Tresca Weinstein, Author at Flying Deer Nature Center

Traps, Stealth, and Collaboration

The day dawned cold and crisp but warmed up considerably, gifting us with another gorgeous autumn day. The FOREST group gathered together in the field and expressed our thanks for the day, the land, the people, and all the good things to look forward to. We had a fun circle activity and sat down to snack at the Base Camp.

As we arrived at Base Camp, we took notice of the extent of last week’s storm damage. The high winds had ripped down two large tents and two large tarps! We pulled the downed tarp off the benches and sat down to a friction fire demonstration. Our two teenage counselors expertly demonstrated the bow drill and hand drill kits; they each produced a coal and kindled it to life with the aid of a shredded Cedar bark bundle and a song by the FORESTers!

How to build a Debris Hut

What a wonderful day to spend out on the land, enjoying the wind and sunshine.

During drop-off, Josh demonstrated flint-knapping, which involves striking a hard rock against some chert, effectively breaking off pieces that have a nice sharp edge, which some kids then used to carve pumpkins with. After everyone got there, we gathered up and did a warm-up song and exercise. Then we played a short game and shared some gratitude.

Life and Death in the forest

What an exciting morning: Woolly Bear Race 2019! Racers at the ready, trainers watching and hoping, we all cheered the fuzzy winter predictors up their strings! Some to victory, some to sleep, they all did their best. We stand proud of our unknowing racers and of their kind and caring trainers.

When the race was all over, they were released to sweet mint and dandelion leaves or cared for for the rest of the day and returned to where they were found near home. We settled in for snack and a story: an old Chinese folktale about the value of learning from the forest, our friends, and from folks unlike ourselves.
Now ready for the rest of the day, the FORESTers split into two groups: coal-burning spoons and a camp mancala board to play during free time in one group; and, in the other, carving mallets and throwing sticks.

WILD WAYS ON THE TRAIL

Today was the hike day for the Wild Ways Teen Homeschool group! We got to the trailhead and were surrounded by cows, mooing loudly amid the green grassy fields rolling gently out of the “Hopper”—an enormous mountainous bowl formed on the western flank of Mount Greylock, punctuated by several clear mountain streams.

Acorns and Sit Spots at the cobble

We got lucky again with another stellar autumnal day at the Cobble! We started the day at the nature table with a half-gallon jar full of acorns, making guesses on how many acorns were in the jar. There were three winners with many runner-ups, and it was hard to believe how many acorns were indeed in the jar, a whopping 175! It was also hard to believe that one of us guessed the EXACT amount!

CrAFTING AND TRACKING

This morning at Wild Ways, we had a nice array of intriguing things to check out on the picnic table. Lauren put finishing touches on her new Willow basket and shared the process with students, talking about our beloved Willow and how to tend it in the wild. Everyone is pumped to get an introduction into Willow basketry! We also had out some supplies which we would be working with: walnut dye, honey, hide glue, feathers, fur and more.

The Adventure BEGINS!

We were treated to absolutely beautiful warm autumn weather today as we began our first day of the FOREST semester. It felt great to gather up in such a large and supportive Opening Circle. Today we oriented to the land and the culture that each one of us actively tends. We went over our group’s agreements: Respect for the earth, each other, and self; active participation; inclusivity; positivity; helpfulness; lifting each other up by recognizing one another’s positive qualities … and that’s just for starters. Having these shared values from the beginning goes a long ways toward creating a positive community and experience.

Snow, Sleds, and Show and Tell

Some of the most memorable moments this week came packaged in the simplest forms. Rolling large balls of wet, heavy snow across the grassy field; cracking layers of ice at the edge of the pond; creating a birthday party with a forest cake and leaf decorations; and of course, sledding! The children show us time and time again how to stay present in the moment and how being able to see things as they really are—both magical and very real—creates precious moments of connection that are easily missed otherwise.

Skill Building and fUN

After warming up our bodies during morning circle with songs, movement, and gratitude, we played a game of Fire in the Forest, where animals have to run from one side of the forest to another without getting tagged by the fire. The children were able to choose what animals they wanted to be, and also had to follow the guidance of our counselors—an important balance between self-identification and flexibility in order to play together. At this age, games with a couple of rules are wonderful ways to build cooperation, listening skills, and gross motor development.

A Sneaking Mission

The weeks are flying past us as the autumn breezes and colder rains are starting to pick up. The ruffed grouse continues to make itself heard in the bushes around little field and the blue jays and crows are active patrollers of the woods. The leaves are almost all gone, but this allows more sunlight to reach the forest floor, and the golden morning light has left us feeling quite content and warm these days.