Thanksgiving in the Forest

So grateful for yet another beautiful day for our outdoor programs and especially nice weather for our Thanksgiving Feast. It was a glorious day for a morning circle. All were comfortable and shedding layers even as the day was just beginning. Today was a day to acknowledge the land and the people that came before us, celebrate with a feast, and share some stories of our ancestors.

To start our circle off, we shared what we were grateful for, did a little movement to express that gratitude and sang a little song about gratitude. (Sensing a theme?) The riddle was a tough one today and eluded most of the kids until the end of the day. 

Old mother Twitchett had but one eye
And a long tail which she let fly
And every time she went over a gap
She left a bit of her tail in a trap.

We finished off our circle with a game and made our way to the forest to prepare for the feast. We had our fire tenders, decorators, cleaners, table setters, organizers, and rakers. Soon the site was looking fit for a feast and the fire was nice and hot. But first, we gave back to the land by pulling out more invasive barberry in another round of the Barberry Rodeo. 

We settled in for our feast, each taking their turn being served. We sat down in a circle and listened to stories of family members past and present, as well as, some of the places where families all originated from. It was a sweet and delicious meal. 

After some cleaning up, we found our sit spots in the forest and took a moment to be quiet and watchful before gathering for the closing circle and then heading down to the field to play a game of Ring Toss, using sticks and a willow hoop to score on the opposing team’s goal. 

See you after the break!

River Otter, Black Walnut, and Hawkmoth, November 18, 2023

Flying Deer Nature Center