Saturday, October 07, 2006

kids on the rocks



This is the kind of scene that can and should induce heart palpitations in parents.

That said, they had a good time, and no one was injured.

This is at Robinson Park in the town of Sandstone, MN, on the banks of the Kettle River. There is a wondrous pile of sandstone slabs, striking terror into the hearts of many a parent, but nevertheless available for climbing. My kids, well, if there's danger, they'll go for it.

This used to be a real quarry, for the sandstone that lines the banks of the river and that gives the town its name. After the mid-20th century, apparently it became much more cost-effective to build out of cement block, never mind that sandstone buildings last forever and have a timeless quality about them. But the quarrying couldn't have gone on forever either. And so it goes.

Anyway, this park is a wonderful, out of the way place to have lunch and take a walk.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wonderful photo. I'll bet your little ones were pretty proud of themselves for this achievement.

Deb said...

Pablo- I was thinking after I posted this, and it could probably develop into a post in itself, how kids are naturally drawn to, and need, places like this. Not some sterile playground equipment, just a huge pile of rock slabs to climb. Their imaginations were racing; this was their fortress, their castle. It was full of dark crevices and dangerous looking areas, and they loved it.

I sometimes wonder why the city attorney hasn't determined this pile of rock to be a liability and ordered it removed. Apparently someone still has some common sense and intuition.

Anonymous said...

Kids on the rocks, straight up!

Lené Gary said...

Not having kids, my first thought when you said heart palpitations was because they're so cute! I'm sure that's there too, but it only took a moment for me to realize you were speaking of danger.

R.Powers said...

Yes, kids need exactly that ... so do a lot of adults.

Those slabs are amazing. Funny about the switch to concrete. The quarrying turned to my limestone rich state and we are now one of the leading suppliers of concrete and the ground limestone needed to make it.

arcolaura said...

What fun! The other day we wandered down a leaf-lined footpath through the aspens at the farm, and paused to watch as James climbed onto the slowly decaying platform of the kids' old tree fort. He mused out loud that one of the railings was loose, but he couldn't remember which one. As he turned to climb down, he hung on with both hands, one on each rail end. I was about to suggest that he grasp the support trees instead of the rails, when he found out which rail was loose.

His grip was good on the other one, though. No harm done.

Anonymous said...

first reaction- GULP!!!

Then I remembered what a blast my kids and their cousins had climbing on those same rocks two summers ago. It was a real confidence booster for them and a lesson in letting go for me.

amarkonmywall said...

I love it! But that's because my feisty risk-taking girl has survived childhood intact despite lots of precarious climbs and dives. A beautiful picture- reminds me of a wonderful rock quarry off the beaten track up near Gloucester, MA- but that one is still full fo water.