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Thursday 10 September 2020

Tree hugging

The last hurrah of summer with our daughter and our grandchildren was on Labour Day at Cavendish. School started the next day. We had a picnic lunch at Cavendish Grove which was in its late summer beauty. 




The picnic area was busy but we had a great picnic table in the shade where we had a leisurely lunch safely distanced from others.


After lunch my husband and I played hide and seek with the family. The children love this game and we often play it when they visit our house. It is a favourite of our three year old grandson but the girls enjoy it too. This setting was perfect since it gave us space to run. We limited our hiding area to the trees within a certain boundary. The adults had to hug the trunks or kneel behind them to hide. This past spring, I hid behind a tree trunk here in an effort to photograph the birds in the pond below. Now, as usual, the pond is dried up and has been for months. This time the whole family hid and had fun. Everyone ran around including Nanny and Poppy which the kids loved.


I leaned into the trunk of one huge maple as I hid behind it. Hearing the wind in the leaves, I looked up where light illuminated various areas of the trunk. 





Movement to the right caught my eye as a woodpecker hopped upward. I couldn’t capture a good photo. However, it was impossible being that close to a tree without noticing the trunk which provided a home for moss and lichens and who knows what lies beneath.





This tree is a natural wonder.


While we played, our daughter saw a frog jump near one of the girls and told the kids about it. All were interested in the little Wood Frog which their mom captured to show them.





The middle child held the little frog too. She always wants to hold the creatures we find. The other two were curious but not eager to hold it. The brave one placed the little creature on the lower part of a tree trunk where it was camouflaged.





We checked later and it was gone.


Afterwards we went to the beach where the water temperature of 16 C and the wind made it too cold for the children to swim so they played in the sand. Everyone enjoyed the last grains of summer.




31 comments:

Debra She Who Seeks said...

So much fun and a little frog too!

Debbie said...

oooh the last grains of summer, sad words indeed but i am looking forward to cooler temperatures!! i remember loving hide and seek, i have played many times with my great nieces!! the view from your hiding spot was quite beautiful...i don't think i would have noticed the frog once he was on the tree!!

eileeninmd said...

Hello,

What a lovely day, a picnic with the family and fun games with the grandchildren. The frog was a nice find. It is great that the children are curious and interested in nature. Take care, enjoy your day! Wishing you a happy weekend!

Barb said...

A wonderful visit with family. I love seeing the tiny frog and your tree photos.

Martha said...

That sounds like a perfect day! I'm so glad everyone enjoyed it. Love the photos too. Have a great weekend :)

Linda said...

If I close my eyes, it could be a more simple time and a more simple place to enjoy with a childlike abandon. Hide and seek with Grandma and Grandpa sounds like memories made.

Beside a babbling brook... said...

Lovely day.

What we all need to do...

Enjoy every bit of Autumn, which we possibly can. ~smile~

🍁💛🍂💛🍁

The Padre said...

Like WoW - Childs Play - So Cool And Those Memories You Have Created For Those Little Ones To Carry With Them Forever - Fantastic Post!! Thank You!!

Cheers
P.S. Finally Saw The Frog While Typing This - Yeah Me

William Kendall said...

Wonderful shots!

Elephant's Child said...

It sounds like a WONDERFUL day - for you all.
And yes, I am a tree hugger. Of course.

Bill said...

What a great outing with the family and the wee frog. :-) Hide and seek memories, priceless for everyone.

Helen said...

Sitting here it is so hard to imagine that summer is all but over for you and our family, and then I recall how cold it was in late September last year.
What a lovely day together in a beautiful setting. That wee frog certainly knows how to camouflage himself!

Red said...

What a fun time with your grandchildren.Hide and seek really is fun for them.

Catarina said...

Wonderful outing with the whole family.

Joanne Noragon said...

The last grains of summer surely says it.

At Home In New Zealand said...

Trees are so special and I love looking up into their canopies. What a great way to make wonderful memories with your grandies, and the frog was a bonus (I finally found it on the trunk!).

David M. Gascoigne, said...

It warms my heart to read of whole families enjoying nature together in this way.

Retired Knitter said...

I love trees. Their size, complexity and for some, their very very old age. Trees are a wonder.

Shammickite said...

It's sad to see summer leaving, but there will still be warm sunny days before the rain and wind starts. Where would we be without trees? I need to be with trees and often go to the forest just to walk and think and enjoy the surroundings. Love the little froggie!

DJan said...

I loved thinking of playing hide and seek. It's been a long time ago that I played. I love that little frog and searched hard on the tree before I finally found it. What a lovely day you had!

Anvilcloud said...

I like that expression, "the last grains of summer." I'd never come across it until now.

Glenda Beall said...

Lovely post with great photos and story of your day with loved ones. I long for those times with family again. Do you write poetry? Last grains of summer sound like a line from a poem. Thanks for following my blog.

Ruth Hiebert said...

Sounds like a perfect family day. Good memories were made, i'm sure.

Susan Zarzycki said...

I love trees!💖It warmed my heart reading about the tree hide and seek. What wonderful memories your grandchildren will have of their grandparents, you do so many fun things together!

PerthDailyPhoto said...

What a lovely way to see the summer out Marie. Wonderful to play hide and seek in the tall trees and then fun on the beach, perfect 💜 My grandchildren love hide and seek too, it's the simple games that have been around forever ✨

Tanza Erlambang said...

Your grand kid like me when I was kid that I always wants to hold the creatures, especially around the garden....

You all have so much fun during holiday.

Have a great weekend.

Anita said...

What a nice day you had!That little frog is soo cute

you really could go swimming now Wow!!
Here the swimming season is all gone for the year

Wish you a very nice afternoon

Thank you for sharing wonderful photoes:)

Rhodesia said...

Excellent photos and I love the wood frog. Sorry I am behind with visits but the kitchen here has been working in overtime. So much in the garden. Take care, Diane

Rose said...

This sounds like such a good day...I had a hard time spotting the frog on the tree. And wonder if I would have if the hand had not been close by.

Susie of Arabia said...

What fun quality time with the grandkids. The little froggie is so cute!

Barbara said...

What a fun time. That frog was perfectly hidden on that tree. My oldest Grand Girl loves all the insects and other natural creatures. Special Times.