Kenridge Farm, 03 June 2008

Kat reflects on an outing at Kenridge Farm...

Six new families joined "the usual suspects" to total ten families on the trails at Kenridge Farm. With each week and with each walk we seem to add new families and new faces to our group. Today was the kind of outing that leaves our families wanting more. On our way down to the big ponds we were treated to a splashy show by one of the resident Muskrats, causing our toddlers to giggle at it before it disappeared into one of its conduits under the water. Acadia held vigil on a boulder for a while, hoping to spot it surface again, until something Macrae found piqued her interest and caused her to abandon her post. Macrae and her mom Debbie had spotted a turtle in the grass, and they called everyone over to come take a look. Macrae, squealing with each step the Box Turtle took, proudly pointed it out to everyone and encouraged parents to pick it up to show their stroller-bound children. Debbie and her daughter have an infectious enthusiasm, and come the fall they will be taking the reins and leading some outings in the Cornwall area. After sending the turtle on its way again we checked on the Wood Frog tadpoles in the square pond, noting again how much larger they are than the ones we have been seeing at Glenmere. As we crossed the boardwalk to get back on the trail we spotted a beautiful Eastern Milk Snake, a first in the wild for almost everyone on our outing today. It disappeared into the tall grass before we could get a picture, and Penelope was kind enough to point out the way home for our reptilian friend.