We started this week together in an unusual and very special way…on a Monday! Thank you to all who came to volunteer with us at Sweet Olive Farm, a local animal sanctuary on Monday to honor Dr. King’s idea of a “day on” for the community! We were tasked with picking up sticks in an animal enclosure and taking them near a bonfire to be burned and cleared away. We shared space with several pigs and hogs, alpaca, and donkeys! Sweet Olive Farm is a fantastic place to visit if your family ever needs a local adventure!
Tuesday was a very rainy day and we are so thankful for Jessie being with us as a forest helper and Eva as a substitute.
Due to the rain, we played at the crow’s nest and used mud kitchen bowls to collect water. Students were so excited about the different pitches of “pings” as the water hit the bowls.
For students who wanted to stay warm and dry, we made a cost tent nest for reading and art set up on crow’s nest.
Wednesday was another rainy and overcast day at the fallen oak. After being out for over a week, Juniper was back in the forest!
All the rain has brought out even more slugs and worms than we are used to seeing on a daily basis. Caroline pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil to document two slugs that were on a large stump.
After over a year and a half of having Hamlin as a part-time educator, we are saddened to see him move on to bigger and better things. He has been such an amazing educator for our students!
Thank you to Hala for all your help in the forest and Sarah for bringing our lunch.
It was a wet and muddy Thursday this week! Mud pies, mud slides, mud painting, mud face paint…we did it all!
Trees became wolves, and could only be warded off by pizza, which could thankfully be made in the mud kitchen!
Many students spent time under the shelter of the crow’s nest, drawing, looking at books, and playing dress up with silks. We read a special book about the Lunar New Year and how millions of people will celebrate this holiday on January 22 this year!
Thank you to Hala and to Graham for your fantastic help in the forest and at lunchtime!
Friday brought us some much appreciated sunshine, and back to the fallen oak to play. It was wonderful to have Christina back in the forest, so many of our friends are really enjoying spending time with her!
On our way to the play site, we found coyote scat on the trail. It was packed with fur and what the students initially believed were sticks. Upon further observation, they realized it was packed with bones rather than sticks!
We have been observing lots of lichen in then winter woods lately. Caroline wondered if lichen is a parasite to trees, which was such an interesting question!
We enjoyed a hearty and warm oatmeal snack Friday with the options of applesauce, almonds, pumpkin seeds, raisins, cinnamon, and honey as toppings.
Nate spent a large part of the morning building a structure with imaginary drills, hammers, screws, and nails.
Several friends asked to explore one of the camping shelters near the play site, where they invented a game of find-the-stick, and made “sand castles” in the sandier terrain.
