Thursday, March 30, 2023

Puddles

Me to Hubby: I'm going outside to play in the mud.

Him: Oh. Um isn't it too cold?

Me: Sort of, but the puddle is getting smaller in the driveway.

Him: Isn't it mostly mud?

Me: Yes. I am going to play in the mud.

Him: Ok. Well I knew you weren't ever going to grow up.

My driveway has a low spot that needs to be fixed. In the spring it is like a small pond at first. It holds water at every rain and at every snow melt. In the evening the light is just right for some play time.

Yep, I was that kid that played with my cousins and made mud pies. 

I grew up in a time when dirt was okay to play with. We could use it as a compliment to our little plastic soldiers or move it with one of the Tonka trucks we had. We could toss it, wet it, mold it, shape it.

I put my coveralls on. It was cold outside, but I had a plan and a story line running in my head. 

The Misadventures of Frank and His Troopers.

Frank is always trying to find a way out of marching with his troopers....
the horse threw him so he decided to try...well....a
dinosaur?


I see one of his other 
troopers did a face plant in the water.


and then...
it was Frank's turn...


That dinosaur was not a good choice, it wouldn't even behave for me and I was supposed to be in control!


My fingers got full of mud from throwing chunks of dirt into the puddle behind the figures. I also swept up the cold water to splash behind them. 
My hands were numb by the time I finished. 
I abused my camera by getting the strap dirty and some of the buttons on the back dirty.

But.

I also experienced the power of imagination and concentration to 'make' something. And it distracted my brain from dealing with the everyday stresses of being a Caregiver.

So, in my book. Puddles can be great things.

8 comments:

  1. If you are having enough fun, you can't feel the wet and the cold - until you come back inside! I'm glad you still play in the mud!

    ReplyDelete
  2. You really are able to make it look like they are animated! Aren't you glad you didn't grow up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As a kid I was lucky enough to go to my Dad's workplace and spend time with some very creative adults. One of whom worked as an animator for Disney's 101 Dalmatians. He and my father encouraged imagination.
      Dad encouraged throughout my whole life. Once he told me not to 'grow' up in the sense that I should not lose sight of play and imagination.

      Delete
  3. Puddles are great fun! It should refill/ed up again today. Your back splashies add a lot of action to your creative scenes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, that was some of what I was learning. And I really enjoyed doing it.

      Delete
  4. You got some great shots! Looks like fun to me! The lighting is fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. The 'golden hour' trick of using the sun to highlight the water and characters outdoors was fun.

      Delete
  5. Mud is no fun. I especially dislike it when its a thawing mud. Fun photos you created.

    ReplyDelete

Please include at least your first name if you are commenting Anonymously. Thank you.