Storm Wolves Take Advantage of a Storm-Free Day at North Galbraith

Storm Wolves - N. Galbraith Mountain Trailhead - 03/20/16

Finally a day without wind for the Storm Wolves to get out and explore! Meeting up at North Galbraith Mountain Trailhead we made sure to make the most of this rare occasion. With the group eager to get into the forest we hustled down the trail, past the many bike jumps, and down onto a freshly paved logging road. For a long time this road was just a small trail that followed a creek bed and led to many rolling valleys and ravines at the foot of Galbraith Mountain, but recently some development has begun and the impact to the landscape has been quite incredible to witness. Using the wide, gravel road we were able to cover a lot of ground quickly and head off trail to a long-time favorite location of Boys Explorers Club. Going down into valleys and up over ridgelines we cut our way through sword fern and salmon berry to our destination.

Arriving at our location, the Storm Wolves immediately dropped their packs and began carving sticks. The mentors had planned for an opening circle, but after observing a keen focus and highly motivated group of Storm Wolves that were already formulating plans for exploration and play amongst themselves, the mentors realized that their guidance was really not all that needed. A few of the boys took a moment to admire a sturdy debris shelter that was constructed by an elder group during the fall and found inspiration to continue working on gathering debris and eventually constructing a debris shelter of their own. While the rest of the group finished carving their sticks for the day and developing an elaborately imaginative game, the remainder of the group worked on constructing debris shelters. This, of course, was not on the mentors docket for the day, but how could they interrupt the joy, inspirations, and motivations of these weather tested Storm Wolves who are finally getting a peaceful day of forest exploration.

Sitting back and observing the boys lost in play and constructing debris shelters, the mentors realized that this group of veteran explorers and dear friends could probably run an entire outing on their own! It is truly impressive to witness these boys peacefully and efficiently resolve any conflicts that arise before they get out of hand, organize games and activities for themselves, and have an absolute blast while doing so. Feeling the call to let these boys pursue their inspirations for the day mentors fell in line and took on the role of a couple of big explorers. Gathering debris for shelters with a couple of the Storm Wolves the immediate challenge came that in spring time there is not a lot of fallen leaves or other debris readily available for us to gather. Scouring the landscape we found Douglas Fir branches scattered on the forest floor from some of the recent wind storms. This sparked an idea to take advantage of the recent development going on along the new gravel road. Dozens of trees had been felled in order to clear the way for the big gravel road so off we trekked with our limbing saws to harvest Douglas Fir and Western Red Cedar branches for our shelters. It is not often that such an abundant resource is available to harvest so we took advantage. In no time we were able to gather armfuls of debris for our shelters. Of course it is very difficult to come to terms with such destruction to a place where explorers have frolicked and had profound connections to the natural world, but sometimes you just have to make the best of a situation, and with so many trees cut down and available to harvest from we were able to build a shelter in a fraction of the time that it would have taken if we had to scour the landscape for bits and pieces of debris and other shelter building materials.

Finishing up our shelters the Storm Wolves organized a couple of games of Spiders Web. Again, the mentors realized that these boys could pretty much run the show. Even introducing one of our new group members to this game, the Storm Wolves quickly and efficiently laid out the ground rules, talked a little bit about the strategy behind the game, designated a Spider and set up the Food Source and Web in under fifteen minutes. In no time these boys were off scurrying through the foliage and lost in play. As most of the boys tried to take the direct approach to the food source their efforts were abruptly thwarted by the Spider, but little did the Spider know there were a couple flies out flanking him up along the northern ridgeline and a couple more down in the creek bed. The mentors were impressed at the skill and strategy the Storm Wolves played this game with and it was clear that years of sneaking through the woods and playing games like HIDE, Eagle’s Eye, and Spiders Web had honed their skills and knowledge of reading the landscape and moving through the forest undetected. Wrapping up the game we had just enough time for a closing circle and brisk hike out to the trailhead.

Sitting in circle, it took a bit of time for the group to settle down enough and suppress the silly energy from earlier in the outing in order begin our circle of gratitude. The mentors revisited what sort of focus, energy, and mindset goes into giving gratitude and reminded the boys of how fortunate we are to have beautiful forests to frolic in all day right in our backyards! Passing around the apple slices, each of the Storm Wolves shared something they were thankful for with the rest of the group. Whether it was the nice day with no wind, a bounty of downed trees to provide branches for a debris shelter, or just some time to play games with old friends, everyone shared in a thoughtful and insightful tidbit of thanks with the rest of the group while everyone listened with a keen focus. These moments of reflection and introspection display the well-rounded personalities and thoughtfulness that accentuate the playful and friendly personalities that make up this group. It is always a pleasure for the mentors to work with this group and they truly enjoyed witnessing these boys get a chance to enjoy themselves without having to weather the wind and rain. Time and time again the Storm Wolves impress with their resiliency, enthusiasm, and compassion for one another. This group has been through a lot together and had no hesitations taking advantage of the calm weather to get a full, fun, and satisfying day of exploration together.

Make sure to check out the rest of our photos from the outing here!

Grey Fox Kits Clamber Along Clayton

For the final outing of the Fall 2015 season, the Grey Fox Kits met up at the Clayton Beach parking lot in blustery weather making today just another day for this well weathered group. We kicked things off with an opening circle where we introduced ourselves to our volunteer for the day and a Gray Wolf Pup that was joining his canid companions for a make-up outing. With names shared our focus transitioned to the theme for the day; Risk Management. There are a variety of inherent risks involved with exploring the great outdoors, but the group would also have to navigate the risks of the manmade kind as well. Crossing Chuckanut Drive and the railroad tracks combine with blustery conditions and steep sandstone rock faces formed a medley of risks for us to manage and navigate throughout this outing.

The mentors had kicked off the risk management earlier that morning as they checked the weather conditions, specifically the wind forecast, and conferred with one another ultimately determining it was within our limits and wind protocol to run outings. With quick access to Clayton Beach the group felt comfortable navigating the stretch of forest between the parking lot and beach. Seasoned in the art of safe road crossing we briskly walked across Chuckanut and passed through the forest with intention and focus bringing a heightened awareness to the patterns of gusts and tracking the canopy for deciduous trees, dead tree limbs, and any other hazards. Luckily the wind was fairly tame and there was minimal hazards in the canopy. Pausing to look and listen as a group, we passed over the railroad tracks and arrived safely at the beach.

With our primary risks managed for the time being, it was now time to play. A quick opening circle to review safe climbing techniques was momentarily derailed when a trio of Bald Eagles decided to swoop and soar in the windy weather. Of course we paused and took time to appreciate the incredible spectacle which became even more amazing when one of the eagles tucked its wings and dove down snatching a fish from the white capped waters. Within five minutes our navigated risks were already producing tremendous rewards. After a couple hours of climbing the sandstone rocks, building drift wood forts, and exploring the surrounding area it was time to take a hike along the shoreline.

Just like our opening circle, our hike quickly derailed into a romp on the dunes. Climbing up, rolling down, climbing back up, jumping down, climbing up once more, tumble down for a third time. Everyone was having a blast and the fun times would continue as we had two more dunes and an obstacle course of driftwood and rocks ahead. This was turning into one of those days that would be hard to forget. The icing on the cake was the surrounding to all this fun; an expansive view of Bellingham Bay and the San Juans being battered by the windy weather, waves crashing upon the shoreline, ocean spray spritzing faces and filling nostrils with scents of the sea. What a reward for a group who has endured stormy weather outing after outing to come together as a resilient group, overcome the conditions, and navigate the inherit risks of the outdoors.

Back at our first location, everyone was looking forward to another hour or so of free time at the beach. Before we could get back into free play on the rocks and working on our driftwood forts, a strong gust caught the attention of the mentors. Knowing the wind was supposed to pick up around 3:00PM the mentors conferred and determined it was time to head back before the wind could pick up any more. Despite it only being 1:45PM it was time to manage our risk. Talking with the group it was made clear that a safe hike back was more than worth spending an extra hour in the parking lot. Given all that we accomplished during our outing it was easy to return to pick up feeling satisfied and fulfilled. The Grey Fox Kits capped off a tremendous outing, and Fall 2015 season, in typical fashion; with a spirited game of Where’s My Egg. After a circle of gratitude parents began arriving and one by one the group said good bye to another season of Explorers Club with many memories to look back on and a Spring season full of possibility on the horizon.

Make sure to check out the rest of the photos in the Grey Fox Kits Photo Gallery!

Grey Fox Kits Weather the Storm at Lake Padden

On a wet and windy Halloween it was only fitting that the Grey Fox Kits were going on an outing. Meeting up at Lake Padden it became apparent that we were going to need to find cover and quickly. Sheets of rain pelted us as we slogged through the muddy field to the shelter for opening meeting. Knowing that the weather was forecasted to clear up after an hour or so the Grey Fox Kits took this time to hunker down out of the rain and brainstorm a new group name. Of course as these boys get older they begin feeling less and less like a “fox kit” and voiced the desire to create a new name that was more representative of their experiences and growth over the last few years. Given their propensity for inclement weather it was clear that Storm was going to part of the name sticking to the Canidae family the boys settled on Wolves thus making the Storm Wolves! The mentors made sure to remind the Explorers that with a new name comes new responsibility. If they want to call themselves the Storm Wolves then they are going to have to act like it and demonstrate their growth as both individuals and as a group. The notion of being held to a higher standard was accepted by the boys and the Strom Wolves were formed.

Even though they go by a new name, the group formerly known as the Grey Fox Kits still managed to fit in a few rounds of their favorite game, Where’s My Egg?, as the weather cleared up and the rain ceased to fall. The break in the weather also afforded us with a window to get up into the cover of the woods. Meandering along the horse trails up into the hills it became apparent that although the rain had died down the wind could still be heard rustling through the canopy above. Even though it was just a breeze that ruffled the leaves, it still conjured up the memories of some of the close calls we’ve had as a group. A few of the boys became a bit hesitant, but with words of encouragement from their friends and reassurance by the mentors they pushed on and quickly became lost in the moment, reconnecting to all the joy that can be found from a good romp in the woods with your buddies. This was a powerful moment for the mentors to reflect upon because it marked a great stride towards conquering a fear, a justifiable one at that, but a fear none the less that has lingered with this group ever since our close call last fall. It is said that time is the best medicine, and over the past year these boys have taken that fear of the wind and honed it into a heightened awareness and strong respect for the power of the wind.

Getting further up into the woods we found a great spot to set up a base camp. As the Explorer’s demonstrated their growth and maturity by organizing their own game of Spider’s Web, the mentors took some time to get a fire started. Gathering firewood is no easy task after such a downpour and required much scouring of the landscape, rummaging under fallen logs, and gathering up the fine branches of the Western Hemlock for a sufficient supply of firewood. The mentors demonstrated a couple different methods to start the fire. After getting a coal with a bow drill, the tinder bundle was just a bit too damp so they fell back on the tried and true flint and steel. With a fire started the boys quickly gathered around as they were drawn like magnets to the flickering flames and warmth. They took this time to poke and prod at the fire with sticks, burn leaves, and even get some tips on how to properly tend a fire to keep it going strong in damp and cold conditions. This time also afforded Explorers a chance to kick back and joke around with one another sharing many a laugh and fond memory.

Before the outing was over we had just enough time play a few rounds of Hungry, Hungry Martin that got everyone running around and warmed up. We put out the fire in a fashion used by natives for many years where a trench is dug around the fire, flames are extinguished and the burnt remnants of the fire are buried. Next we gathered up duff, leaves, and branches and spread them over the area to make it look like we were never even there. We can’t leave no trace, but we can certainly do our best to cover up our tracks and return the landscape to the way we found it. With just enough time left for closing circle we shared our thanks, ate some apples, and packed up for the hike back down to the parking lot. Everyone was in high spirits for the hike down and as the breeze rustled through the leaves in the canopy the Storm Wolves left the forest in high spirits and with smiles on their faces. They truly have come a long way and demonstrated a tremendous courage and fortitude to overcome past experiences and remind themselves that although the forest can be dangerous at times, with awareness and respect we can still explore and revel in the bountiful memories that the forest has in store for us.

Join us for the Co-op's Community Shopping Day - Saturday, November 21. Shop for Thanksgiving – or just grocery shop at either Coop and 2% of total sales that day will be donated to Wild Whatcom.

Clip, clip, dig, dig - Grey Fox Kits and Barred Owlets finish Connelly Creek fall service

“I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.” Rabindranath Tagore

BEFORE: Car parts, broken bottles, rusted nails (thousands of rusted nails!), wire fencing, miscellaneous trash…numerous bags of trash. Rats - several of the deceased and the scurrying kind observed. Invasive Himalayan Blackberryand Reed Canarygrass that had largely overtaken the restoration site alongConnelly Creek. Humans and plants had invaded and degraded several acres along the creek, which feeds Padden Creek. 

WHY BOTHER? Ecological biodiversity is the mix of ecosystems, natural communities and habitats. It’s the variety of ways that species interact with each other and their environment. Change one factor (e.g., plant diversity), and everything else is affected. Biodiversity is an important part of ecological services that make life livable on Earth. They include everything from cleaning water and absorbing chemicals, which wetlands do, to providing oxygen for us to breathe - one of the many things that plants do for people. Biodiversity also allows for ecosystems to adjust to disturbances such as fires or floods. If a reptile goes extinct, a forest with 20 other reptiles is likely to adapt better than another forest with only one reptile. 

So, our humble restoration site at Connelly Creek offers an excellent opportunity for our explorers to learn first hand how ecosystems work while causing a real and observable positive impact on something that really matters. 

THE WORK: For several years now, the Boys Explorers Club (BEC) has worked under the guidance of Bellingham Parks and Recreation to restore the site to greater health. Using tools provided by the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association, your boys have cleaned out the garbage, cut back and uprooted blackberry vines, stamped down the Reed Canarygrass, planted native trees and shrubs, and spread bark mulch…..yard after yard of bark mulch!

This is a long-term project. We’ve made mistakes, such as when we cut down the Canarygrass, which it turns out encourages future growth! So, we stomped it down, a la Godzilla, and covered the site with several inches of bark mulch, only to return to the site after a few month’s absence to find the Canarygrass having returned to its former “glory”. It’ll take years for the alders, ninebark and other species we planted to shade out the grasses and reclaim the land, the best long term solution. In fact, the project just might outlast the Grey Fox Kits and Barred Owlets time in Explorers Club! Of course, it’s a shame we have to do this work. But the lesson for the boys is clear: there will always be work that needs to be done for the good of the larger society and each of them can have a positive impact. In fact, there is joy is service to others and to the land.

This weekend, we worked to clear blackberries from an area roughly 20 by 50 feet along the creek. While that might not seem like a big area, consider the number of blackberry root balls that needed to be extricated, or the fence that saw the light of day for the first time in years, or the tree that was liberate from the strangle hold of the prickly vines. The scratches they proudly display came from the 10-15 foot long vines they cut down to a size that could be bagged and carted off. The tired, sore muscles are the result of wrestling (2 or 3 working in tandem, at times) with stubborn roots or digging holes to plant more trees and shrubs. The goofy smiles on their faces can be traced back to the hard-earned satisfaction of having done meaningful work, and done it well, as the photos will attest. 

While the boys worked hard and accomplished much on this day, we cannot claim unblemished pride in our actions. Some boys could be seen climbing trees or exploring the creek when work waited; we get it, they’re boys. Not a problem. With a little prodding, they usually return to the work. However, when the mentors learned that someone had apparently cut down a spruce sapling that had been planted as part of the project, we decided to call all the explorers together to re-emphasize the serious, important nature of the work and of the responsibility each of us has to behave with honor and respect for each other and the land. Message delivered, we returned to the work and mustered a strong finish for the day and for our service work this season.

AFTER: While there is still work to be done, check out the photos here and in the gallery. The results speak for themselves…your explorers are officially part of the solution!

They have earned the right to stand tall because they have performed with honor and to great effect. They each can rightfully echo the words of one of their colleagues as he walked away from the site after completely his work: “I feel proud.”

Check out the rest of the photos from our service outing here (Grey Fox Kits) and here (Barred Owlets), and check the web site for the details on your explorer’s next outing - Grey Fox Kits, click here. Barred Owlets, clickhere.

Grey Fox Kits Track the Nooksack

Our outing started on a grey and dreary Saturday morning. This was only to be expected as the onset of the Fall season is upon is, plus this was a Grey Fox Kits outing right? Despite the light drizzle, we loaded up Stubbs and drove out Mt. Baker Highway to the Nooksack-Deming Eagle Park. With its sandy gravel bars and silty shores, this section of the Nooksack is easily one of the best locations in our county for tracking; we were in for a treat.

Upon unloading the bus we circled up under some trees to get a quick briefing on our skills focus of Tracking and Bird Language. Of course this outing was a bit early in the season for the Bald Eagles who congregate here in the later months to feast on the copious salmon carcasses that flood our river systems with nutrients, fertilizing our vast forests. Today we were going to focus on some of the more consistent residents to the area by analyzing the intricate evidence left behind from their day to day behaviors. First and foremost we would be looking at tracks; counting toes, looking for claw marks, determining direction, size, weight, gait, speed, and even possible intention behind where each creature is going and why. More evidence can be unearthed from the scat that all metabolic creatures produce, giving insight into diet, species type, and even territorial boundaries. With the basics of tracking freshly imprinted in our minds we made a bee line for the woods, flood plains, gravel bars, and eventually bank of the Nooksack.

Immediately we found canine tracks in the mud, some small, some large, some accompanies by Homo sapiens tracks, others not. To further our quandaries we find a few samples of scat. About the thickness of a large cigar, tubular, tapering at the ends, full of hair, seeds, bones, and fruit pits. Sounds like an omnivore to me. Large canid tracks accompanied the scat and knowing what the average domestic dog scat looks like from our adventures closer to town, we quickly determined that this was evidence of something wilder that relies more on hunting and gathering than a regular bowl full of kibbles. The tracks were however larger than the typical coyote found around town, painting a picture of a large male coyote, patrolling his territory, leaving scat and other scent markings near intersections along trails to signify this is his home. Or perhaps a large domestic dog that strayed too far from home one day and now is reverting to the lingering wild of its inner wolf, surviving off the land, roaming free. The mystery may never be solved, but it’s easy to see how a simple set of tracks and a large pile of scat, an inquisitive and powerful imagination, can soon paint an almost storybook quality narrative all unfolding upon the very ground we were standing upon at that very moment.

Following the path further, we broke through the trees and out into the flood plains and gravel bars. Upon startling a couple browsing Black-Tailed Deer, we had a wonderful time following as fresh a set of tracks as you can get. Leaving the deer alone to continue with their brunch, we settled in on a beautiful bank of the Nooksack. Silty, clay like, sediment preserved countless numbers of tracks in this hotspot of animal activity. Perfect for plaster casting! Spreading out, tracking set after set, determining possible species present, and making sure not to disturb the tracks with tracks of our own, each Explorer picked out a track that called to them. Building a small circular wall of dirt around the track provided a frame for our casts. Mentors mixed Plaster of Paris ($3-4 per carton at the store!) in a cup with water until it came to a pancake batter consistency, gently poured the plaster into the track, gave it a good jiggle with a stick to help the plaster settle into the finer details of the track, and sat back and waited half an hour for the plaster to set. (This is a great, and dirt cheap, activity to do with your Explorers! Each carton can produce 10-15 tracks depending on size of track, and you’re rewarded with a track eternalized in plaster that can be kept for memories, added to a collection, or given to friends and family as a gifts.)

Waiting for the casts to set, the Grey Fox Kits reverted to their favorite game: “Where’s My Egg?!?” This game has become a necessity on our outings and is a great way for the gang to get their wiggles out while working together to continually adapt new strategies, yet the results are always the same. A big pile of Explorers laughing and giggling with one another, ever more intent and comradery and friendship than winning.

Unearthing our plaster casts we took inventory of our bounty: coyote, domestic dog, and a couple beautiful casts of the elusive Puma concolor. Thoroughly enjoying ourselves we took the last bit of our outing to revert back to the basics; Exploring! We trekked around, found a bunch of pools, a toad, a spider that could walk on water, and culminated with everyone throwing the biggest rocks they could into a large pool of water in the most simplistic, yet satisfying form of entertainment for any boy, young or old. Finally it was time to hit the road. Loading up into Stubbs we returned to town full of memories, a greater knowledge of tracking, and a handful of plaster casts to share with parents. The mentors were especially impressed with the Grey Fox Kits on this outing. Everyone was engaged in tracking throughout the whole outing, there is an obvious comradery bubbling out of these boys, and they are truly coming together to prove a group can be greater than the sum of its individuals. The mentors had such a blast on this outing and are enthused with the growth of the Grey Fox Kits. We can’t wait for what adventures await us during the rest of our Fall season and beyond into the future.

Make sure to check out the rest of the photos from this outing at the Grey Fox Kits Photo Gallery!

Grey Fox Kits Carve at Teddy Bear Cove

There is always a fine balance between planning and Explorers Club outing and letting the inspiration of the day take over. Too much of a plan and you are not flexible enough to follow the inspiration that occurs once you are out exploring and not enough of a plan and your day loses the direction it needs to get going. Sundays outing with the Grey Fox Kits was a perfect example of hitting this balance. The mentors had planned a day of focused carving in the woods above Arroyo park and then playing some games in the forest to celebrate the end of another successful season together.

However, the moment we hit the trail the Grey Fox Kits began talking about the beach. The trail branched and we had a really coherent discussion, led entirely by the boys,  on how to spend the day. The unanimous decision was to take the Interurban trail to Teddy Bear Cove. The mentors looked at eachother and let the boys excitement for the beach guide our day.

After a short .5 miles along the Interurban we came to the point where we had to cross Chuckanut drive to make our way down the steep switchbacks to the beach. This is arguably the most dangerous part of our day and as such requires the utmost focus and concentration. The Grey Fox Kits have been dedicating themselves to the Art of Carving The last few seasons and have learned the the focus and maturity it take to safely handle a knife. As we prepared to cross Chuckanut the mentors asked the boys to use this same focus while crossing the road.

Once on the other side we made our way down the steep switchbacks to Teddy Bear Cove. Low clouds hung over the Chuckanuts while the sun crept in from over the San Juan Islands. Tim split Western Red Cedar rounds into chopstick blanks while the Boys found their knives and prepared to carve. We had a really focused carving session for about an hour. Many of the boys ended the session with nearly completed chopsticks. As seen by our experience crossing Chuckanut the Art of Carving is not only a useful skill in and of itself, but is also a great practice in focus and concentration for these boys. The Grey Fox Kits have really taken to the carving and I am excited to see where they take it in the future.

After our focused time on the beach it was time to explore! We climbed sandstone bluffs, found holes in the rocks, looked out over the bay, found Madrone and Oak trees that seemed to be made for climbing, explored the dry hillside above the ocean, traversed along the coast line, made crab forts, played some games, ate lunch, found new routes on the rocks, lay in the sun, and generally enjoyed the beach. It was nice after all the focused work on our carving to take some time to free play and explore the beach.

Our day ended as it always does with a closing circle where we all expressed our gratitude for the day. On such a great day it was easy to find many things we were all thankful for. Thank you parents for being so supportive of us during our outings with your boys! Thank you grey fox kits for another great season together. We really appreciate your enthusiasm and commitment to personal growth despite the challenges we have faced. Please checkout our photo gallery for more great pictures from our exploration last weekend. See you all in the Fall for another great season!

Serving Connelly Creek with the Alevin and Grey Fox Kits

The Alevin Explorers arrived at Connelly Creek and quickly ran down the embankment, as they were anxious to see how the site has transformed over winter. Calling the group in the Explorers mustered their strength the carried the tools over to the site. They were excited to continue the tradition of camouflaging themselves from the next group, the Grey Fox Kits, who were soon to arrive. The mentors decided instead to use the time to work on our fire by friction and carving skills while chatting with the group about our upcoming summer backpacking trips.

Before the blog post continues, we’d like to remind everyone about the WE: Wilderness Experiences available this summer to the Alevin Explorers. Grey Fox Kits we look forward to backpacking with you in the summer of 2016. These trips are an investment in a lifetime of leadership and skills; their rewards extend far beyond the three to eight days they take place. Many of our Explorers have found them to be life changing, with benefits and tools for living that are carried and applied for many years to come. Please contact us if you have any questions, thanks!

The Grey Fox Kits arrived and the Alevin retired their skill session and both groups circled in the field. The mentors encouraged Explorers to think back to their last outing to Clayton Beach. The outing held powerful lessons about group decision-making, collaborating and compromising, and inclusion. Today would be yet another opportunity to work together while and serving the land. These boys have been working on this site for over two and a half years; they have developed skill and efficiency in their work as well as intimate knowledge of this sites needs.

Instead of painstakingly going over how to us the tools the mentors simply asked the group to be responsible with them. It is wonderful to have cultivated this level of trust within these two groups. They have continued to show their commitment and integrity with safe tools usage. Their eagerness shows they’re hungry for more responsibility, greater skills, and bigger explorations - the mentor’s bow to that.

Breaking our circle played a few rounds of Deer oh Deer Come and Run through my Forest.  This energetic tag game brought the two groups together and that same energy transferred to our work. Running over to the site the boys quickly lined up. Our project for the day was to walk down the Reed-Canary Grass, spread a giant pile of mulch over the area, and finish up with some blackberry trimming. Forming a long line we stomped down the Reed-Canary Grass. It was a fun way to warm up and release some energy. Turning our efforts to the mulch pile the boys took on one of three jobs: a mulch spreader, carrier, or filler. The group worked cohesively and as an onlooker you wouldn’t have been able to tell one group from the other. Slowly Dave started to develop a funcompetitive aspect where the mulch fillers were trying to keep the buckets filled and the carriers were trying to dump them before they could be filled. This led to an inspiration for a game. Dividing into three teams by birth month, the boys took their positions. Their goal was to fill three 32-gallon cans and move them across the service site where the rakers would make three 4 by 3 foot squares. Their teams would be judged on who could get through three cans the fastest, how they worked as a team carrying the buckets, and how neat their squares were. When the game started the boys burst into action. It was amazing, what fun!  The boys really dug deep giving it their all. In the end every team won in a different category.

Spreading the last of our mulch the Alevin Explorers said goodbye the Grey Fox Kits and broke off for a closing meeting. The Grey fox Kits worked on diligently making a big dent in the Blackberry thicket towards the back of the site. Focused and determined the boys cut, trimmed and bagged the Blackberries and hauled them across the site.  

What fine work these Explorers are doing, they should be proud of their accomplishments here at Connelly Creek. The care they show for the saplings and shrubs they planted last fall and their fellow Explorers is outstanding. In their closing circles the Explorers gave thanks for the opportunity to work with each other, for skills and games, for the ability to give back, for the sense of accomplishment and progress they feel, and for the beautiful sunshine and warmth on our spring service outing.

Parents, please take a moment to track the history of our service at this site by clicking on the “tag links” below: Connelly Creek. You’ll see how the place has changed over time due to thousands of Explorer hours poured into the Happy Valley Park. You’ll also see how your sons have changed over time too. Thank you for the opportunity to be your nature-connection mentors. We truly value these experiences and look forward to each outing with you Explorers and your families!

For more pictures from the day please visit the Alevin’s or the Grey Fox Kit'sphoto gallery. 

The Alevin & Grey Fox Kits Explore Clayton Beach

The Alevin and Grey Fox Kits met at the Clayton Beach parking lot for their second exploration of the season. Little did they know the mentors were planning on joining forces for the outing! After safely crossing the road the boys searched for a place to have an opening meeting. Finding a clearing under a Cedar tree, we circled up and there was clearly a divide between the two groups. The mentors explained that by chance the two groups had been scheduled for Clayton Beach on the same day and that the opportunity presented to the groups could be used for skill sharing, a large game of some kind, or wherever their inspiration led them.  

The boys handed out jobs amongst their own groups and the mentors handed the circle over to the Tribal Elders for the day, letting them know that this decision could be made in five minutes if they focused. The Tribal Elders were quick to come to the decision that the group needed to take a vote in order to come to a collaborative decision. The mentors stressed to the Tribal Elders that it was important for the group to brainstorm ideas on how we could best use our time before the group voted. Going around the circle the Tribal Elders collected suggestions, but soon the circle turned to chaos. Some boys tried to take over by talking over the Tribal Elders, other boys were anxious to get to the beach and unable to hold their focus wandered off, while others argued amongst themselves over what would be the best use of time.

After about ten minutes the mentors called the group back together. By then many of the Explorers were frustrated and decided it would be best to split the two groups and explore on their own. Once Tim had everyone seated and focused he explained that we honor and respect each other in our circles by bringing our focus and commitment towards the decision at hand, and that we are part of a community and this means we must collaborate and compromise. After 30 minutes of group process the boys came to the decision that they would stick together, go to the beach, and then at 2:45pm head back to the woods to play a round of Spider’s Web.

Although the process can seem arduous and daunting these Explorers are learning the interpersonal skills it takes to be part of a community and the mentors were quite proud of their decision and commitment to remain a community.

Sensing that they had lost some time the group quickly headed down the trail to Clayton and spread out over the beach. It was powerful having four mentors on this outing. The dynamic afforded the boys the opportunity to follow their own inspirations on the beach. Setting up a home base some of the Grey Fox Kits pulled out their knives and began to carve as they watched a group of Surf Scoters fishing for invertebrates in the Eelgrass Beds. Other Explorers ran over to the sandstone cliffs and climbed to their hearts content as Peter spotted them. When given the space and time these boys are so creative and inquisitive. The boys spread into every nook and cranny of the beach, finding quiet spots on the bluff to get lost in thought, searching the intertidal zones for Anemones and Hermit Crabs, and even finding a driftwood teeter-totter to play on.  

Shadowing a group of boys one mentor witnessed a very powerful moment. A few Explorers found a quiet place where a Willow tree hung over a small creek that fed into the sound. As they sat they commented to one another that this place was the most beautiful they had ever seen and encouraged each other to get quiet and listen to the creek as it ran into the sea. After about ten minutes of silence the mentor approached the boys and said, “pretty nice spot huh”? The Explorers commented that this place wasn’t just nice, but special. They said they felt like people had been coming to this place for many generations and that it was special because people would continue to experience its solitude for many more generations.

As mentors we rarely directly experience the fruit of our labors, but in times like these it is clear that our core routine of sit spots and immersion into the landscape are shaping and changing the Explorers relationship the natural environment. This connection is nurturing inside them the ability to slow down, deeply reflect, and be appreciative for all we have. 

Circling up a little after 2:45pm the boys had another group decision to make.  Almost unanimously the boys decided to skip heading back into the woods for a game and instead stay on the beach and continue exploring. It was powerful for the boys to make such a quick decision and realize that they had to ability to be collaborative leaders. Before breaking our circle for one last exploration the group shared a circle of thanks. The boys gave thanks for the amazing sunny weather, for the ability to explore their interests, for food and water, for special spots and abundant wildlife, and for the opportunity to explore with each other.

The Mentors would like to thank these Explorers for putting in the work and answering the challenges that being part of a circular community brings. The Grey Fox Kits and the Alevin will be working together next outing at our Boys EC Service Site. The mentors look forward to another day together full ofcollaboration and compromise!

For more pictures from the day please visit either the Grey Fox Kit’s or theAlevin’s photo gallery.