Exploring Sehome Arboretum with the Grey Fox Kits

Mentors changed the agenda on the Grey Fox Kits and their families by meeting at the bottom on Sehome Arboretum instead of the prescribed “end of the road” as originally written. Fortunately Explorers and parents were up for the challenge as we decided to meet at the top. What great fortune to hike up a mountain and have arranged transportation for the ride down!

Boys immediately met for opening meeting so that we could explore as much as possible. We played “Bob the Weasel” as the boys passed around a carrot so that others couldn’t see. Also, we distributed jobs and were ready for our expedition to the top.

We’d like to thank Soren Brotherton, who has been an Explorers Mentoring Apprentice with the Grey Fox Kits for five outings now. He is an important role-model for these boys and he has even led activities for us. You have tremendous capability as a young man and we appreciate your hard-work and dedication to these Explorers. You are setting the tone for what the Four Shields program will become.

Another thank you is for Jake Ray who volunteered his Saturday to be a mentor. Welcome to the Grey Fox Kits. We appreciate your working with the boys and being a patient teacher and guide as we learned about plants of the Arboretum together. We’re looking forward to working with you in the subsequent seasons too!

As we hiked there were important decisions to make. We had to decide which trail to take, determine the best place to eat lunch, and play various rounds of Hide. Boys took charge and followed the motto, Voir Dire, by relating their truths honestly and openly. By respectfully listening and speaking we abided by the motto, Collaborate and Compromise, and our exploration ran smoothly.

Soren set up a game where we had to revisit our supersenses, especially our Owl Eyes, while looking for pipe cleaners in the forest. Then we came to the cliff.

Explorers, make sure to tell your parents about hazards we can find while exploring. Share with them what you learned about not running off when you don’t know the land. Parents, rest assured that no one was hurt or in danger, but boys stretched our edges by finding steeper sections of trail without waiting for the group. They should remember that safe exploration involves waiting for the whole group so that no one gets left behind or goes too far without the necessary guidance.

After discovering these steeper slopes it was our duty to explore them and so we ran up and down, slid down on our butts and tummies, and found rocks on which to clamber. Grey Fox Kits then saddled up once more and we trekked along the ridge toward the top of the mountain. We explored plants, worms, and flowers along the way.

Eventually we found the tower trail and climbed up to the top. It was a nice conclusion to the day. But we had two more vital activities before we could head to the parking lot. We enjoyed a fifteen minute sit spot which was a refreshing way to reconnect with the land on an individual level. While sharing a story from our sit spot, we took the time to enjoy apples together, have a closing meeting and practice our Attitude of Gratitude. There is truly so much to be thankful for.

We mentors are thankful for our second full season with the Grey Fox Kits. You have grown tremendously in the year we have known you and it is always nice to explore with you. Parents we are thankful for your support and dedication to getting these boys connected with the natural world. Thank you.

Please look at the photo gallery for more pictures of this outing and consider signing up for one of the summer camps if you haven’t already. Our Summer Solstice Gathering will take place on Thursday, June 20th at Hovander Park and we’d love to see you there! Feel free to contact us with any questions or comments you might have; we’d love your feedback. Enjoy the day!

Exploring in Arroyo Park with the Grey Fox Kits

In their second Explorers Club season, Grey Fox Kits were asked to recall the most important lesson from last fall: How do we prepare for rain?!

The rain had been dumping for hours as Explorers showed up to Arroyo Park for an exploration. Parents smiled nervously while saying goodbye and boys checked that they were as rainproof as they could be. But these Grey Fox Kits not only prepare for the rain, they embrace it. And ironically, the rain slowed its pace and had all but stopped after only an hour on trail!

Soren, an EMA from the Firestalkersgroup, volunteered his afternoon with the Grey Fox Kits and was a helpful and strong mentor during the outing. He asked boys lots of questions and kept a great energy through the outing. Thanks for your great work, Soren!

We marched up the first hill in the Chuckanut Mountain range before having our opening meeting. Boys recognized and appreciated the high water level in Arroyo Creek and then kept to the switchbacks as we ascended. By the “Grandpa” Douglas Fir, we played Incoming.

Grey Fox Kits recalled their earth skill journey for the season: the Art of Stealth and Supersense. So, we threaded through the forest and up a steep hill using our Fox Feet. We saw Trilliums (Trillium ovatum) poking up through the forest duff, learned how to identify it, and avoided stepping on them. Please ask your Explorer how long it takes for the Trillium to grow!

Explorers then embodied an animal and displayed the senses those animals use when moving around. We left our backpacks and ventured to “Cougar Rock” as those animals while Soren guessed what animals we were. This mentor recalls seeing a Garter Snake, a “stick-tailed” lizard, some wolves, a bear or two, and some feathered friends too. Which animal was your Explorer?

Cougar Rock, aptly named by the boys, who acted like cougars during later activities, became the heart of our outing. Following the motto Challenge By Choice, Explorers took turns climbing a mossy log from the ground to the top of Cougar Rock. With mentors spotting, boys practiced themotto, Stretch Your Edge.

Everyone, even those who stayed on the ground, had moments of pausing and slight fear and before overcoming their hesitations. We may be scared in our lives, but taking calculated risks can empower us and expand our capacity to develop. Congratulations to everyone for that growing experience!

Quinn shared some trinkets from a recent trip to the desert. How different the ecosystems are between the southern California high desert and our Pacific Northwest temperate rainforest!This made Dave nostalgic for his old stomping grounds.

Talking about the desert was so magical that he immediately transformed into a deer and Explorers transformed into cougars. Naturally boys started to chase Dave; though his glance made them freeze, eventually they caught him! This also happened about an hour later to Soren, who changed into a deer, as the Grey Fox Kits once again transmuted into tawny Cougars.

We gathered our backpacks and realized that another transformation had occurred. We noticed that Steve was missing and simultaneously we heard a Wolf howl. We ran down trail to see if Steve was OK and laughed when we realized that indeed it was Steve doing the howling! It became a bit more comical when an actual dog came running down the trail looking for the same howling that we were.

Our closing meeting was powerful as boys practiced the motto Collaborate and Compromise so that we could get started. We shared our motto of Attitude of Gratitude over dirty hands and apple slices. And though we were all in high spirits to share the experiences with our parents, it is important that we stay together as a group, Explorers. Remember the motto,Safety First. We have to make sure everyone gets back!

Explorers, thank you so much for embracing the rain. Your energy is impressive and inspiring. Parents, thank you for your support and encouragement in getting your boys to explore in all weather!

Please check out the photo gallery for more pictures. Our next outing will focus on service at Larrabee State Park on Saturday, May 4th from 12:00-4:00pm. 

Don’t forget to look for the best dates for Summer Camps too! You can registerhere. See you next time!

Foundations of Service with the Grey Fox Kits

Everything is connected and everything serves.  Our second Grey Fox Kits outing revolved around the revelation of these two essential secrets.  As the Explorers gathered in the Larrabee State Park parking lot, we got ready for our Foundations of Service outing.  The rain was coming down, a good number of our crew was waylaid by sickness or sprained ankles, but those who showed up were ready for anything.  With good spirits and lots of thick rain gear, we set forth.

We began the day with a little fun and a little recap of the skill of camouflage.  One of the Explorers Mentoring Apprentices (EMAs) from our oldest group of Explorers, Soren, was hiding somewhere in the bushes.  In fact, he was standing up and looking directly at us.  Explorers were challenged to spot him.  After some moments, we moved closer, then closer, until finally pairs of eyes started to brighten and Explorers spotted  Soren standing almost right in front of them with a branch in front of his face.  We welcomed him into our group, as well as our other mentors, and gathered in a circle.  Another round of the name game was an important part of this first gathering.  A few games of Hide got us acquainted with the landscape.  Then it was time for a solid opening meeting to put our minds toward the order of the day.

We gathered on the stage, sat in a circle, pulled out our lunches, and took a moment to breathe and listen.  As we munched, we casually discussed who lives here.  For which beings is this place a home?  Answer came out steadily.  More questions became attached to this important question.  What do these beings do?  Do they do anything for us?  Anything for one another?  We picked just a couple and started to think about all that they do for the world and how they are connected.  Munching onward, we came to the topic of service.  Explorers were asked if they had ever given a present to someone and how that felt.

We then considered the two big secrets: everything is connected andeverything serves.  As our lunches approached full consumption, we brought our minds toward out service task for the day: pulling english ivy.  Then the big question: is english ivy bad and evil?  Answers came flying forth: yes, no, maybe, sometimes, kinda.  Then a pause, and this the pearl of wisdom straight from Quinn, “well, if everything serves, then english ivy must serve, so it can’t just be bad.”  Voila!  We considered this insight, how everything that is invasive is a native somewhere (and vice versa), and how english ivy has some really great properties that help other beings.  We also considered that it is out of balance here, and our work is to help bring back the balance.

So, with the food gone and the discussion having come to a head, we decided to put ideas into action and live the Explorers’ Club motto of Get Dirty!  We packed up and headed to the service spot, allowing for small adventures along the way.  The actual service of pulling the ivy was full of all kinds of neat learning opportunities, insights, teamwork, nature observations, applied physics, fun, hard work, and dirt!  We managed to play a few games while serving and still pulled a HUGE amount of ivy.  This Explorer has already been asked by the park ranger to express her deep thanks for all the great work.

After a good deal of time and effort, we looked at the clock and decided it was time to wrap it up and head down to the beach.  It’s very important to take time to appreciate what/who you are serving: to allow for moments to not do or change anything, but to just enjoy.  This is a vital nutrient of service.  So, we headed down to the water.  Soren, being a perpetual trickster, had run off and hidden himself somewhere along the trail.  We kept our eyes wide open as we walked, and finally spotted him very close to the beach.  Good camo, Soren!  Good awareness, Explorers!

We wrapped it all up with a nice exploration of our wonderful waterfront, some (at first unintentional) forays into a knee deep muck of eel grass, and an introduction to the Sit Spot.  With a final circle, apples to share, and a round of thanks, we ended our day.  Wonderful work, Explorers!  Thank you for your service.  Thank you, parents, for all your support!

Be sure to check out our pics in the photo gallery.