Arroyo Exploration Day 12.10.16

This was the final outing for the Ospreys; and a chance to play together on a chilly, damp December day.

We had a quick check in under the cover of some trees.  What a great opportunity to discuss preparedness! as we experienced the rain and colder temperatures.

After some collaboration the gals decided we would head to Chuckanut Falls.  As we slowly made our way down the slippery trail and in the direction of the falls,  it became apparent right away that we would need to change course.  So we turned back and regrouped; deciding to head north on the Interurban.  We spent some time at the creek checking out the dead salmon; and had some rich discussion about the life cycle of all beings.  Then we set out, enjoying the snow, and, naturally, making snowballs to toss at one another.

We stopped to leave our Osprey trace; snow ospreys..and check out snow crystals.

Onward, and coming to an intersection new to everyone, we took this side trail and arrived at a very large cedar that provided shelter for a food break.  We ate and shared and played some fun word games.

We discovered a trail that would eventually lead us to Hoag's Pond so we set off in that direction. There was a bit of shoe sledding or skating down a just icy enough to be fun road, and more snow to roll and throw, and then we found the pond.

We had some lunch, played a few rounds of spider's web, then went for a silent walk around the pond, and then everyone settled into their peaceful place.

It was time to take the trek back to Arroyo.  By now the temps were up and most of the snow and ice was melted.  After arriving back in the canyon we circled up and shared our gratitudes and connections with the web of life activity.

A very sweet day to finish the season.  Thanks to all the Opsreys for a fun and safe day.  Also hoping that Katie and Stella had a great final race on Sunday.

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! 

Larrabee/Clayton Traverse 10-9-16

The Ospreys gathered on a gorgeous fall day to enjoy time together, traverse and explore in the colorful fall forest.

Along our traverse, we found a surprising home on the side of the trail... that housed ground wasps! Yikes! The Ospreys handled the chaos and stress of a swarm of stinging insects with poise, and we trekked on quickly to a safe spot to assess our challenges. Through our challenges, we acknowledged that the Trail Was the Teacher, as we learned a lot about personal challenges with pain, how to recognize wasps nests, and how to keep our Owl Eye awareness on at all times. When all was said and done, the girls showed their enhanced resiliency, ability to support each other as a group, and quickness to laugh and accept. I was so impressed with how these girls turned a crummy situation into an overall fairly positive experience.

Other than our venture with wasps, we got into many more adventures. We practiced using our Owl Eyes in an activity where a variety of non-natural items were hidden in the forest, and the girls silently walked and observed as many as they could find. The girls noticed patterns, asked questions, and related to stealthy owls as they moved in silence. It is always fun to see the Ospreys have moments of quiet, as otherwise, they tend to like to vocalize, just like their namesake :)

We spent time exploring the path, meeting new plant and fungal friends, checking out HUGE blown down trees, traversing up a Dragon's Spine trail, stopping to enjoy a Peaceful Place, and closing our day, as always, with gratitude. A day of new things for the Ospreys-- One where the mentors left glowing with pride.

Our Words of the Day?: "Owl Eyes, Dragon's Spine, Wasps' Nests and Fun!"

To see photos from our day, click here!

Nettle Harvest Skills Day 9-24-16

The Ospreys gathered together again to start the 2016-17 season with a bang! The Ospreys had lots of practice with the motto Collaborate and Compromise, and decided almost all of our large decisions for the day. As mentors, we strive for girls to work towards this goal, and the Ospreys have proven that they are up for the challenge. Fro now on, your Osprey will be spending even a larger chunk of her time on outings working on interpersonal communication and decision making, which we argue helps our explorers much beyond our days together.

Found on the ground by an explorer-- A sentiment shared!

We began our opening meeting on a gorgeous fall day-- we shared among ourselves the changes in nature and our daily lives that accompany the coming of autumn: leaves changing color; FALLing limbs, leaves, and  trees; darker days; bird activity (including the sighting of a HUGE Barred owl!)...and for humans, new homes, new schools, new changes. 

Before setting out, we talked about cordage. What is it? What could it be made from (all sorts of plants and roots, and even hair!), how essential string and rope were to the development of civilizations. We brainstormed uses (pull, carry, tie, climb, attach to make nets, snares, bows, clothing, sandals, baskets, shoelaces, bags, mats, lines, etc…). Would progress have marched on without rope and string? We doubt it! On this day, we were going to engage in an ancient activity: seeking out nettle in her tall, fall form, to strip for string that we would dry for cordage making later. 

We hit the trail with explorer’s eyes – and what an abundance of things to see. We stopped for a game of Fox and Rabbit tag in the large field amongst giant trees. We stood beside Padden Creek and figured out where it came from and where it was going, and the ways it provides habitat and obstacles for salmon (hooray for the current project to daylight Padden Creek!). Girls clambered along and in and over the stream with exploring joy. 

Coco showing off her nettle string!

We could have spent all day in the microcosms of that short stretch of trail, but there was work to be done, and it was time to meddle with nettles. Where the sky and the forest opened up, we began to gather nettles to turn into string for cordage behind the Center for Local Self Reliance. As we collected, we remembered the best practice of the One in Twenty principle of harvesting.

After harvesting, we were brought back into focus, and experienced the satisfaction and calm that comes when we get busy with our hands. It was a lovely thing to see how focused the girls became on the task – like a meditation for many, and a great chance to talk about our lives with each other. By the end, we had an impressive amount of stripped nettle string that will dry through the winter and be ready to made cordage in the spring!

Shaking hands with our new tree friend, Spruce!

We made our way up to the parking lot with time to spare, and stopped to walk and admire the Labyrinth in Fairhaven Park. We enjoyed a Peaceful Place, another couple of games, and closed with our Attitude of Gratitude at Closing Circle!

To see a slideshow of our day, click here!

Clark's Point 6.12.2016

What a fabulous final outing for the Ospreys!  We began our day with some serious checking in and name games:  I, Rebecca, had not seen the Ospreys yet this season, Aila and Kat are both new members to the group this season, and Coco and Simone were in Guatemala for the first three outings.  Laura led a fun round of group juggle, where we giggled our way to successful remembering of everyone's names.

We then set off...about 20 yards!  Ha ha..time to make a decision as to where to go.  The Ospreys were quite intentional about this decision, getting information from Laura, Daisy (our amazing EMA) and myself. This information gathering is an important part of decision making and would come up again during the course of our outing.

It was collaboratively decided to head to the west first.  We set off on a sweet trail with cedar and fir and pathfinder plants.

A big theme for today would be Safety First and upon arriving at the bluff this motto was quickly in play. We discussed how close to be to an edge, how little pebbles strewn about the rocks up top make for ball bearing action with potential danger.

The girls gathered together for the first twenty minutes and snacked and listened to the story of this place. Laura had them close their eyes and think about a spot special to each of them.  Then they heard about the history of this place and how special it is to the Clark's, and why the Clark's decided to preserve the area for many many people to enjoy and appreciate. We discussed the adjacent area preserved just for wildlife as well and why this is so important to animals and birds.  In total 78 acres of shoreline are protected in this amazing area.

The sun was now shining brightly. The water below was sparkling and the possibilities of exploring were enticing.  We set up a handrail ( short piece of climbing rope ) to allow for safe descending to the beach below.  This ended up being a very worthy challenge to stretch one's edge.  For many of the girls that meant going down to the beach and for others it meant not choosing to do what most everyone else was doing.  As parents I am certain you will appreciate the conversations that followed around peer pressure versus encouragement.   What was cool to observe is that many of these girls wanted and asked for information about the rope, and why it was safe, and how they would get back up.

The shoreline did not disappoint.  Schools of fish, sea anemones, sea stars, and plenty of amazing sandstone to explore kept many of the girls busy for a while.


With our commitment in mind to the original decision made at the trailhead though, we started to pack up so we could explore the east side.  It was here that a lucky accident provided us all a great learning. A young couple had arrived while we were packing up, looking for a place to put up their hammock. They seemed anxious to just find a spot and get it up..and many of the "good" trees were already taken.  They set up their hammock on a rather suspect looking tree and plopped in and within minutes the whole tree uprooted and they were pitched backwards on to the ground.   Fortunately they were not close to the edge and neither was hurt but the lesson was not lost on these girls!!  Did they s.t.o.p. the situation?  Had they gotten enough information?

Off now to explore the east side and the MUD!  Along the way we had another opportunity to think through a little challenge.

The timing was perfect to be on this side now; enough of the beach was exposed for some good mud opportunities and we had abundant time for exploring.

 There was plenty of excitement about crabs and comb jellies, dipping feet in the water, and conversation together.

We had peaceful place and gathered back together for our final web of life activity.  After sharing the connections we felt strongly about and how those connections can be strengthened and weakened, we set up a version of human knot.  A single rope stacked in small circles is placed on the ground and each girl takes one strand, then the group walks away from each other while holding the rope.  The result is a tangled affair.

 We then attempt to untangle ourselves and form a circle where everyone is holding the outside of the rope.  They managed it in about 5 minutes! .. and we brought our conversation back to our web of life, talking  about how connections are sometimes messy or tangled. Finally we all leaned back on the rope together in an exercise of mutual support and connection.


On behalf of all the GEC mentors that have worked with your kiddos, thank you!  We appreciate how we are all connected through this program.  Thank you for letting us spend such amazing time with your daughters.  Have a fabulous summer.  We look forward to seeing some of the girls at some point this summer, or again next fall.  We know life is dynamic and there are other commitments you may have, or wish to be a part of, and we honor the unfolding of each of your children.

Full photo album here.

Service with Greenways at Lake Padden: 5-7-16

The Ospreys and Sea Stars gathered this past Saturday to serve with Greenways and celebrate a warm, sunny spring.

We met early on Saturday morning and started with an opening circle to review our plan for the day and our service ethic. The Ospreys shared what the motto "Our Cup Overflows" means to each of them, and it was fun to hear how much the girls have internalized this motto. The Ospreys really understand how much their cups overflow - they talked about having food, water, shelter, Explorers Club, families full of love, soccer, music lessons, and other activities. The girls also spoke to the magic nature of our cup in that it doesn't empty when we serve, it only fills up more!

From there, we met with Rae from Greenways and learned more about our tasks for the day. We then split into two crews - the blackberry removers and the weed pullers. Our blackberry crew worked tirelessly to remove this invasive species from a small hill right near Lake Padden. This team was critical in preventing this hillside from being overwhelmed by blackberries. While the blackberry team worked, the weed pullers brought an overgrown zone back to life. They pulled cleaver, scotch broom, dandelions, grasses, and plantain to make room for red flowering currants and salal. Greenways is hoping to keep this space full of native plants to prevent people from walking off trail here and eroding this hillside. After this big effort, our group took a break in the shade, and returned for a final push to get this whole zone mulched and protected from future weeds! 

We broke for lunch and giggled in the shade as we ate and relaxed for a few minutes. After our lunch break, it was swimming time! The girls changed and almost everyone took a dunk in chilly Lake Padden. During our swim, we explored the Lake's shoreline, and after our dip, as we lounged in the sun, Holly told our group a story about pollinators and flowers. We learned about the different parts of the flower and flowers adaptions.

To bring our crew back to meet our parents we played Bear Chase. Where we all pretended to be salmon avoiding a hungry bear. We finished our day with a closing circle where we shared our attitudes of gratitude. 

Earth Skills: Edible Plants at the 100 Acre Wood: 4-10-16

What a jam-packed day – we were busy exploring and learning every single second of our time with the Ospreys on Sunday!

Some highlights from Sunday:

• We wrapped our minds around the incredible fact that almost everything in our lives comes from plants (ask your daughter to explain how her raincoat is made out of plants!). We thought about the pros and cons of owning both natural fibers like cotton or nettle and less natural clothing like fleece or gore-tex. The girls brainstormed that while natural fibers decompose quicker materials like gore-tex last longer requiring fewer clothing items. We all left with a deeper understanding the complexity of this issue, but not necessarily sure where we stand.

• Last year, EC groups harvested nettles, dandelion, and licorice root and this year, we enjoyed each of these dried items in a fabulous forest tea. We also also harvested ingredients for edible treats for the groups who will do edible plants next spring. We examined how nature puts its focus in different plant parts each season, putting energy into roots, shoots, and fruits. We picked the shoots of nettles and roots of licorice root, and saw a number of edible plants in their flower form. 
• Since our focus this day was how we use plants for food, we put on our "Owl Eyes" (a way of walking with awareness, using peripheral vision) and worked to spot plants that might be usable for food in this season. We paused to consider poisonous plants: we learned that edible and useful plants far outweigh poisonous ones in this ecosystem, but that it is very important to learn what isn't safe for our bodies. We'll continue to point out and discuss poisonous plants on future outings, but the girls learned to always "Be Sure You Meet Before You Eat!" and never put anything in their mouth unless one can be certain of the plant and its safety. From now on we will ask them to pass the ID challenge - to be able to absolutely, positively ID any plant to one of us before they're allowed to nibble. 
• We taught ways to walk carefully in the forest, leaving no trace - we'll practice Fox Walking more on future outings. We also talked about how to harvest plants in a sensitive, respectful manner, introducing the "One in Twenty Principle".
• We harvested nettle, and learned just a few of its more than 100 uses. Many girls chose to Stretch Their Edge and take the Nettle Challenge, bravely allowing the plant to touch their bare skin as a way of practicing Challenge By Choice. To get to know the nettle even more, we enjoyed nettle pesto on crackers. We also used fresh dandelions in tasty fritters to round out our feast.
• On our explorations, we met Licorice Fern, Oregon Grape, Salal, Douglas Fir, Stinging Nettle, Indian Plum, Bleeding Heart, Poison Hemlock, and more. We were also thrilled to greet newly blooming trillium, letting us know that spring is upon us.

What a day filled with learning, connection, food, and fantastic collaboration between the Ospreys as they shared the work of harvesting, cooking, and celebrating our wild edibles.

Our Words of the Day? Nettles and Licorice Root Edible Fun!

To see our photo album, click here.

Service for Bellingham Community Meals: 3-5-16

The Ospreys reunited this past Saturday for a unique outing: we spent much of a warm and sunny afternoon inside, to bake up a storm for Bellingham Community Meals. BCM is a group of volunteers that comes together once a month to prepare and serve a warm meal free to the community. The only thing that isn't prepared onsite is… DESSERT! This is where we put our energy, and the girls collaboratively counted, measured, stirred, whipped, beat, melted, poured…and cleaned!

After an introduction to our project, we explored questions like: Whose "cups" are we filling today with this project? What other needs are we meeting by helping with this community meal? What would happen in our community without these resources?  The girls responded with thoughtfulness and compassion. We all agreed that filling others’ cups makes our cups more full. Today our goal was to help people meet the basic need of food. But going a step beyond this, the girls discussed how community meals meet other basic needs as well, like love, community, and connection.

Our marshmallow team getting sticky

The girls split into three groups, with determination to stir lots of love into the batter along with the other ingredients. The kitchen was a-flurry with egg cracking, whirling beaters and recipe checking. We remembered to go one step at a time, implementing our motto, “Think It Through Before You Do.” Soon our treats were baking and our mouths were watering, and we began a serious Leave No Trace kitchen clean-up.

The girls also spent some of their day making thoughtful cards for Laurel, who couldn't be with us due to her ailing dog, Storm. The girls spent time writing sweet notes to Laurel and her furry friend, which helped us remember that everyone's Cups need filling sometimes, even our mentors. The Ospreys sprinkled their love into Laurel's heart, and Hannah plans to deliver the cards to Laurel this week!

After our hard work we ate lunch together, in the warm sunshine-- a true miracle for an early spring day! We spent the next few hours playing games in the grass, adventuring down to Marine Park in Wild Whatcom's trusty bus, Moose, playing on big rocks and skipping little ones, and really, just enjoying our time together. We ended our day with an Attitude of Gratitude, sharing our thanks for the ocean, for Bellingham Community Meals, for our group, and for the ability to have Our Cups Overflow. 

Our words of the day? “Cookies, service, ocean, rocks, games, fun and sun!"

Mottos especially in use today: Our Cups Overflow, Leave No Trace, Everybody Helps, All Things Are Connected, Widen Our Circle

Click here for a full photo album from our day!