Pandemic Play

What can I say? My closest neighbor and I call ourselves the Lockdown Ladies. We come up with ways to socialize distantly.

We talk with our electric fence between us. When we have something for one another we have worked out the Stump Exchange at my place or a designated spot near her house.

Her children love adventure and love going to my creek.

So I worked out a game for our two households that includes 'no contact' and lots of fresh air. It ties in well with learning for both myself and the neighbors.

We call it Treasure Hunting. An old game. We write clues down on paper and leave it in a plastic bag on the Exchange Stump. She texts me when they are ready for a creek walk and I stand outside and wave. 

Sometimes the clues include a type of tree. Sometimes the clues include the names of fossil rocks or fungi. We include upstream and downstream. 

Yesterday I spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out a couple of clues the kids left me.  

Each child takes turns writing clues. I can see that from the handwriting. I have to say that it is a delight to have this 'game'. I get to spend time in the creek hiding toys and items, and they get to splash around in the cool waters on a hot day!

The game gives each household a purpose. I can get creative with these old toys and they can too.

Yesterday I was thrown by a couple of clues. I actually resorted to tracking the bent grasses and weeds to ferret out where the Truck was hidden.

They were clever, I was clever too!

It was not an easy find as it wasn't right in the creek but the description was a Great Fallen Tree by the Orange Target. If I'd read it properly the first time, I wouldn't have had such a hard time with it!

I searched high and love for the Creepy Doll without a face [these toys are left in the forest and apparently a squirrel or some other varmint decided to chew on its face.]

The Teddy Bear in the tree was pointing to the Creepy Doll which was 'upstream' from there.

So I looked in the area where the Teddy was pointing his face. I searched up stream and around to no avail! I was going to give up. But I went and stood in front of this sapling and pulled up the photo of the Teddy. HIS arm was pointing behind him!

How insanely clever!

The Very Creepy Doll was exactly where the Teddy was pointing.

Now it was my turn to hide the items. 

I used this time with the toys to experiment and get my photography fix for the day. The rest of my day was slated for my workout, cultivating the garden, mowing, and weed wacking.

The Pink Dozer is

trying to remove a log.

I think it may be too Big!

That Pink Pony

is resting on the 

Large Oak that is

bent over 

the trail!

Meanwhile, the lonely

Teddy Bear

decides to sit and 

chat with the 

blue 

Stegosaurus,

downstream from the desk.

The John Deere truck

has gone to work.

It is building a

dam just upstream from

the crossing path.

[Maybe you should stop and 

help him build a dam?]

This poor fellow was building a

dam too to make a

tiny waterfall! 

I think he fell 

into the creek!

This part of the creek is so

strange!

The Very Creepy Doll 

likes roots and rocks not 

far from the tree with 

huge roots!

Percy prefers a nice safe 

rock ledge to sit

on.

One time being lost

 in a flash flood was enough

for him!

Crazy Zombie Doll is hiding.

Not far from the place where the

rocks look like stairs.

The Orange Dino has decided 

to build a rock fort.

He thinks his brother the

Green Dino was picked 

up by a raccoon!

And once again, it is your turn!