Dam building at a hot dog party.

Last Sunday we threw a hot dog party at an extraordinary new park on the north end of Lake Harriet. We invited everyone we knew who likes hot dogs, it was tasty fun. Especially popular is a sandy area with a water pump making mini rivers and water play possible.

My brother Josh came and took their play to the next level. Kids started bringing cups of water to a nearby hill on the backside of the park, creating a little waterway. Josh helped children to build dams with sticks and sand and leaves. Literally for hours they were all working so hard making damns, screaming out "there's a leak!" or "we need some sand over here!" Mud made it's way onto ears and foreheads and the rear end of pants turned dark black. It was the kind of fun that kids rarely have these days (I sound like an old man). But for real! Josh was chatting with me about how that's the way it was when we were kids, we'd just found stuff to do.



At one point Josh came walking up the hill with a cooler to fill with water. "Call me Noah," he said as he passed, smiling. Kids shrieked with giddy anticipation as he flooded the dams causing all kinds of chaos and gaping mouths. When we were leaving Art and Lewis realized they hadn't even really played at the spectacular park. So they went on some slides and climbed a bit.

Si and his dad Jeff prepare for a flood.