Arroyo Park Exploration: 11/13/16

The Chickadees + Outdoor Adventures = Joy

It is such a lovely thing to begin a new group and see them engage so thoroughly with EC Mottos, leadership, service, and connection to self/others/community/nature. After only 4 outings, the Chickadees already feel like a solid group.

After gathering and meeting new mentor, Brooke, we reflected on our last service project and decided we could do service on any outing day as well, by picking up litter, removing invasives, seeing community/nature needs and taking care of them, applying the EC Motto, You See It, You Own It. We went over other mottos that could apply during our day of pure exploration, such as Safety First and The Trail is the Teacher, and had a brief check-in to see how everyone was feeling on that glorious fall day. After that lovely opening circle, we hit the trail!

A Chum salmon swims by a very mossy rock

Five hours flew by as we opened our eyes and hearts to everything Arroyo had to teach us! Here are some highlights from our amazingly adventurous autumn day:

• Meeting the best friends in the forest- Licorice Fern and Moss (and learning why Moss is also good friend of Big Leaf Maple). We learned the EC Motto Meet Before You Eat, and how to carefully harvest using the 1 in 20 principle. 

• The girls collected leaves of every hue and created a color wheel that became a reference point for the cycle of the seasons, of leaves, of where plants focus their energy in each season, of humans' life journey, and of the importance of death and decay in it all (we agreed that death is sad but not bad. As one girl said "Death is part of the cycle of life – dying allows other things to keep living!"). This leaf circle was a rich teaching tool, and led to further discussion about the role of decomposition in the cycle of life. 

Our Leaf Color Wheel

• We then became decomposers ourselves in an energizing game of Decomposition Tag!  We wanted to find more decomposers in the forest around us, so we continued onward into the arroyo as Death Detectives.  We found evidence of death, decomposition, and the cycle of life all around us in the form of worms, spiders, mushrooms, nurse logs, beetles, woodpecker holes, and so much more!

• We marvelled at the tenacity of the Chum salmon in Chuckanut Creek, and learned a sweet new song for remembering salmon names from Brooke!  Ask your girl if she remembers, and here are the lyrics for quick reference:
• The Chinook is the King of the salmon, The Coho's the bright Silver one, Sockeye is Red!  Humpy's Pink, so it's said, and the Dog salmon's always a Chum, a Chum! The Dog salmon's always a chum.

• The girls tested their S.T.O.P. skills and passed with flying colors!  We came to a huuuge fallen log across the creek, which opened a pathway to the other bank that was about 20 feet higher up than the creekside we were currently on.  Brooke and Lauren thought it was too slippery to climb at first, but after the Chickadees walked their mentors through their S.T.O.P. thought process, we were more than happy to scramble up and check out the wonders above us.  Ask your girl what S.T.O.P. stands for! 

  

  The Magical Tree!

• We loved this fallen tree so much that we decided to have Peaceful Place on, under, and next to it.  It was one of the more peaceful of places that I've been in, surrounded by ferns, Chum salmon, cedar, and the rushing river, and I know the girls felt the magic of that place, too. 
  
  

• Reflecting on the season past, we ended our day by creating a Web of Life. Each girl became something from nature she had connected to this fall: rain, sandstone, fir, salmon, cedar, wind, sunshine, mud, sword fern, maple tree, licorice root, Salish Sea, moss, one another. We celebrated our EC motto All Things Are Connected, and understood that whenever one thing in the web is altered, it affects everything else.  We reiterated that GEC is all about strengthening the web of life, as well as the bonds between each other.  

Web of Life

Our words of the day? Mud, web, fun, salmon, licorice root!

Check out more pictures from the day here!

EC Mottos especially alive today:

Be Prepared

S.T.O.P.

Meet Before You Eat

You See It You Own It

LIBK

Widen The Circle 

Collaborate and Compromise

We Are All Connected

Connect and Protect

Service at Woodstock Farm: 11/11/16

In the past few days, a new personal motto has come up for one GEC mentor: The Antidote to Apathy is Action. Taking action can help alleviate frustration and anxiety, and generally helps one feel purposeful. 

Haulin' our tools to the site!

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

At our gathering meeting, we learned about the history of this place and how generosity and forward conservationist thinking led to its preservation. Thanks to Cyrus Gates, 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 brainstormed on who the users of the park are: humans, yes, but also raven, salmon, chipmunk, raccoon, weasel, mouse, heron, slug and so much more. We talked about why a park needs caretakers for all these stakeholders, 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 salmonberry, overrun by invasive blackberry, the girls quickly understood how invasive species take over native ones rather quickly.

Then we were off on a very short trip by bus to our destination just up the road. The next few hours were spent collaborating in purposeful work- removing invasives with care and attention, all while singing and chatting. Worms were admired, baby fir trees were transplanted, connections were made within and between GEC groups.

Enjoying a well-deserved snack break!

Each group shared some time on the bluff overlooking the sea, marveling at this extraordinary view that is normal for us here in Bellingham, and feeling thankful that Cyrus Gates had the foresight to set this bluff 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!).

Playing a game with the Salish Seals

Other gratitudes shared included the company of one another, the chance to serve, Explorers Club, trees, the Salish Sea, connections, generosity, and people who understand that all things are connected.

Enjoy the slideshow from our day here! 

Greenways Service at Forest & Cedar Park: 10/1/16

Under a gray and misty blanket of clouds, the Chickadees gathered for their second outing ever and their very first service project as a club of Explorers!  Some were sleepy, some were nervous, and all were excited to see where this day might lead.

As soon as everyone arrived, the Chickadees walked down to Forest & Cedar Park.  We circled up under a giant maple tree and settled in to meet Stormie and Lauren, learn how to Be Prepared and practice Safety First, and to check in with each other since our last outing.  We heard what each girl was thankful for, with the answers ranging from pets, friends, and family to Explorer's Club and the whole world!  

This lead nicely into our discussion of our motto for the day- Our Cups Overflow.  This motto captures the essence of EC's service philosophy, and so, before meeting with Rae and the rest of the Bellingham Parks and Recreation staff, we demonstrated the meaning of this motto with some actual cups and water.  Girls called out different basic needs such as water, food, shelter, and community, while I poured a splash of water into a cup for each need.  When all of those basic needs were accounted for, we started naming things that we are thankful to have in our lives such as education, toys, candy, time to spend with friends and family, sports, etc.  We quickly saw just how much our cups overflow, leaving room for us to give back.  We discussed how today we would be taking some of our own overflowing cups and pouring them into the cups of Forest & Cedar Park, the City of Bellingham, and all of the animals, plants, and people who enjoy or live in this beautiful place.

We then ran across the park to meet Rae and receive our task for the day!  We met some bully invasive plants- Bindweed (aka Morning Glory) and English Ivy- and how to remove them to make room for our native plant friends.  The Chickadees learned what hand clippers and hoary hoaries are and how to safely use them, buddied up, and picked a spot.  These Chickadees were super efficient, motivated, and just plain fun to work with!  We chatted, made weed wands (ask your daughter about the magical properties of weed wands!), and freed a huge number of native plants from the clutches of strangling Morning Glory.

Since we did so well in our first spot, Rae took us up the hill for the next stage in restoration- planting!  We learned the proper techniques for making a good home for native Thimbleberry, and just how powerful double kid power is.  After hauling lots of mulch and helping to put away tools properly, the Chickadees settled in for a well-deserved lunch break.

After that, the Chickadees turned into Cougars to stalk Deer Lauren down into the main park area for some more games.  We played 'Salmon, oh Salmon!' to learn more about the other-than-human communities whose cups we'd filled, and then found a good spot for Peaceful Place.

We ended our day with a meaningful Closing Circle and a walk uphill to meet the parents.  What a lovely day of service and connection!

Chicka-dee-dee-dee...Check out the rest of our photos here!

Our words of the day? Peaceful, Invasive, Planting, Thimbleberry, Friends, Rain

Mottos especially alive today: Be Prepared, Safety First, LIBK, Our Cups Overflow, Walk Your Talk, All Things Are Connected

Exploration to Clayton Beach: 9/10/16

Our first outing as a new GEC group..the Chickadees! YAY

We met at the parking lot for Lost Lake and spent a bit of time just getting to know one another.  It is always fun to bring a new group together and realize just how many connections we have to one another.  Besides being a brand new group, we also welcomed Willow as an EMA, and Ginna as a potential future intern.  We discussed some of our important mottos: Safety First being paramount for the day as we would soon cross Chuckanut Drive and then be exploring on rocks and trails.  We talked about our culture of exploring; It's about the journey not the destination, and how we share our needs and concerns with Let it Be Known ( or LIBK ).  We did some animal yoga and snacked a bit and then headed off to the trail.

Our first intersection on the trail provided an opportunity to Collaborate and Compromise; a decision process where the girls work together, hearing everyone's voice and coming to a place where everyone is OK with the group decision.  The decision might not always be exactly what one particular girl wants, and we asked them if they ever have to make a compromise at home... There is usually a lot of sighing and commenting!!  Ha ha.

What is so beautiful about these girls though is that they ended up just playing at the intersection for 15 minutes or so; running up and down this little hill.  Once they "wore that out" they were ready to move on.

As we continued down the trail we found the "dragon's spine"; a side trail that is steep to begin and then has a narrow feel to it.  Another opportunity to practice Stretching Ones' Edge.  We fully believe in Challenge by Choice; and each girl chose for herself which path was best for her.

Shortly after we found ourselves on a sweet patch of beach just north of the main Clayton Beach area, and it was time to explore.  There was plenty to do:  tidepools and scrambling, beach art and tree sitting, hanging out together and peaceful place.

We had such a fun day and the girls seemed like a "community" already.  We are all so grateful you have decided to join us in exploring, connecting and serving.  

The chickadee is like the watcher bird of the forest.  When the chickadee sees something of interest it will call out chick-a-dee-dee-dee.  And others come to look.  We use this call in all our outings to bring attention to a cool friend in the sea, or the forest, or whatever we want others to see. 

So, chick-a-dee-dee-dee......look at the rest of our photos of the day here.