Mountain Kids participated in an Earth Exchange project! Since we often adventure to many healthy and alluring places in our neighboring wilderness, Mountain Kids took the opportunity to give back to the earth by creating beauty in a wounded area. On Friday June, 19, we went to the Frank Ortiz Dog Park. The Dog Park has a scarred history. In the 1940s, the area was used as a Japanese Internment Camp, and later it became a landfill. Today, trash can still be found around the park. Collecting the found trash, from old tires and cans to bricks and wire, Mountain kids constructed a trash bird. We named the bird “Freedom to the Land” in hopes that this wounded land will one day soar with great beauty once more. This project was a reminder to us all to treat the earth with love and respect.
The Eagles enjoyed a week of bugs, hiking, and capture the flag! On Monday, we explored the Beaver Ponds, finding numerous fossils and making hematite face paint. Back at Fort Marcy, we set up our bug traps in the arroyo. Deer Creek was our destination on Tuesday, where we swam in the pools and scrambled up rocks. On Wednesday, we enjoyed a hike through the trees. We practiced our orientation skills, using a map and compass and by identifying landmarks. Bug week ended on Thursday with hiking to a gushing waterfall, identifying poison ivy, making cone and stick boats, and playing in the mud.
Bugs, bugs, bugs! The Owls dug in the mud and scavenged through grasses, spotting many spiders, beetles, flies, and butterflies. On Monday, we explored the Beaver Ponds, and we made potato and cup bug traps, which we hid in the arroyo next to Fort Marcy. Every morning, we checked our bug traps to see what we caught. Commonly we caught many ants, but some managed to catch ground beetles. On Tuesday, the Harrell House Bug Museum and Science shop shared their collection of bugs with us. In the collection, we saw living black widows, tarantulas, vinegaroons, and many more. Wednesday was our mud day as the Owls dug into the moist dirt, finding many worms. We finished our week hiking with gnats, spiders, and moths. Our week was Bug-tastic!
The Hummingbirds had lots of fun making bug traps and exploring nature and bugs in their own habitat. On Tuesday, Wade Harrell from the Harrell House Bug Museum and Science shop shared his collection of bugs with us. In the collection, we saw living black widows, tarantulas, vinegaroons, and many more. We got muddy in the creek on Monday, explored the Beaver Ponds on Tuesday, hiked all the way to the pools at Deer Creek on Wednesday (wow!), and had a blast playing in the trees on Thursday! All in all it was a buggy and dirty week of fun!
This Week the Eagles used their Eagle eyes peering through camera lenses to capture and share the beauty they found all over New Mexico. On Monday we hiked through an Aspen Grove and played games along the way. On Tuesday we mustered heroic persistence for a long but beautiful hike . The magical, misty, wide open view was worth all the complaining on the way up and hail/rainstorm on the way down. On Wednesday we donned our camping gear and headed out to Abiquiu Lake for a camping trip. As the rain clouds cleared we spent the day working on out photo transfers, swimming in the lake, and learning about its history from the park rangers. Once night fell, we shared stories, songs and s’mores by grandfather fire. The next day we had the opportunity to hike Chimney Rock at Ghost Ranch and cool off in the lake, before heading back to Fort Marcy filled with vitamin nature, cameras of artfully composed photos, and lots of great memories.
Lights, camera, action! The Hummingbirds enjoyed a week of pictures and nature. Exploring New Mexico’s backyard, the Hummingbirds played in rivers, made fairy houses, and fiddled with cameras. Throughout the week, the Hummingbirds created sun prints using collected leaves, sticks, and pine needles. Some of their adventures and discoveries are captured in their photos taken throughout the week.
“Focus, Patience and Practice,” this was our mantra as we learned some of the skills our ancestors used to survive 75,000 years ago. These “Ancient Lifeways” were taught to us by Matt Brummett, a skilled expert in the field. All of the older campers made their own hand drill, a tool used to make fire. We practiced a lot, some campers getting close to making a coal–a very difficult skill! We also made gourd canteens, a container our ancestors carried water in before the age of Nalgene and stainless steel! Our youngest campers each made a gourd bowl to eat out of, as our ancestors did. Everyone had the chance to learn how to make cordage (rope) out of cattails. We talked about how to make shelters to keep you warm and dry and then made shelters to sleep in on our campout. It was awesome to witness the TEAMWORK of the group as they made a coal together with a hand drill for our campfire (see photos below). We talked about the 5 Ws of preparing for a hike, and what to do if you get lost. We found some edible and medicinal plants on our hikes (Mmmm… dandelions!), and played lots of games to get us up close and personal with nature (Eagle Eye, Sardines, Capture the Flag and Meet-a-Tree, to name a few). We asked the Eagles how this week changed them. Here are a few responses: “I learned survival skills, and I am more confident in my ability to survive.” – Keifer “I got AWESOME!” – Joaquin “I got more creative.” – Jack J. “I got more peaceful.” – Merrick “I feel sorry for ancient people, and I am happy and thankful to have a house. I had fun!” -Jack D. All of the campers concurred with this last thought shared by Keifer, and agreed that PERSEVERANCE was needed for many of the skills and activities this week. Great life lessons! Thank you to all of the campers for all of your focus, patience, practice and fun this week! Photos of Eagles and Owls (See Hummingbirds below!):
Hummingbird Adventures!
On their photo safari, the Owls fearlessly captured many pictures of their natural surroundings. Among the birds chirping and the wind rustling the trees, the cameras shuttered harmoniously. The Owls played with light and dark, macro and micro shots, and portraits, taking photos of rivers, flowers, trees, moss, and campers. Choosing one original photo, they also created photo transfers, which required diligent work. The memories of playing and observing are held within the owls’ photos.