A life is made of moments. My greatest joy these days is watching my children truly engaged in play. As a teacher and a mother I love to set up opportunities, but of course the magic is how children run take something and play run with it in unexpected ways.
This weekend just as the sun was setting we made a small fire in the chimenea next to the little play house. The boys had decorated it for the holidays with chalk and moss and other greens from the garden and it seemed to add to the festivity to start a fire.
There was joy and excitement trying to help start the fire. Then a bit of fireside banter and even a song before the boys said, "lets go camping." They took their fold-up camp chairs under their arms and hiked the 50 ft to the corner of the yard under the big holly tree and made a campsite with a campfire of their own (only it was not lit). They found pots and pans and were fully cooking their own meal when I came over and interrupted them and then they asked," can we have a flashlight or candle or lantern?"
Papa found a candle votive in a lantern and brought it to them. Next thing they said, "lets go on a hike" and they were off walking through the small native plantings that we have in our yard (just taller than they are). It was a great reminder that a yard does not need to be big, especially when playing in the dark can be so magical.
As the evening wrapped up. The boy came to the door as I had went in to warm dinner. They asked for water, " a few drips of water."
I said, "Is it to put out your fire?" They replied yes. The boys put out their one candle fire. Papa put out the chimenea fire. The two hour early evening adventures ended and it was only 5:30pm. A reminder of how dark it is this time of the year.