These days we spend a lot of our time outdoors; trying to take advantage of the fall weather before winter comes and we are forced to entertain ourselves indoors! As I've mentioned before, I love Prospect Park- it's huge, almost as large as Central Park, and the scenery is breath-taking, especially at this time of year.
Evelyn's favorite past-time at the park is collecting leaves, and acorns. Evy loves to watch the squirrels busily rounding up acorns all over the park. She claims she is collecting the acorns to give to the squirrels " one day soon". When is soon? you may ask. I'd like to know that myself as the acorns drive me absolutely crazy once outside of the park, and in my living space.
I try to encourage Evy to put the acorns back; but for now, she likes to hold on to these small, round, hard, potential choking hazards. They are stored in the pockets of her pants, in small crevices in the stroller, or in her little purses. They are discovered by me once I've started a load of laundry and hear the inevitable clinking in the washer/dryer machine. Or, on the floor, lurking in the corner of our apartment. Or in the toy chest, amidst dolls, puppets and blocks.
Yes, you can see I had no choice but to figure out a way to get rid of these acorns once and for all! For Dane's safety and my sanity. I told Evelyn that the squirrels noticed that all of the best acorns were missing from the park. They would not have enough food for the winter, how sad this would be; etc., etc.
Evelyn has now moved on to collecting sticks. Unfortunately, sticks are not much better for safety or sanity than acorns; the sticks are wands, or swords. The sticks have poked Dane and myself in the nose, eye, ear. Small sticks are found in the washing machine, stroller, in my bed, in drawers. Anyone have any stories as to why sticks belong in the park? I'm running out of ideas!!
