Kids have the shortest memories ~ Thank goodness!

Last night one of The Last Green Valley's Walktobers was held at the Audubon property in Pomfret, starting at 7pm ~ Dark. Pitch Dark. There was a bit of a chill in the air, but we knew once we got started with the walk, we'd warm up.

The crowd was a much bigger group than I expected. There were lots of grownups and kids, including the four kids that I was with.

Everyone was smiles to start the evening.

The minute we stepped outside into the dark and invigorating air, every kid in the entire group (expect for one rare little girl with me) started all dramatic varieties:

• of being scared to death (what if they leave us out here)
• tired (how long have we been out here, when are we going back, how much longer)
• bored (is this all we are doing out here - walking)
• cold (it is so cold I can't feel my feet or legs) 
• stabbed by prickers (what if I die, I think it was poison)

To top it off, at one point the walk leader pointed out an old family burying ground containing about 17 departed Pomfretians from the early 1800s. That just about put all of the kids over the edge! (Why are we going past a haunted cemetery.... I hate ghosts....what if they come out and get us).

We did experience a few great and timely distractions from all the torture we were putting the kids through.

One was a stop where the walk leader called an owl. The owl almost immediately responded to the call, then flew in. The walk leader was able to light his gigantic flashlight so we could all see Mr. Owl fly by. It was amazing, and the first owl I have ever seen fly right by me! A few other attempts were made to call in owls from other stops along the walk, but those owls were a bit too shy to fly in, and just hooted a hello from afar.

The second great distraction was a gigantic hollowed out tree. The kids on the walk, and many adults, went inside this hollowed out tree and said you could stand up in there with plenty of room. I am going to find that tree again sometime in the daylight and check it out again. Here is a shot of the little elves we found inside the tree.

The mumbling and dramatic comments grew as the night went on, and after a total of just over 2 hours after we started, we ended the walk back at the Audubon building.

The second we were there, it was like no torture had ever occurred. Water was guzzled, tinkles were done, smiles appeared, snacks were eaten...

Kids have the shortest memories on earth! Thank goodness!

On the other hand, if you are ever looking for cheap and effective birth control or a very good chuckle, go and do something unusual like this with about 20 kids! It is pure entertainment!

I am a Putnamaniac that loves how entertaining kids can be, and am so glad their memories of the torture we grownups put them through is very short!