pass this tradition down to our kids. What better way to spend New Years Day than putting explosives in the hands of children.

Adam was excited that the firecracker blew the dirt out of a hole he dug. Then he stuck one inside the wall of the dirt pit and watched the dirt fly.

 

Anna was a bit more timid. She would approach from one way, chicken out and have to try it from a different way. She finally decided to let daddy light them but she would place them where she wanted them. She (with dad’s help) blew up a leaf “boat” that was floating in the water in the wheelbarrow.

 

Austin had no problem lighting his own, he just did not like the loudness of them when they went off, so he would try to cover his ears while popping them. I have to agree, the loud popping can be very unnerving.

He blew up part of the “Swiss Family Robinson” house they built a while back.

After I had enough stress worrying about them popping the Black-cats they meandered to the back of our property where there are trees and brush to play in.

A few days ago Adam had made his very own “club house” back there. Adams design was good, but just a little cramped, so dad decided to improve it a little.

Stewart and the two little ones got busy making what he called “Wigwams.” They worked at propping up tree limbs and sticks, making a slanted wall and adding pine straw to the top for a roof. Adam used a ‘Y’ shaped limb as a “gun” to defend his territory. Kelev, our Australian Shepherd, seemed to enjoy the “wigwam” just as much as the kids, or maybe he was just enjoying the kids.

 

Anna, however, is not so sure about the roof. Looks like it might leak a bit. Adam also is checking it all out, making sure dad did it right.

 

After constructing the smaller one for Anna, Stewart decided he needed to make a big one that they could all fit in.

Adam found a tree limb that had a vine grown into it. The look of it reminded me of the serpent rod Moses had in the Bible that would heal anyone bitten by a snake if they would look at it.

There is just something beautiful about the glow on my kids faces when they are making memories with daddy.