We have a new Bear Creek Explorer! Tavi is Gabriel’s cousin and although it’s only been two weeks since he joined, he is integrating beautifully with the group, and I’m thrilled to have him with us.
It’s fun to have fresh eyes to discover the creatures we have become accustomed to.
One task last week was for everyone to find a stick of the proper diameter that could become a handle for their ferrorods.
We talked about the pros and cons of choosing different types of wood- hardwood vs. softwood, live vs. dead. Everyone opted for a softer hardwood, Alder, and wood that was already dead and dry.
After lunch everyone got their new sharpening stones, and we set to work learning about proper blade-sharpening technique.
Fen was the most enthusiastic, and soon had quite a mass of magnetized iron filings clinging to his knife.
My homework is to prep the handles in the woodshop so they’ll be ready for carving next week.
The next week was one of those beautiful, sunny, crisp fall mornings. I was so grateful we’d managed to make it out for an adventure in nature. I collected all the cell phones (no cheating!) then passed out the maps. The first part was a puzzle to figure out how everything fit together, where we were, and how to get to spot #1. I loved stepping back and listening to the enthusiastic discussion that ensued.
Along the way there were many stops to check the maps and try to figure out where we were…
discoveries were made…
and at last, after one wrong turn and dead end, we arrived at the tree that we all agreed was spot #1. It’s nice that the kids are old enough to understand that I didn’t actually have time to come out the day before and place real treasures at each spot. The treat for finding this location was the opportunity to sit down and eat lunch.
After lunch, back on the trail, we saw some dramatic evidence of beaver activity.
The girls weren’t as excited about the maps as the boys, so after a while I offered them a different task: find, collect, and identify native plants.
This project they got very excited about, and eagerly showed us everything they found. They even knew some scientific names!
I showed them dock seeds, and how you can eat them. They were everywhere, so this was exciting news.
Soon they were teaching others about the new wild treats. Everyone agreed they taste either ‘okay’ or ‘good’. To me they’re bland with a slight nutty flavor, but not bitter at all. And they’re loaded with fiber and nutrients. I’ve added them to oatmeal with good effect.
Spot #2 was the rock quarry they all know well. A fun place to climb and hang out, though it did start to rain.
Tavi made friends with a lizard (apparently he’s a reptile whisperer) but none of us knew what kind it was. Later, he looked it up and sent us all a text with photos identifying his discovery as a Western Fence Lizard.
Not all were willing to pose for a group photo, but the other adults suggested we get a shot to celebrate their success. There was a third point on the map, but we didn’t have time that day to pursue it. Those who had engaged fully with the treasure hunt, however, showed me how we’d get there and said they’d like to come back and finish it another day.
It was raining pretty hard by the time we got back to the parking lot, so we had the silliest birthday party ever in the back of Gabriel’s car. His friends decided to celebrate him by putting hay in his hair.
But there were homemade fancy decorated cookies, and cards, so, I think he still felt celebrated.