Jungle Exploration

Tempers rose along with the temperature. Summers together bring out the beasts in all of us. After completing morning chores and each weeding a vegetable bed, we found things to fight about.

We pulled into one of our favorite haunts and noticed that the parking lot was FULL. We couldn't even get a spot in the shade. We slipped over the river into the undeveloped part of the park and like magic, all people and vestiges of civilization vanished and we entered out own world. Tuna fish sandwiches and cherries taste better in the wild and we ate till our bag was empty.


The River ran too high and was channeled into ditches that overflowed. Magical and mysterious with spinning twitter-pated dragonflies and nesting birds, our surroundings were transformed. Four jungle explorers crept through the Amazon, watching for alligators.

When the occasional human was sighted, we hid in the undergrowth making no sound till all was safe once again.


Our scout climbed trees to find our way out of the jungle, and two designated chefs rolled and patted elaborate cakes and delicacies for us to try.

AAAAHHHH! I felt something slide by my foot. Immediately Ladybug KNEW something large bit her leg. "Maybe it is an underwater eel that lives in small meadow puddles."
Our mandate included a rescue mission so we saved hundreds of roly polys huddled around microscopic babies and 11 fat earthworms. Sadly some of our rescues could not be revived so we buried them with pomp and circumstance. The roly poly mothers were relocated to higher ground that our explorers found to be just right.


Now wet and filthy, I lay my team out on the picnic table to dry. We loose ourselves in Mrs. Piggle Wiggle. "More! More!" they cry.

Three hours later, we leave the park, animals mostly unseen. The cool water on our toes must have cooled our tempers because we giggle all the way home.