Two boys, two puddles

... a stroll back up to the house ...

For people under three, there is a long, long trail a-winding from where they are on the road.  They need to reach the place where their parents, aunts and uncles, cousins, even grandparent.  Yes, a long, long trail when you are only three.

Michael doesn’t know his own way there yet.

Or if he does, he is too afraid to take the journey.

He doesn’t feel that fear running around the yard though.

Two puddles down, one to go.

I see him running in grand circles, up to the raspberry patch, down to the bottom of the creek, up the stairs, and then under the porch to the back door of the house, then up the stairs, and then he begins the loop again.

"I am going to need help, Dad.
It looks scary down there."

I like imagining that some day he will be running the whole 50 acres in the same way.

Right now one of the best places on the property is mud puddles.

Not for the parents, but for the boys who have on their boots. I think Landon required a full change after not only stomping in the puddle, but slipping and falling.

What else is boyhood for?

"Not in the creek ... I want to go over the creek."

Getting down into the stream is also pretty scary.

Richard had to lead the way and show them that it is a good place to clean the mud off of boots.

Not that cleaning that mud off is important to the boys, but how do they know unless a parent tells them.

"I will try going down first."

Laynie and I were on the other side of the stream.

Landon decided not to go into the stream, but to step right over it.

There are some things women with cameras can’t capture, because they are too busy grabbing little hands and helping dreams like stepping over a stream come true.

With my camera, I did capture Richard with both hands full, and little boys leaning on him for support, though I couldn’t catch his words of encouragement: come on boys, you can do it!

I have got to learn how to turn on the video component of that camera!

Maybe on another day.

Arta