Service at Woodstock Farm: 12-11-16

Three GEC groups contributed joyful purpose to our shared service day, taking pride in our new GEC role as caretakers of Woodstock Farm.

At our gathering meeting, we reviewed the importance of preparedness on this wintry day. We agreed that our primary shelter is clothing, and that when we layer well we can come out of our boxes (homes, schools, store, car) and truly enjoy connecting with the earth. Without this thoughtful preparedness, we can become uncomfortable, leaving us unhappy with out-of-the-box experiences and thus minimizing our opportunities to connect and protect. 

After a very short trip by bus to our destination just up the road, we reviewed our GEC mottos related to service, including You See It, You Own It, Walk Your Talk, Leave No Trace, Our Cup Overflows, We, Not Just Me, Connect and Protect, Many Hands Make Light Work.  Mentors shared the history of this place, beginning with the Mamosee people, and the role of generosity and conservationist ethic that led to its preservation. We considered the seventh generation principle, wherein one contemplates the effects of one's actions seven generations forward. Thanks to the Mamosee's stewardship and Cyrus Gates' forward thinking, his family home and land has been gifted to Whatcom County for all to enjoy. Mr. Gates also had a strong hand in protecting Larrabee State Park, Arroyo and Fairhaven Parks, Sehome Arboretum, and the Mt. Baker Bulb Farm (since turned into Bellis Faire Mall due to a legal loophole).

We talked about why a park needs caretakers, and what occurs without people lending a hand to manage trails and terrain. Since our gathering area was adjacent to a stand of alders, thimbleberry and snowberry, overrun by invasive blackberry and English ivy, the girls understood how invasive species take over native ones rather quickly.

The next few hours were spend collaborating in purposeful work alongside the Spotted Owl and Fiddlehead groups, removing invasives with motivated care and determination, singing and talking while we worked. 

During a break we shared some time on the bluff overlooking the sea, marveling at this extraordinary view that is normal for us here in Whatcom County, and feeling thankful that Cyrus Gates had the foresight to set this area aside for all to enjoy. We also gave thanks for the Clark family for it's donation of Clark's Point to the Whatcom Land Trust, and the preservation of Chuckanut Island, now owned by the Nature Conservancy (but which was, long ago, a 13th birthday present for Cyrus Gate's son!).

Reflecting on the season past, we ended our final shared day of fall by creating the Web of Life from things we'd all connected to this season: sandstone, Salish Sea, rain, medicine club, birds, mud, leaves, cedar, bees, wind, one another. We agreed that humans are connected to every aspect of this web, and have tremendous power to impact it in both positive and negative ways. This underlines our GEC motto All Things Are Connected, and helps us understand that whenever one thing in the web is altered, it affects all the other aspects. We reiterated that GEC is all about strengthening the web of life, as well as the bonds between each other. 

Enjoy the slideshow from our day here! 

EC MOTTOS that came into play today: Many Hands Make Light Work, All Things Are Connected, LIBK, Be Prepared, Leave No Trace, Connect and Protect, You See It You Own It, Our Cups Overflow, Attitude of Gratitude, We Not Just Me, Walk Your Talk

Shelter Building in 100 Acre Woods 11-11-16

Welcome to "The Forest Hotel"! Around the corner, you'll find playground and soon after, "Slug Mania!", also known as the "Hidden Hospital" (greenroof and all!) and way over yonder lies an unnamed but well-constructed one-bedroom dwelling. Further south is the "Zen Den", a roomy debris hut and meditation space with great views of the forest. A new subdivision has been developed in Fairhaven, using sustainable "green" construction methods and materials. No, these state of the art residences are not for sale, BUT! they are open for viewing in the Hundred Acre Woods. The talented architects and construction crew? The Red Foxes!

We began our day in opening circle debriefing the many nuances of our last adventure to Cherry Point. We then wandered into the forest and the girls led us to their desired shelter-building destination. We discussed the realities of wilderness survival after reading a short story in Tom Brown's Field Guide called "Ask The Squirrels", which had many wise teachings from Grandfather (and the squirrels) about how to construct a functional debris shelter. It was time to get to work!

Our first focus was to put on shelter eyes, dispersing throughout the forest in search of nooks and crannies that could be or become a shelter for different sizes and types of animals. After some great collaboration and problem-solving about effective group sizes, techniques, locations, job allocation, etc., our community dwellings sprung up from the forest floor. Within a few hours we had four deluxe shelters! On this chilly day, building shelters kept us warm and busy, just like the squirrels! After lunch (complete with hot tea!), the girls put final touches on their shelters and we took a home tour of each shelter, assessing each on their ability to withstand wind and rain, retain body heat, and remain safe from any nearby blowdowns.

With the bit of time remaining, we played a group game of Spiders Web and then closed our day with an Attitude of Gratitude before blowing our thanks to the forest and saying goodbye to out debris shelters. For now, the shelters stay standing in the 100 Acre Woods, but this will be a site and a topic we revisit with this group, discussing the value of Leave No Trace and what this means for things like shelter construction and other skills' days.

Our words of the day? shelters, spiders web, slug mania!

Next time you take a walk through the Hundred Acre Woods, see if your own "shelter-seeking eyes" can detect these artfully constructed debris huts- they are truly impressive, and almost invite one in to spend the night...


EC MOTTOS that came into play today: Many Hands Make Light Work, All Things Are Connected, LIBK, Be Prepared, Get Dirty! Leave No Trace

Red Foxes Service with NSEA: 10-29-16

The Red Foxes walked their talk in a big way on our Service outing with NSEA, planting hundreds of trees alongside other volunteers. Despite the cold, rainy weather we had for the duration of our outing, spirits remained high and smiles remained on faces as the girls dug holes to plant trees, schlepped mulch, and wrapped saplings in protective plastic. Read on for some highlights of our day...

• Gathering on our trusty bus for check-ins and updates during our Opening Circle before heading North to begin service along Terrell Creek!
  

• Planting trees and naming each one:) We had Steve, Bruce the Spruce, Bob, and many more!

• Filling buckets--and filling the cups of salmon, trees, and Terrell Creek--and hauling mulch from the "mulch volcano!"

• Getting Dirty!...really, really dirty...in an effort to win the "muddy buddy contest"

• Keeping spirits high by snacking at the complimentary snacks and beverages tent. Thanks NSEA, you know how to keep the Red Foxes going!

Mottos especially alive today: 

Get Dirty!

Safety First

Walk Your Talk

Our Cups Overflow

Collaborate and Compromise

Our words of the day? Volcano, mulch, dirt, trees!

You can view the full album of the day here. 

Cherry Point Exploration - 9/10/16

Holy Cow - the Red Foxes are in middle school! Seemingly overnight the Red Foxes went from slug-obsessed, fort-building, young explorers to slug-obsessed, fort-building MIDDLE SCHOOL explorers. My co-mentor, Margot, asked at one point during the day, "Do the girls usually just want to chat like this and not follow our plan?" I replied with a sigh and head shake, "Yes."  Often when groups hit middle school, they quickly transition towards more time spent exploring the social aspects of Explorers Club than the environmental and naturalist themes we try to present. At EC, we embrace this transition. It is amazing to see groups develop into cohesively bonded cohorts brought together by a unifying love of the outdoors and shared goofy, soggy, and game-filled experiences. This transition may mean a little less time is spent on the history of a place, the medicinal uses of a specific plant or the environmental impacts of certain actions and more time spent on conflict resolution, how to act with integrity when surrounded by peers, and how to manage changing bodies, relationships, and emotions.

We started our day by loading onto the bus, and heading north to Cherry Point. Upon our arrival, we spent some time discussing the history of Cherry Point. We talked about the complexities of human development, the environment, sacred lands, and the creatures that live in this part of the Salish sea. We also spent a little time talking about the connections between Cherry Point and the Standing Rock protests in North Dakota.

After our discussion, the girls quickly branched off to beach comb, bury themselves in pebbles, swap 6th grade stories, swim, jump rope with a bull kelp, and build forts. We spent the majority of our day playing and giggling together in this spectacular place.

Later in the day, we all came back together to perform a stakeholders skit where the girls each took on a role in the ongoing Cherry Point debate. We had a heron, a BP executive, a Bellingham local, a member of the Lummi tribe, a cedar tree, herring, an eagle, and a coho. Each girl represented a different voice, and through this exercise, we were able to discuss and uncover some of the complexities of the development and halting of development at Cherry Point.

After more connecting, swimming, and laughing, we loaded back onto the bus and headed back to town. We ended our day with an attitude of gratitude. Girls were thankful for one another, a trusting group, protesters, and Cherry Point!

Larrabee Coast Traverse 6-10-16

The Larrabee Coast Traverse is a rite of passage for all girls in the Explorer's Club program.  The Red Foxes gathered on a slightly misty day in the Lost Lake parking lot to check in; discussing their readiness for such a task.  Our many mottos would help inform us throughout the day, and we began by discussing Safety First.  There would be many considerations around safety, and our collective practice of stopping and assessing situations before we plunge in.

We spent a few minutes talking about the art and science of navigation;  simple facts like cardinal directions and the use of landmarks, and also more metaphorical musings like "what we do when we lose our way".

We headed down towards the water and excitement soon built around a favorite site; the waterfall area.  Here a big open space in the trees and a rope hanging from a high branch captured the Red Foxes attention and so we stayed to explore and play.  The rope swing was assessed and deemed secure enough to play on, resulting in laughter and silliness and some edge stretching as well.

After much play, we gathered to talk about multiple intelligences.  These young ladies are quite familiar with this paradigm, and our collective group had a nice representation of most of the eight areas of intelligence.  The invitation was extended to pay attention to these areas of intelligence as we moved through our day.

As we packed up to leave this area for the beach, an immediate situation arose where the girls were able to collectively put into practice their safety assessing skills.  A large culvert runs under the tracks here and it looked inviting to a couple of girls to crawl through.  A few others decided it would be wise to look at the other side first!  There was some exclamation about the large drop off on the other side, the amount of water passing through, and a confession by a couple of the girls that they had, in fact,  confused this culvert with another one.  It is rewarding to witness their group process and the arrival at a safe decision!

We made our way a short distance to a small cliff, with access to a great hangout spot for lunch. By this time, the clouds had broken and the sun warmed our faces as we settled in for a midday snack.  We spent the next 20 minutes exploring sea life, eating, and telling stories here before continuing on.

Moving further North posed a stretch-your-edge opportunity, as the tide was too high to scramble down to the shore. Using our resources, (rope and encouragement!), we set up a handrail and, one at a time, climbed down through a slot beside a large boulder.  This was a healthy stretch for many of the girls.  Some fun was added to the process as we removed backpacks and slid them down the slabby rock to the girls waiting at the bottom. With all bodies and backpacks safely on solid ground, we thought back to our discussion about multiple intelligences.  Which ones would we need to navigate our way?  What strengths would be necessary in this particular situation?

Excitement arose as the sun shone higher and warmer and we assessed the traverse ahead and the promise of a dip in the water! After a brief but very pertinent discussion about injuries occurring at transition points (such as this), we began hiking and scrambling our way towards Larrabee State Park.

The beach here is full of various sized sandstone boulders, and large Douglas Firs extend their branches over the beach.  We saw crabs and sea anemones, sea stars and sea cucumbers.  The boulders tell their stories of years of exposure to wind and water, providing fun scrambling with great handholds.

We settled on a spot about halfway along our journey for a dip in the water.  Always a joy to witness the squealing and excitement of a cold water dip.

Then we set off once again to find a good spot for our Peaceful Place.  Once we settled on an area, the invitation was to pay attention to what areas of intelligence each of us might use during this time.

We finished our time on the beach with sharing, and a quick hike up to Larrabee.  Our final gathering would be another tradition; the web of life activity.  We use this to mark the ending of a season together, drawing on our many ways of connecting to the natural world we have had the opportunity to explore, as well as the ways we have connected to one another.  Spend a few minutes with your daughter asking about this activity: what she feels connected to, how all things connect and what that means to her as she navigates friendship and caring for both the planet and others.  Their wisdom is an inspiration.

Words Of The Day:
Crabs, swimming, sun, fun!

Mottos especially alive today:
Safety First!
Stretch Your Edge
Collaborate and Compromise
Get Dirty!
It's About The Journey, Not The Destination

For the full album of the day, click here.

Outing to Point Whitehorn: 5-22-16

The Red Foxes wasted no time in starting the party!  Our bus ride was rocking with song and laughter and catching up... and, some partner reflection based on the following quote: " And this is what happened, and this is why...the caribou and the wolf are one; the caribou feeds the wolf but it is the wolf who keeps the caribou strong".  This reflection would be the thread for our day of connection to each other, to the beauty of Point Whitehorn, to the abundant life we had the privilege to witness...and to the somewhat complicated connection to how this parcel of land came to be preserved.  

 With the towering Sitka spruce at our backs, we began in our usual circle, checking in with one another; describing our current energetic state using the metaphor of a musical instrument.  Native peoples used the Sitka spruce to make musical instruments based on properties such as strength to weight ratio.

Then we were off on a sweet meandering path full of known and new plants, ripening salmonberries, and more songs!  Music would continue to define our day. A short walk full of much diversity.

The beach was calling and we were not disappointed!  We found ourselves alone, the skies becoming partly sunny.  For most, the water was the first area of exploration.

Some of the highlights of this exploration:

An astounding number of sea anemones.

Seabirds; and an eagle riding the thermals overhead.

A family of seals basking on a large rock just off the shore.

Chilly waters to awaken the senses.

Three Purple Seastars hiding beneath a giant rock.

Clams and crabs.

And a very cool find: what appeared to be a comb jellyfish, a flat jelly with no tentacles.  This creature became almost invisible when submerged in the water.

There was also:

Caterpillar heaven.

Body art using crushed rock and water.

And simply hanging out.

We all enjoyed an extra long peaceful place and then came back together refreshed from the reflection that happens while sitting alone.

We continued our theme of connection with an initiative called human knot. This is a fun problem to solve, and led to a rich discussion about the more complicated connection to Cherry Point refinery.

We applied the EC Mottos All Things Are Connected and Turn Problems into Possibilities to understand how Point Whitehorn came to be a reserve: it was purchased by the Whatcom Land Trust with funds given after the Olympic pipeline explosion - a leak of gas delivered from the Cherry Point refinery right next to the reserve... gas that is made for our use. We reflected on the conundrums of resource extraction, delivery and use, and source and end point pollution, and how we're all involved in this dance... as well as in the dance of connection and protection.  We discussed all the stakeholders and impacts on Cherry Point waters: the farmers upstream (manure and pesticides); the nearby houses that impact waters with dogs, fertilizers, car washing and oil changes; the salmon, herring, orcas, and myriad birds; the proposed shipping terminal; the refinery; AlCOA smelter; fishermen, and more.

The time always seems to go quickly and we soon found ourselves packing up and headed back to the bus.  We joined in a circle one more time. Now we tested the strength and commitment of our own connection.  With everyone standing and leaning back, holding on to a rope, we experimented with what happens if someone lets go, or pulls too much.  We were able to squat a few times and stand back up; all while leaning back on the rope.  This is a fun activity and instantly shows how well a group can be connected, working together in a balanced way.

We ended with "Attitude of Gratitude". So much to be thankful for: the sun, the sea, sea anemones, caterpillars, one another, the land trust, family, rocks, seals, songs, and nature's calming medicine. 

Our Words of the Day: Catepillars, Sun, and Beaches!

EC Mottos especially in use today:

* Safety First

* Turn Problems Into Possibilities

* Attitude of Gratitude

* All Things Are Connected

* Be Here Now

Check out the rest of our photos here

Earth Skills: Carving at Lake Padden: 4-29-16

What a gift nature gave us today—warm sunshine to explore the hidden treasures of Lake Padden! In Opening Circle, we welcomed our newest Red Fox, Ellie. We are happy to have you with us! After spending time checking in with the group about our day, we set out with the intention of finding a sunny place to learn the new skill of carving.

Our explorations took us to a beautiful game grove, where we played some rousing rounds of Spider's Web. The girls dipped behind ferns, dove into shrubs, and slinked around trees during our successful games. After game time, the Red Foxes moved into classic exploration time. We spent a good chunk of our outing playing with slugs, exploring the creek, and dissecting dead fish! The Red Foxes may a solid team of scientists-- as they use nature to dig deep, ask questions, and learn lessons, which is the essence of Wild Whatcom's goals for self-directed learning about the outdoors.

We set our intention to find the perfect spot for carving, but this meant keeping a steady walking pace to get to our chosen destination near the cascading waterfall. We were busy noticing nettles, flowering Indian plum, the sweet smell of Thimbleberry flowers, big trees, and plenty of bugs. Arriving at our spot we gathered around beneath a grove of cedar trees for a whittling lesson remembering to put Safety First. The girls listened attentively and it showed as they carved set of chopsticks for a significant amount of time. So much focus for our dedicated Red Foxes. Please see some of the carving curriculum below!

After a meditative carving time, we meandered down the trail, connected with each other, laughing and telling stories, reveling in the spring day. We finished our day with Peaceful Place, and shared our Attitude of Gratitude in a round of acknowledgements for each other. It's always awesome to watch girls compliment and share the positivity they've noticed amongst each other over a 5 hour day. 

Today’s words of the day: "Banana slugs, water and knives!"

Some of our CARVING CURRICULUM:

S.T.O.P FOR KNIFE SAFETY

Check to see if everyone watched safety video. Have girls summarize what they learned, or teach if anyone didn’t get to watch it. See if they remember the following:

- How to safely open and close knife

- Blood circle.

- Never leave open or unsheathed

- Difference between a tool and a weapon is YOU.

- Stay present and keep checking in with yourself while carving- know when to put your knife away (if you feel distracted, frustrated, sad, mad, or tired).

* Show some project examples, Drew’s carvings and spoon, wand. Talk about “anatomy of a knife” (blade, handle, cutting edge, sheath) and types of knives (serrated, locking, multitool, etc. Have each girl get to know her knife and have the group identify its parts and type).

SHARE CARVING TECHNIQUE:

- Small strokes, use part of the blade closest to the handle for cutting.

- Grasp: firm, confident, use thumb to “steer” your strokes. I hold my knife almost like it is a living being- small bird or salamander. I want to hold tight enough for it to stay in my hand, but gently enough that it can still breathe.

- It is easiest to control the knife if your hand and your project are as close together as possible (don’t try to use the tip of your knife to carve!)

-  Knife angle- shallow angle, almost parallel to your wood. Many small shavings are much easier to pull off than one single deep slice.

* Pay attention to the expression of the wood! Each piece has a song to sing if you can listen. The art of carving is to work WITH the wood, in collaboration.

* Before you carve, get to know your wood. Hold it in your bare hand look at it up close and at a distance, smell it, feel it on your cheek, see if it's shape reminds you of anything... Before your first cut get as much information about the raw wood as you can. What tree did it come from? Are there any nearby? Envision the tree when it was whole. What stories are in this wood?

* Finally, bring a picture of what you plan to carve into your mind’s eye, and hold it there with everything you've learned about this piece of wood. Keep revisiting your project image as you carve to remind yourself where you are going- it's easy to get carried away and whittle away all of your wood or end up with two small weird shaped pieces.

Service with Greenways: 3-12-16

The Red Foxes gathered together again for a solid day of service for the Bellingham Parks Department. Meeting at the Greenways Nursery, we started our day with reconnection, hugs and "hellos" in the Greenways parking lot. 

During Opening Circle, we shared some highlights from the new 2016 year. We heard of new pets, exciting adventures, and school/extra-curricular successes; the Red Foxes are off to a jam-packed 2016! We checked in about goals for the Red Foxes this season-- stay tuned for incorporating more service into our days, more games, and even greater group connection. We discussed the projects of the day-- Part One: Pulling Ivy. Part Two: Assisting in the nursery. The Red Foxes decided to do them in that order, and down the trail we went!

We talked about English ivy, the bully invasive specie that comes in to choke out other plants. We dug deep into the ground, excavating massive root wads. We ripped climbing ivy from helpless trees, hoping that they could live more vivaciously again soon. Basically, where there was ivy, we found it, pulled it, and bagged it. After our couple-hour adventure with the ivy, we walked away with 5 giant trash bags full!

We stopped for lunch, enjoying the serenity of the creek next to the trail. Some girls quickly involved themselves with the bounty of mud, others played games in the stream, and a small handful started to build a shelter (which unfortunately came to a quick demise). We relished this play time amidst our hard work. 

After checking in as a group, it was decided that we needed to Walk Our Talk and continue to the Greenways Nursery. There, we met Rae, Greenways Coordinator, who helped us get set up with our mulching project. We moved pots with saplings into neat rows, and lined those rows with mulch. Our girls worked to heave, haul, and dump wheelbarrows and buckets full of mulch until all of the rows were sufficiently lined.

We ended our day with Closing Circle, expressing gratitude for the fragrant mulch, the lack of rain and wind, the group's hard work, and ivy-- for making a plant that we could pull and feel a sense of accomplishment with. Another great, long day with the Red Foxes! I'm sure they were tired :)

Our Words of the Day?: "Mud, mulch, ivy, tree, stream, sun!"

GEC Mottos Alive Today: Everybody Helps, Walk Your Talk, Collaborate & Compromise, You See It, You Own It, Our Cups Overflow

To see a photo album of our day, click here!