More than Reading Blog

It’s mild and foggy as I head to the lake with camera in one hand and coffee in the other. The fog lifts, leaving a clear, sunny sky. Rounding the bend that leads to the lake an  amazing sight greets me: two large gaggles of geese are swimming on the lake in the distance. They are aware of me and start to swim away – but as they do, the gaggles come together, joining forces as it were, into one massive group – except they are not milling in a group, but stringing out in a long, long line.

Gaggle of geese in a line

Quickly I head behind the trees out of view of the geese. I race to the end of the lake for a closer look – and maybe some photos, despite their distance from shore.

I wonder why a group of five geese separates from the main string of geese. Are they the leaders? Are they on guard?

Five geese separate from the main group

The remaining group is large and the line is long. Too many geese to count from this far away. I watch and snap, snap, snap, moving along the strung out line of Canadian Geese. At the same time, the geese are slowly moving away.
Slowly, silently swimming, getting smaller and smaller. If they are aware of me, they are not afraid.

Suddenly, several geese honk in warning. I hear a splash in the water to my left – and wonder quickly if it’s a fish, a duck or an otter. To my disappoinment it’s a dog: a large, cream, labrador. He swims and cleans himself several times and then dog and master walk past. Meanwhile, the geese move further and further from shore… and photos fail to focus.

I turn and walk away, still smiling at my luck in seeing such a sight. I follow a narrow trail in the woods beside the lake – and I’m struck by another sight! This time, massive, dewy cobwebs sparkling in the sun. I stop. Sigh. And snap!

One of the many wonderful webs in the woods

And another web to gaze upon

The morethanreading blog is changing with my leave from full time Year One teaching. Like a child, I’m living in the moment – experiencing travelling and new environments. Interestingly, I also realise how much I am learning in the same way that my Year Ones learned – through Language Experience activities…

• Participate and enjoy the experience
• Talk about it, think about it
• Take photos/or draw
• Write and read about the experience/activity
• Share
• Read, research and make notes
• Make photo stories
• Share

On my way back for breakfast, two squirrels have breakfast. What a way to start the day!

I didn’t know that black squirrels and grey squirrels met for breakfast!

And bounding up the hill from the lake I laugh to see an ‘h’ resting on the road. Maybe I can’t get away from school and children after all!

I couldn’t miss the ‘h’ on the road

What was the highlight of your day today?