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COMING SOON.. BUGS and WILDFLOWERS

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ImageSummer 2013

WELL MAYBE NOT SOON ENOUGH!

Yes, those beautiful flowers and helpful bugs are still in a state of stillness, but in preparation of things to come I thought it would be fun to utilize the skeletons of summer and spring past.

 

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So our troops of Kindergartners and 1st through 3rd graders bundled up and went hunting for the remnants of milkweed, evening primrose, bee balm, goldenrod, purple cone flowers.  It was a great opportunity to take a look at the idea of how strong mother nature made these plants so that they can flick about in the wind and disperse their seeds.

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It was awesome to see the kids sharing what they picked.  Our goal was not only to find our own but make a wildflower sculpture to take home.

The older kids and I went deep into the jungle of the field.  Letting them lead the way they hunted and found many interesting things.

I couldn’t help myself and let out a lot of wooops while we were walking.  It was very cold and windy but it just felt so good to let out the screams of joy….. although at one point one of the boys told me I ” didn’t need to do that anymore!”  Haha… what can I say I was just so excited….

Both Jack and Rylie found praying mantis egg cases!!!  We added them to the 200 cases that the teenagers from S.T.A.T.E. found over the weekend  Pretty cool treasure to find.

More than anything these kids are developing a confidence to lead and also to work together as a group. Something I believe is a result of playing outside.  They have to take chances  in an environment which they might not be used to. In the end  they realize  can do it!

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After we hunted for a while we returned to the barn to make these!!!

Ta da!!!

They all left with pictures of what these flowers will look like when they bloom this year and a magnificent sculpture created by them!

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Love the rosy cheeks and also how one of the sculptures has a milkweed with seeds still intact. (like a cradle)  Another lucky find.

Until next week…… GET OUTSIDE!!!  Seriously

Peace and warmth, Sue

 

 

A Flurry of Color

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Perfect Fall day!

We wandered around the trail on a color hunt!  Looking for reds, yellows, oranges, greens, browns and blues.  It was a fun way to get the kids and moms and grand moms to work together.  Along the way we stopped and talked and I punch their color cards with my “smelly feet” hole punch.  They were all working towards getting all the colors identified and  receiving an acorn necklace and beads for their hard work!

Here are some fun pics.  Love to see the moms smiling along with the kids!

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OH NUTS!!!! (and seeds)

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Today was a glorious day for taking a look at some of our trees at Avalon.  Most notably the Black Walnut and the Hickory Tree!

Both produce these interesting multilayered nuts. But most of all they are exciting to SMASH open.  That’s exactly what we did.  Each of my enthusiatic outdoor-kids were ready to take a turn breaking open these nuts.  How do those squirrels do it????

We tasted the black walnut which Shannon said had a strawberry flavor in it!!  They were yummy.   These odd looking nuts are hidden undercover on the trees inside these lime colored looking fruits.  When they are ready, they drop to the ground and proceed to rot and turn black.  Before you can get to the nutty insides you have to peel away a messy dirty layer…..  yuck…  then there is the treasure!

But first how do we get to the inside.  Well luckily Miss Sue did some research beforehand and she brought the wrench for holding the nut (also to protect her hands from getting smashed) and a hammer.   Before long they were cracked open!   Everyone was eager to try it.

We were less successful with the hickory nuts, of which are all over the place but dried out inside… what a disappointment. But lot’s of fun to collect!

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We continued our walk along the wildflower fields which are slowly turning brown… with seeds all ready to fall to the ground for next year’s blooms.  The milkweed plants are in their glory with all of their pods popping open to reveal the amazing layers of seeds attached to little “wish” machines which will help the seeds float away to their new homes!

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Amazing milkweed, amazing smile!

Happy Trails

Sue

 

 

 

SKIP TO MY LOU!!!

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ImageBenjamin was so excited to show me how he could skip!  So when we started our hike in the wildflower fields he took off in his bright yellow shirt skipping all the way!  He skipped and skipped and before you know it there were more skippers or hoppers or runners following him.  It was contagious.  So much so that I joined in the fun.  All that counted at that moment was the kids were free and doing what they wanted. So fun!

Maybe we could have skipping day at work???  Wouldn’t it be funny to watch your co-workers skip to the coffee room.  Ha!!!

Skipping is an acquired skill.  We don’t just skip…. our body has to be ready to skip.   Most kids will skip by 5 but don’t fret if your child is not quite there yet!  Get our there and  skip or perhaps gallop, another acquired skill.  Add on horse neighs and you’re really multitasking. Whew!

To see all these children back at Avalon doing what they belong doing is precious.  No cell phones, no  video games…. just pure organic fun.

Some kids chose to walk and that was just as good.  There was more time to look for flowers and bugs.  It’s all good!

Reminiscing and Looking Forward

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Today I took a walk at Avalon where I will begin my Fall classes next week.  It was nice to visit the trail  with my dog Lucy and stroll through the swaying  trees. There are so many places that make me smile and I can almost hear the kid’s voices as I walk through different parts of the park.

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The quiet and still pond with frogs relaxing on the rocks.  Duckweed floating aimlessly through the water.  Although I am surrounded with noises from the birds and the trickling of the waterfall, the sounds of laughter and excitement are missing., but secretly I hear them in my head.  I smile.  All the frogs that the kids caught, kids falling in the pond….. constant activity.

All is quiet…….  for now!

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We continued on walking toward the wildflower fields to see which flowers were in  bloom.  I saw a milkweed bug and it made me laugh.  The memories of us running around the fields capturing bugs and always  holding true to the promise that we would let them go when we were finished exploring.  We were hunters and the atmosphere was electric!!!!

  Some flowers remain and the the milkweed pods are almost ready to burst.

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Finally we made it to the Barn and into the garden.  There were still nasturtium blooming.  I remember some of the kids tasting the peppery flower that our preschoolers planted. ” Blech! ” “Yum!” “My mother would like that!”

Our trellis for the beans lay like a sleeping baby…. next spring we will begin again!

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I am looking forward to meeting new families and welcoming back some of our returning families!

We are going to have a blast and create more memories to share.

Keep on hikin

Sue

SOMETHING WONDERFUL

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FIRST DAY OF NEW CAMP WEEK ……

Today something happened that involved nature of a different kind here at Avalon Camp…..Human Nature…. funny and charming at the same time.

We set out for our bug collection in the wildflower fields.  Gavin  was determined to catch a butterfly.  He had no interest in using a bug jar just the blue net. Every time someone called out “butterfly” he ran so fast and attempted to capture it.  No luck swipe after swipe after swipe…. nothing. No reward.  Along the way another camper, Brennos  became interested in the same quest.  He began to follow the Gavin around.  I could tell that the original butterfly hunter Gavin was a little annoyed, after all he wanted the glory of the capture.  But they worked in parallel. I encouraged them to hunt quietly and slowly.  Minutes passed …. 10, 20, 40, 50 minutes ticked away.  Time to head back to the waiting parents.   No butterfly…. a bit of sadness flickered in Gavin’s  eyes but he was not giving up.

As we headed back to the barn Brennos began to tell me the philosophy he imparted to Gavin.  It went like this, ” I told Gavin to catch a butterfly you have to spot it then FOCUS in order to catch it.”  What a wise young soul.  I could tell he was proud of his advice.  I am not so sure that Gavin felt the same, I think he had butterflies on the brain and was just determined.

Perhaps though he did listen because at the very last minute before we turned the corner to face the parents guess what happened?

ImageHe Focused and caught his Cabbage White Butterfly!!!  SUCCESS!!!!

KIDS ENCOURAGING EACH OTHER – HUMAN NATURE AT ITS BEST

FUN STUFF!