There was excited energy during our Opening Circle as the wind swirled around us. After a very fitting game of "The South Wind Blows" (as the south wind did indeed blow), we dove into a discussion about what our main task would be for the day- trash pick-up along Connelly Creek- and how we could accomplish this in a safe and collaborative way. We reviewed the three R's (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) and talked about the importance of minimizing waste in everything we do. The girls then defined the "unsafe" trash we might encounter, and we agreed as a group to Think it Through Before You Do. The girls would use their "chikadee-dee-dee" call to get a mentors' opinion before touching anything that didn't seem safe. Our motto "let that quiet voice inside be your guide" and our S.T.O.P. principals would be especially alive while we hunted for trash, following our intuition and putting our safety first! We did a quick pop-quiz to review the items worthy of a "chickadee!", with props from our packs. As expected, the girls aced the quiz, pointing to the safe vs. unsafe items and deeming the group ready to become Trash Detectives and Earthkeepers for the day.
Before hitting the trail, the girls searched for a poison hemlock on the edge of the parking lot, which they learned is the most poisonous plant in the PNW (all parts are poisonous!). With a few ID clues (carrot-like top, purple splotches on the stem, deep purple/redish coloring at the root crown), the girls pointed out (but didn't touch) the poison hemlock growing all around.
We then set off, Walking our Talk and practicing the motto You See it You Own It with every single piece of garbage we saw. We also were able to notice some of the wonders that nature holds this time of year. The cottonwood seeds had created a thick, snowy layer over the forest floor, and the thimbleberries showed off their sweet white blossoms, soon to be berries.
After wandering down the trail, slowly and carefully as not to miss any trash, we came to a "social path", which had been heavily used to access a once beautiful cedar grove. Now this area was scattered with trash, a fire-pit in the middle, and evidence of human damage to the surrounding trees and forest floor. This area sparked a rich conversation about the stories these places might tell us and the things we can learn from others who leave their trace rather than respecting the forest plants and creatures who were there first. We discussed the motto We Are All Teachers, emphasizing that it is our job as Earthkeepers and land stewards to teach others the importance of Leave No Trace.
After a short jaunt down the trail, we stopped for lunch in a still beautiful and untouched cedar grove. Aimee shared a story that related to reciprocity and the GEC motto, Our Cups Overflow. The discussion turned to the idea of acting on our motto You See It, You Own It simply by acting as a safety net and support system for others, and stepping in when appropriate rather than being a bystander in situations we can help resolve. The girls acted out what they felt was the right action to take if someone they knew was being teased or needed support.
Our lunchtime conversation wrapped up and we continued on to the open fields of Joe's Garden. We stopped here to reflect on the many wonderful things that humans bring to this world, with perfect rows of greens and sprouting squash plants stretching in every direction around us. We continued on from there, stopping briefly for a picture of the group with two giant bags of trash before leaving them behind to be scooped up by the city trucks.
Our final fork in the road, worthy of group collaboration, was at bird box 27, mounted high on a sitka spruce tree. Here the group had to decide wether to take the well-traveled but roundabout trail to the llama pasture, or go through the woods and across a stretch of swamp to seek and find the back gate. We decided to take the road less traveled, entering the pasture through the back gate after mucking our way through an impressive grove of skink cabbage...P-YEW!
Before hitting the trail, the girls searched for a poison hemlock on the edge of the parking lot, which they learned is the most poisonous plant in the PNW (all parts are poisonous!). With a few ID clues (carrot-like top, purple splotches on the stem, deep purple/redish coloring at the root crown), the girls pointed out (but didn't touch) the poison hemlock growing all around.
We then set off, Walking our Talk and practicing the motto You See it You Own It with every single piece of garbage we saw. We also were able to notice some of the wonders that nature holds this time of year. The cottonwood seeds had created a thick, snowy layer over the forest floor, and the thimbleberries showed off their sweet white blossoms, soon to be berries.
After wandering down the trail, slowly and carefully as not to miss any trash, we came to a "social path", which had been heavily used to access a once beautiful cedar grove. Now this area was scattered with trash, a fire-pit in the middle, and evidence of human damage to the surrounding trees and forest floor. This area sparked a rich conversation about the stories these places might tell us and the things we can learn from others who leave their trace rather than respecting the forest plants and creatures who were there first. We discussed the motto We Are All Teachers, emphasizing that it is our job as Earthkeepers and land stewards to teach others the importance of Leave No Trace.
After a short jaunt down the trail, we stopped for lunch in a still beautiful and untouched cedar grove. Aimee shared a story that related to reciprocity and the GEC motto, Our Cups Overflow. The discussion turned to the idea of acting on our motto You See It, You Own It simply by acting as a safety net and support system for others, and stepping in when appropriate rather than being a bystander in situations we can help resolve. The girls acted out what they felt was the right action to take if someone they knew was being teased or needed support.
Our lunchtime conversation wrapped up and we continued on to the open fields of Joe's Garden. We stopped here to reflect on the many wonderful things that humans bring to this world, with perfect rows of greens and sprouting squash plants stretching in every direction around us. We continued on from there, stopping briefly for a picture of the group with two giant bags of trash before leaving them behind to be scooped up by the city trucks.
Our final fork in the road, worthy of group collaboration, was at bird box 27, mounted high on a sitka spruce tree. Here the group had to decide wether to take the well-traveled but roundabout trail to the llama pasture, or go through the woods and across a stretch of swamp to seek and find the back gate. We decided to take the road less traveled, entering the pasture through the back gate after mucking our way through an impressive grove of skink cabbage...P-YEW!
Our service day concluded with sharing snacks with Aimee's sister-in-law's llama and sheep, respecting these regals animals as we offered up apples and carrots in an attempt to coax them closer. Unfortunately, our group seemed to be closer in appearance to a wolf-pack than a friendly group of girls, and our llama and sheep friends didn't venture very close. We talked about how llamas and sheep are both animals of prey, with eyes located on the sides of their skulls to see predators better. "Eyes in the front, the animal hunts. Eyes on the side, the animal hides."
We ended with a heartfelt attitude of gratitude and acknowledgements for the hard work we put in as Litter Detectives and Earthkeepers throughout the day. To view the slideshow of the day, click here.
We ended with a heartfelt attitude of gratitude and acknowledgements for the hard work we put in as Litter Detectives and Earthkeepers throughout the day. To view the slideshow of the day, click here.
Our words of the day? Seeking and Serving!
EC Mottos that came into play today: You See it You Own It, Everybody Helps, Walk Your Talk, All Things are Connected, Leave No Trace, Our Cups Overflow, Bridges Not Walls
