Sunday Walks

 

Johnny, Monica and Isabella come to our house almost every Sunday night for dinner.  After we eat, we always go for a walk around our neighborhood.  We've been doing this just about every Sunday night for the last 2 1/2 years that we've been back in Eagle, weather and pandemic permitting!

Our route rarely varies from week to week.  We count the baby ducks and goslings in the spring and summer.  And Monica and I fret when we see tiny ducklings who have somehow been lost from their mommy.  Good husband Jonathan has been known to try and reunite little families to keep his wife and mother happy.

At the top of one hill, where the path spilts into two, Isabella and I give each other high 5s and race down opposite sides.  When we reach the bottom, we always give each other a high 10....and she always wins.

There is a big rock the juts out into one of the ponds.  Isabella likes to pose on the rock so that we can take her picture.  Now that she is older, she likes to jump across the water to the grass on the opposite side.  For this she hold her Daddy's hand.

She likes to hold my hand to run down a grassy hill and again, she is always the winner.   Winning is very important to this little girl!

At the next pond, she and I have a tradition of making 'soup' in the water.  I can't remember how this started but with sticks in hand, we add leaves and twigs that are our rice or chicken or carrots or salt.  Then we stir the soup.   

For part of the walk we pretend to go on a 'bear hunt' and always start by saying, "We're going on a bear hunt. We're going to catch a big one. It's a beautiful day.  We're not scared." Then we swim across rivers and squish in thick oozy mud before going through long, wavy grass, often battling strong winds,  before finding our way into a dark cave and finally being chased by a bear all the way home!  

She will be 6 this year and go to kindergarten so I wonder how long this imaginary soup making and bear hunting will continue.  I'll be sad when it stops but I hope we are making good memories that will stay with her forever.  I know they will stay with me.