Shelter Skills Day: 12-10-16

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 Swallowtails!

We began our day in opening circle discussing the realities of wilderness survival, reviewing the Survival Rule of Fours (ask your daughter what the four survival priorities are and in what order... and ask her why deep breathing is so important in a survival situation). On this day we focused on the survival priority of shelter, learning how imperative a properly insulating shelter is for surviving even a single night in the woods. We discussed the many ways and reasons one can become cold: conduction, evaporation, convection, and radiation (see if your gal remembers and can explain these four types of heat transfer).

Our first focus was to put on shelter eyes, traveling up the trail and seeking nooks and crannies that could be or become a shelter for different sizes and types of animals. After a snack and instructive shelter story from Tom Brown, we took a cue from the squirrels, who build nests with sticks and insulate them with leaves, and let their designs inspire our own natural shelters, which were built in the classic "debris hut" style. Our community dwellings sprung up from the forest floor, and within a few hours we had three deluxe shelters! On this super cold day, building shelters kept us warm, and that was a big bonus. With the bit of time remaining, 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. We also asked the builders some questions, including:

- If the squirrels were critiquing/assessing this shelter, what would they say?

- Would you spend the night in it?

- What more would you do if you had time? Remind them we aren’t going for perfect construction this day, just to put the knowledge in their heads! “What’s in your brain is more important than what’s in your pack”.

- How does the wind serve as an ally for shelter building? Brings down materials!

- Why wouldn’t you want to use an existing shelter, if there were one? Why is it better, if you have time, to put energy into building your own?How does building process help you/us if we were truly lost and had to spend the night outside?


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: herring, Salish Sea, rain, medicine club, birds, mud, moss, cedar, salmon, 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. 

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...

Our words of the day? Shelter, Tion-ies, and Shquirrels!

You may view 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, Get Dirty! Leave No Trace

Woodstock Farm Service 11-19-16

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

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 the role of generosity and forward conservationist thinking that 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 spend collaborating in purposeful work, removing invasives with care and attention, singing and talking while we worked. Worms were admired, baby fir trees were transplanted, connections were made between within and between GEC groups.

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!).

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! 

Service at Connelly Creek: 10-29-16

Mentors here at Wild Whatcom are connection lovers.  And we're not talking about internet connection here, but rather the connection that happens in realtime between humans and and the other-than-human community members all around us.  This type of connection was really strong during our service last Saturday with the Boys Explorers Club (BEC) at Connelly Creek.

The Swallowtails connected not only with each other, but with two other Boys Explorers Club groups- the Jumping Mice and the Storm Wolves- AND the numerous plants and animals that call Connelly Creek home.

Some highlights include:

• The removal of LOTS of tough, prickly non-native invasive Himalayan blackberry, which entails perseverance, digging, clipping, a strong work ethic, and attention to detail.
• Stomping many square feet of reed canary grass (the most effective tactic against a fast-spreading invasive).
• Moving tons (probably) of mulch from a pile taller than most of the Jumping Mice to prevent any more reed canary grass from growing.
• Protecting young native plants that the BEC had planted in seasons past.  This required moving slowly to first identify the plant, then careful removal of invasives, then building a deer guard out of found sticks, and finally, laying down a mulch donut around the plant.
• Saving several native plants in a large fenced-in area that were COVERED in blackberry vines.  The digging and clearing also revealed a giant root baby that you'll have to ask your daughter about. :)
• A discussion on the different service opportunities in our community and appreciating the BEC's perspective on service work at their site season after season.

The Swallowtails modeled a strong service ethic, how to be safe when serving, and most importantly (in my humble opinion), how to have fun while giving back to the other-than-human community we live in.  We're super proud of these girls for a day well spent in the rain!

Check out the BEC's report on the day here and the photo album here!

Outing to Cherry Point: 9-24-16

Our gathering circle brought a careful consideration of seemingly disparate items on the ground before us: shells, sea water, a magazine photo of a cruise ship on the ocean, a cell phone, a photo of a beautiful seaside home, water bottles and plastic gadgets, stuffed otter, heron feather, lump of coal, chiton. What do these things have in common? As the girls pondered this, we added more items from their packs: sunglasses, water bottle, one girl's backpack. After some consideration and some great connections made, we shared the idea that these things share their use of the sea as a resource: for transportation, survival, as a garbage and sewage repository, for views, for a home. We wondered if all these uses are compatible. Most concluded they are not, that something(s) has to compromise in these relationships, to give, or go, when another demand takes precedence.

We returned to this theme of compatibility and compromise throughout the day, as we boarded the bus and headed north to Cherry Point, a spot that could provide us with some answers... and some more questions... and mostly an example of how the questions and answers exist more in the grey areas than in the black and white.

As the specialness of our presence on this controversial beach began to sink in (ask your gal what "controversial" means), the ST's stewardship spirit took over. Immediately after stepping off the bus, with no prompting, several began picking up trash that lay scattered all over the beach. It was pretty awesome to see this automatic response to seeing litter – rather than glancing away and running to play, these girls truly understand our ethics of Leave No Trace and You See It, You Own It. As we walked down-beach, we pondered why this trash was left, and discussed a myriad of topics, while others ran ahead to investigate beach forts. 

Many girls were quickly immersed in renovating an existing fort, and some discovered a hollow log that could be crawled through. Throughout this time of exploration and play, the girls found deep connection with what exists presently at Cherry Point. By connecting with a place through imaginative play, the Swallowtails created a lasting bond with this special place that has been slated for some dramatic change.

As we ate lunch, we discussed coal: what is it (plants in a changed form), why do humans want it (energy!), what journey does it take from the ground to the Puget Sound and Salish Sea. What role does Cherry Point play in the coal drama? As we sat with the weight of all we had seen and learned about the past, present and future of Cherry Point, we came to the empowering realization that change, though it can be a mixture of many feelings (including mad and sad), is something that we each can play an active role in and help direct. In EC we work to Build Bridges Not Walls, and this means finding peaceful and meaningful ways to live out personal truth through our actions. This looks different for each person, and we brainstormed concrete ways for each of us to Be Part of the Solution in meeting both nature's needs and human needs and desires. We discussed ways to minimize our impact through present-free birthday parties, donations to charitable organizations, or reducing the amount of plastic "stuff" we buy and do not need (reduce, reuse, recycle, and refuse). 

Using this spark, we acted out the Web of Life that exists on this beach and in this sea, becoming the plant life (over 161 species at CP), the micro-organisms and macro-invertebrates, the herring and smelt, grebes, eagles, salmon, orca, and humans. This improvisational skit prompted us to muddle through and discuss the gray areas of the local environmental drama surrounding this beautiful stretch of beach, as we contemplated the connections between the clothes on our backs, the iPhones in our pockets, the coal in the train cars, the plans for changing the beach at Cherry Point to a shipping terminal, the herring in the bay, the eel grass they swim in, the nearby oil refinery and aluminum smelter, runoff from farms and homes upstream, the eagles and orcas' needs, and more. The Swallowtails met this critical thinking exercise with curiosity, passion, empathy, pause, and grace. The drama was enacted again in play through our game "Oh Herring!"

To top off our day, we all found our Peaceful Places and gazed out at the gulls feeding, imagined the herring swimming beneath the sea's surface, felt the sun on our face, the wind on our cheeks, and took in this vibrant, diverse beauty. 

All in all it was a day full of exploration, discovery, connection, contemplation, and joyful sunshine-soaking with this wonderful group of girls (who are bonding more and more), and those sentiments were summed up by all in our closing Circle of Thanks. Laughter and songs rang out of the bus windows as we drove back to Bellingham – another day lived fully, beautifully and with purpose in the company of inspiration and connection-making. 

Our words of the day? "Cherry Point, Loraxes, Fun in the Sun!"

You may view the slideshow from our day here. 

EC Mottos that came into play today: All Things Are Connected, You See it You Own It, Leave No Trace, Widen the Circle, Build Bridges Not Walls, Collaborate and Compromise, LIBK, Connect and Protect.

Larrabee Coast Traverse: 6-12-16

The Swallowtails gathered on Sunday at the Clayton Beach parking lot to embark upon an Explorers Club rite of passage: The Larrabee Coast Traverse navigation challenge! Before leaving the parking lot we reviewed different methods of navigation: landmarks, our intuition and common sense, local knowledge, map, compass, GPS and oriented ourselves with landmarks north, south, east, and west. We considered potential hazards and how to mitigate them, understood variables that might affect our progress (personal pace, the tides, weather, unexpected circumstances). We then set out west to follow a stream and seek the shore.

Before getting too far, we found a group of Boys Explorers. Together, we played a monstrous game of Spider's Web, working on our camouflage and sneaking skills. The girls seemed to really enjoy their time with the BEC, and came away with a newfound appreciation for our small, tight-knit group.

One of the EC mottos that often stands front and center on our exploration days is: It's about the Journey, not the Destination. This liberates our curiosity to lead us in rambling, wandering, circuitous routes, often encountering gems of discovery that may have remained hidden had we moved with a more goal-oriented intention. Today however, we practiced the opposite technique for the sake of challenge, and we set the goal to make it to Larrabee in time to meet the parents while juggling variables of route-finding, safety, weather, and tides. That is not to say that the day was without gems of discovery... they abounded as we made our way north along the shoreline. Along the shore we encountered many species of eye-popping anemones; sea-hewn tunnels, ledges, and nooks in the sandstone; starfish of varied colors; crabs of varying sizes; tide pool communities; large boulders that challenged us in satisfying ways; and a cave large enough to fit us inside!

Our route was learning-packed with discussions about Multiple Intelligences Theory. The girls determined their strongest areas of intelligence, and we talked a lot about how our school and social systems favor certain types of intelligences. These girls are SMART in so many ways, and they shared the beauty of this intelligence with us on this day.

A lovely day to be outside with the crew!

Our words of the day? "Navigating Chuckanut sandstone in the sun"

Explorers Club Mottos especially alive today: Be Prepared; Safety First; Stretch Your Edge; Challenge By Choice; Collaborate and Compromise; Widen The Circle; You See It, You Own It; We're All Teachers; Expect the Unexpected; LIBK (Let It Be Known); We Not Me

Earth Skills: Carving at Lake Padden: 5-1-16

What a gift nature gave us today—warm sunshine to explore the hidden treasures of Lake Padden! With the sun on their backs, the girls were filled with spring giddiness as we gathered. After spending time exploring these four stations and 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 the sunlit dock of Lake Padden, where we learned about the human history of the lake. With a population of 80,000, we understood why the City of Bellingham switched their human water source from Lake Padden to Lake Whatcom by visualizing all of our city using the water for showers, personal use, drinking etc. happening each day.

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, 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 Swallowtails. Please see some of the carving curriculum below!

After a meditative carving time, we hightailed it back to the lake, as the Swallowtails were determined to swim. We donned our water wares and splashes in the chilly lake. Many a girl Stretched Her Edge, where as others seemed to be blissfully at peace in the frigid water.

As our time was drawing near, we meandered back down the trail, connecting with each other, laughing and telling stories, reveling in the beautiful spring day. We finished our day with a Peaceful Place in the sun-speckled forest, and shared our Attitude of Gratitude in a round of gratitude for the earth. 

Today’s words of the day: "Sunny swimmers, carve and play and so much more!"

To see photos from our day, click here! (We only got a few photos from this outing-- many apologies! We'll make up for that next time.)

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 at Agate Bay Preserve: 3-20-16

Every EC day is inspiring, and most often we mentors end the day filled with more energy and joy than when we started. Once in awhile though, a day just hits the tippy top of all-around satisfaction. Watching these girls work with such gusto, determination, integrity, and explore mud and trees and wetland with wonder gave us mentors deep satisfaction. 

We began the day by creating connections between our new group constellation, with some girls gone and others added to our circle. Sometimes big groups are comprised of several small groups – our aim this season is to continue to connect as one. Happily, that was not a challenging effort, as all the ST gals brought heart and happiness into this spring day. 

After noticing the changes spring brings, in nature around us and in our group, our opening circle dipped us into deep in discussion about Tricia Otto's work at Preserve she created, and about ecosystems and habitats. We shared how Tricia has restored ecosystems and built habitat for all manner of four-legged, two-legged, no-legged and winged and waterborne creatures. The land is 100 acres of intact habitat where beavers, birds, and bears alike can find refuge. But just on the other side of this special land, 60 acres of trees had been logged. Where did those creatures go? The girls correctly guessed they had run straight into the habitat of Agate Bay Preserve, but carrying capacity limited their ability to stay and thrive. 

We also each shared for new members what EC is: exploring nature, serving community, not being afraid to get dirty, practicing integrity, living out our mottos and creating a culture of kindness. We mentioned the indirect ways girls can sometimes be passive aggressive to one another, and that in GEC we try to be respectful, widen our circles, and LIBK (Let It Be Known).

No strangers to stewardship, this group’s spirit of service led the day. We walked further into the preserve and met Tricia, an inspiring woman who mentors the girls about what it is to Walk Your Talk and direct thoughtful intelligence with integrity. Tricia realizes as we two-leggeds impact the environment it affects all these other community members, so she has worked hard for years and years to preserve and protect (along with working full time as a doctor). She has fought against development and things that impact habitat, but she’s put most of her energy into helping habitat grow. When we asked her who she was doing this for, she answered for “you, for everyone.”

Today, Tricia had several tasks for us: trail clearing, wetland exploring, and planting along the stream. We began with planting, in pairs, and many hands made light work. Then we divided into two groups and cleared trails from recent wind storms, singing (and shouting) and goofing as we walked. 

The two groups reunited, we explored a truly magical wetland area, created by resident beavers. A thorough group safety check concluded it was a reasonable risk to walk over logs over the water, and these bridges were the right level of challenge and led to moss-draped woodlands, which some girls named "Twigtopia".

After an impromptu meadow wedding (which seems to happen a lot in GEC), we cleared more trails, and ended the day building trust via trust walks. This exercise reminds us of our interdependence, and allows other sense to get exercised. 

We wrapped up our day with Tricia in our closing circle. Together, using our Attitude of Gratitude, we each shared what we were grateful for: Tricia and her efforts, places and spaces that remain undeveloped, this group, the opportunity to participate in GEC, trees, frogs, clean water, and more. It was moving to see the impact service has on these girls' lives - truly, giving is receiving! 

You may view the slideshow from our day here.