Are we Restricted Disturbances?

What constitutes a disturbance?

Would four children toting sticks, swinging and batting at anything getting in their way constitute a disturbance?

Would four kids climbing on huge boulders to pose for their picture happy mom constitute a disturbance?

How about a whole family climbing on rocks to pose for a picture? How disturbing is that?

I'm sure the shouts of sheer excitement by a little boy, "This is so much fun! We should do this everyday," could be considered a disturbance.It may not be disturbing in an environmental sort-of-way, but I'm completely disturbed that my girls are so darn cute, that one day I'm sure I'll be fighting off boys with the sticks that they were using on our hike this day! Okay, so that was off-topic.

I'm hoping that our numerous disturbances weren't so disturbing that the San Diego County Department of Planning and Land Use was contacted, for we were hiking on our very own property.

It has been almost three years since we have lived in our current house, and for three years I have wanted to hike the mountain. The top of the ridge is nick-named, "Hang Glider Hill," and it is with very good reason that it has this name, for this is what we watch from our backyard on a daily basis. (A windy-daily basis to be exact.)

The kids have always delighted in watching the colorful parachutes soar overhead on a windy day. It is with pleasure that they shout to their overhead guests, "HEEEELLLLLLOOOOOO Hang-Gliders."

On Sunday I decided that it was time we made the trek. We were not disappointed! There were at least 10 hang-gliders soaring gracefully in the wind. They were so beautiful, floating by the radiant sunset that was taking place on the west horizon. It was a spectacular sight, and even more exciting, it was just a rocks throw from our very own home.

Although I was most fascinated with the para-gliders, the kids were intrigued by other things. The main one being---GETTING DIRTY! Ugh! It was fun to watch Isaac running here and there, trying to convince us that he was finding dinosaur footprints in the dirt. And even greater, fulfilling my need for taking pictures, the girls were quick to jump on any nearby rock and pose for a picture.

All disturbances aside, we had a great time!