Today marked the start of some very important preparation and projects for Wild Ways. Before we know it, we will be camping out at the end of the semester and there is work to be done! Today both groups headed off to start work on lean-to shelters to use as a skills and hangout spot during our overnight. The Coyotes even decided to go find a brand new spot on a less explored piece of land to make a new site. The Bobcats already have uprights in the ground and are almost ready to start adding shingles. The Coyotes have all of the materials gathered and prepared and are ready to set it all up next week.
After a morning of hard camp work, lunchtime brought an exciting treat: pig hearts. from our very own Bard Owl’s pigs. The coyotes supplemented theirs with salt, pepper, and wild leeks. To settle down before a big game, the Coyotes also took a much needed group sit spot, a quiet few minutes to rest and listen to the natural world.
The rest of the day was filled with two large games of Capture the Flag in a location that lent itself to both quiet stealth and lightning-fast sprints (as long as we could avoid the barberry and red pines, ouch!). The forest was filled with delighted yips, hollers, and crunching leaves, leaving a perfect opportunity for some to slip by unseen using the distractions to their advantage. What a blast to have some good old-fashioned fun in the woods with these young people.
—Raven, Alana, Josh, Mary, and Raei, April 19, 2021