The "Jolly"

Our back yard is the rain drainage system for our neighborhood.  Yep, nice, I know.  It's not something we or any kind of developer decided on.  This was God's creation.  You see, we live in the arm pit or elbow of our road.  The road runs by the front of the house and then curves around and goes by the side also.  It's kind of hard to explain but if you've ever been here you know what I'm talking about.

When it rains hard we get the run off from the road coming from both the front and the side down into the "jolly".  Our back yard is not a real steep incline from the woods to the house but there is definitely some elevation change. Therefore, the water runs into the yard and flows down into the woods and into the gully, or um, "jolly" as Maya so cutely refers to it.

In the woods there is a big 'ol cliff that the water runs over creating a waterfall that is oh so fun to play in.  But getting down there is a bit of a challenge.  It's steep and I would guess a 15-20 foot drop over the side of the cliff.  And the water only runs over when it's been raining hard enough for our yard to be said drainage system meaning that its wet and muddy along the sides of the gully and not so easy to traverse. 

Now, don't think that just because it's slippery and muddy and not all that warm that I'm not gonna put on my most loose fitting and tread-free Cr0cs and escort my daughter, one handed because the other is full of flowers that she has picked along the way, down to the fun of falling water at the bottom of the jolly.  After all, she did just say,"Mom, let's go explore and enjoy nature".  Yes, that is exactly what she said.

This stinker is so full of sass these days.  Not in a bad way really, but just this; hand on hip, smirky face I'm the princess of everything attitude.  She mostly saves this for us and is pretty normal outside of home, mostly...

She tried to stay out of the water but it was more than any 5 year old could stand.  So we danced in the drips.. 

..and splashed in the puddles.

She found this wonderful little "stage" as we were making our way back out of the jolly.  She did put on a little show.  Fisher was not going to be left out of all of the pictures.  After all, he was on his first hike after his surgery and wanted everyone to know he was back to his old self. 

Dad was waiting for us when we emerged from the woods, camera in hand and jealous that he hadn't been home in time to explore and enjoy nature with us.