Talking Trails

Cass talks constantly. Never stops. Even when he's hiking or paddling against the wind in a too-big canoe, the pint-sized pontificator is lecturing his parents on the difference between the sound of a cricket and a rattlesnake tail and posing obscure questions about the sleeping patterns of chipmunks. Today, we took the boys to some trails in Ann Arbor, and I tried desperately to take notes from his uninterrupted stream of consciousness. A few sparklers from the running commentary.

Technically, this one was still in the car, en route: "Can girls go in manholes?"

"Awww, look: it's a baby lily pad. It's so cute."

"I need some bug spray. I'm tripping over all these bugs."

"Don't trip over the dragonflies. They're gorgeous."

"Watch out for the leafcutter ants. They're everywhere, and they can be very, very dangerous."

Peering over a stream: "Come on family, we need to find some fish to eat for dinner. You don't kill animals unless you're going to eat them."

"I'm getting splintery from all the woods."

While petting a patch of moss: "Mom, look: it's nature's carpet!" [[totally not making this up]]

While picking wild raspberries: "It's so pickery, I almost broke my thumb off!"

"I don't think Ollie wants anymore raspberries. You better give that one to me."

"I just had an idea. Whoever has the walking stick gets to lead." [note: he had the walking stick.]

"This is a beautiful cone flower. I think we should capture it and take it home and put in a vase." [hands me flower] "There. Put it in your pocket, ok?"

"Hey there, how bout we trade sticks?"

"Everyone, be extremely quiet. I have news. There's a fox trail."

"Look at that huge hole! A giant must have stepped there."

"I bet those lily pads go all the way to Maine."

"If you want to find some animals, you need to find a hole in a tree. That's where they sleep."

"Mom can we sit down on this bench and relax?"

"Dad! Don't let the boat hit the lily flower!! Watch out for the flower! Watch out for the flower!"

"No, I'm not going to paddle. It's too hard."

After the canoe trip, Cass met some nice Japanese guys who couldn't speak much English. It did not deter him. He waxed on and on and on about all the various sorts of trees he saw on the trails--black willow, white oak, shagbark--and tried talking to them about the fish under the bridge ("I bet there are hundreds of them!". But he wasn't getting the response he wanted. But before giving up, Cass makes one final attempt to dazzle:

"Your shoes are awesome!"