Dinosaurs and Unicorns.

There is a certain risk that is taken when Charlie comes along for when I do a 'toy' shoot for the grandkids or just for fun.

My youngest grand daughter, Elena...well she goes by Nonny, I guess... loves, and adores Unicorns and My Little Ponies.

Of course she does!

Buddy likes his dinosaurs.

So I decided to take some photos to create a story to mix them all up in some sort of quest.

Not sure how it will all go yet. Not even sure of the story line.

But it comes to me in bits and pieces.

Here is two more fun shots:

I'm getting an idea that is muddling about in my head.

I just need to get some more photos and then start to put things together.

I think I needed this distraction.

Lighten Up

This bear looked how I felt

yesterday!

In some ways this has been a real rough week. 

What a start though! Fantastic mornings, runs, glorious rides, and bicycling along with the usual mundane but necessary things.

My house became spotless.

Ever Anger-Clean? Or Stress-Clean?

I did that! Charlie hid on the porch and tried to bury himself under the rugs and blankets I tossed outside to hang in the sun.

The smell of vinegar and furniture spray permeated the living room.

I'm a CareGiver. Some days my giving takes its toll in trying to make another person understand things.

Sometimes I am met with an attitude of a 3 year old.

It goes with the territory.

Up and down.

I got frustrated. And sometimes when I get frustrated and don't have a way to release it. Well.

I keep it quiet because yelling and throwing things don't really work.

I shrug. 

Finally I finished my daily chores and skipped my work out. It didn't suit me to do it.

I attached Charlie's collar to him and we skipped out the door. I jammed some toy Dinosaur skeletons in my bag that I'd ordered. My intent is to share the bag of dinosaurs with my Grandson. I get to play with them first.

I almost left them behind because I was still in that bad place.

I got the 90 questions. Where are you going? When will you be back? What's for supper? What do you have in your bag? Are you taking Charlie? Does he have his collar? I can't find anything to watch. Do you have your phone?

Where ARE you going? Why?...

Wow.

I stomped ahead and got through the first pasture gate before I felt like I could suddenly breath again. Charlie trotted ahead of me while I monkeyed around with my old Olympus Camera. Parts of it are having a slow death. Aperture and Shutter keep flicking back and forth as if the tiny computer chip inside can't figure out where it wants to be. I can only use it on Program or Manual. 

Now the LCD monitor is having its fits. Sometimes it is so dull I can't see to use it. I switch to the EVF and everything looks great. However, I rather like using the monitor, especially while doing low to the ground shots. 

I give it this...the camera is a 2012 model. It has put up with my extreme abuse for 8 years.

I finally got the EVF to work properly and then just stuck it back in the bag. I wasn't going to mess with it much. 

I'd brought the little Red Tough Camera.

When I reached our destination: The Creek, my phone gave off an alarm letting me know I was literally in a Dead Zone.

Perfect.

Charlie and I wandered up to our favorite spot and I sat down on a rock.

The water rolled over the rocks and we were in a deep green lush forest.

And like magic, I felt this dark cloud leaving my body.

Charlie hung around while I set things up and explored a bit.

I took these with my cell phone so I could send them to my youngest son and Buddy.

Then I just couldn't resist.

They are fun little toys. 

I can't name what sort of dinosaurs they are supposed to be, but as I set them up in different places I chuckled a bit.

I sat near the stream and watched Charlie wander around checking out all of the smells.

He'd stop and look over at me then continue investigating scents.

I knelt down and studied some moss on a rock.

Moss is neat. So tiny and unassuming. Yet when looked at closely the mosses are different.

The color is pretty neat too. When all else fades, the moss keeps its green colors.

When I got home I felt very relaxed. I'd found some odd fungi along with some Indian Pipes.

I was doing better.

I had an inspiration for a project while sitting on a mossy rock...

more later...

Treasure Hunting

Let's face it. Being stuck at home, even in the countryside doesn't always feel very good.

I came up with an adventure for the neighbor and her kids. They have stayed at home and worked diligently on their school work along with playing in their yard and working in the garden with their folks.

I know that even a 'Social Distance' hike was not in the cards. So I devised a plan.

A treasure hunt on our wood 'ridge' road and along the creek. I devised it so they could go on their own and seek out the clues I send them via email. I'll leave all the gates they should go through open and let them have some fun.

I took a handful of toys and set them out.

1) If you find the Brown and White Pony near the green round feeder, you are on the right path!

2)  There's a Pretty Pink Pony who is stuck on an blackened old stump. She may be scared! Can you help her?

3) Watch out for the Guardian Bear who asks for the secret password to enter the woods!

[forgot a photo of him!]

4)  Don't climb the ladder. But another Bear is hiding? Can you find him?

 5)  Percy, the Flood Bear has built a shelter far from the creek so he will never get washed away again.

He built this under the Huge Maple Tree.

Can you spot him from the trail?

6) Go to the gate and help the Little Pony who is stuck in the tree next to the Elevator!

[When I had no safe way to climb into the creek after a large flood, I rigged up a rope to climb up and down the steep bank. The kids called it an Elevator when they first saw it years ago.]

Next, sign in at the desk and look for instructions for your next move!

[Yes, I have a school desk down at the creek. Inside is a notebook sealed in a bag with a pencil. Visitors can sign in and leave a note. I will bring a book to sit here and read once in a while. I can just squeeze into the chair!]

The note in the desk claims that there is Skullduggery afoot. To walk to the Orange Orb and look for the green paint on a tree. Skullduggery!

Head to the blue chair and walk upstream.

8) Walk in the creek or alongside it to find 4 large Stromatolite Fossils on a rock in the water. They have a red Christmas Ornament with them. You may take the Ornament and leave the Fossils!

9)  Find the two lost Dinosaurs. One is Orange and one is Green. They are near or around the Large Cotton Wood Tree with Big Roots. Hint, it is the largest tree in this area!

10)  Yippee! You finished! Now it is your turn!
Hide the items and write down clues when you hide them.

In three days it can be my turn!

So I ran this by the mom and she thought it was a wonderful idea. Three days in between setting out the toys and letting the air at them should be plenty of time for any 'germs' to be destroyed. We have all been staying at home and severely limiting exposures.

This could be a safe way to interact without ... interacting???

I can't wait to see what the kids come up with!