Service at Agate Bay Preserve: 3/5/17

On a particularly cold and rainy day, the Dragonflies gathered at the entrance to Agate Bay Preserve.  Our mission: Connect and Protect!

Scarlet Elf Cup Fungus
Sarcoscypha coccinea

In our opening circle we talked about the differences and similarities between preservation and conservation (ask your girl about her thoughts on this, we had a really rich discussion!), and learned about Agate Bay Preserve and its steward, Patricia Otto. It was impressive to hear how things had changed in the thirty years since Tricia has owned and worked on preserving her property! We learned that before Tricia arrived, the land was used for cattle, and instead of the slow creek that currently meanders through the front of property, there was simply a culvert for cows to drink from. As Tricia began transitioning the land from grass and pasture to a more hospitable ecosystem for native plants and animals, a beaver family dammed up the culvert and created the creek as it is now.  This invited more and more creatures and plants into the flourishing ecosystem meaning that every bird and mammal native to the area has visited her Preserve at some point or another- including bears and cougars!

Our lunch spot/Gymnastics zone

Stewardship takes constant care and attention though, and that's where the Dragonflies came in!  After our wonderful introduction and tour, it was time to get to work. Our service project for the day was simple: clear the trails on Tricia's preserve to ensure they continue to be accessible.  We grabbed a handsaw, donned our work gloves, and hit the trail!

All of the winter wind storms in the previous weeks created a plethora of projects for us!  As we wandered through the beautiful forests of Agate Bay, we laughed, talked, built birthday cakes (Happy Birthday Flower, Flicker, and Still Tree!), turned Problems Into Possibilities with the transformation of an entire downed tree into a new delicious-smelling creature cave, learned new games (thanks Chipmunk for teaching us what a constipated sloth sounds like), explored fallen log fairy wonderlands, and toured the Bat Barn!

The result of all of our hardwork!
A new home for some (or several) lucky creatures.

Finally, we wrapped up our day of service and fun with a round of Acknowledgements.  We shared gratitude for each other, the snail (rain + snow = snail), healthy habitat, and Tricia for choosing to Walk Her Talk every day by dedicating time out of her busy life (she's a doctor, too!) to the well-being of so many creatures.

Our Words of the Day? (Which, I should note, took about 10 minutes and 34 variations to nail down 😊) Serving the Trees in the snail!

You can check out our slideshow from the day here, for more moments of connection and exploration!

The fallen log fairyland

Mottos especially alive today:
Safety First
Collaborate and Compromise
We're All Teachers
LIBK
S.T.O.P.
Connect and Protect
Walk Your Talk
Attitude of Gratitude
Our Cups Overflow
Turning Problems Into Possibilities

Eagle Watching on the Nooksack @ the Deming Eagle Preserve 1-22-17

When the winter winds blow and cold waters run down from the mountains, the GEC Dragonflies come out to play. We waded through marsh and swift waters, traversed forgotten riverbeds and thick willow brush to finally reach the mighty Nooksack River. There we watched a timeless dance of connections between salmon, river, eagle, soil, trees, sky, life and death. A perfect winter Explorers' day.

What more can we say? The Dragonflies are evolving to represent the best of EC: heartfelt connection with one another; unrestrained joy in nature; curious and compassionate; stellar stewards; making memories together to last a lifetime. Sunday was a combination of all of the above, as all embraced the exploring spirit to foster connections with oneself (by stretching edges and LIBK their needs); to one another (by listening so well to one another and finding joy together in navigating difficult terrain, splashing in chilly waters, witnessing the natural cycle of life and death); and to nature (let me count the ways...). 

Our goal for the day was to spot some eagles, which we accomplished and then some! We saw nearly 20 eagles including a juvenile that flew directly overhead! We also saw several eagle nests, called eyries, along the road and river. These enormous nests made of sticks can weigh up to one ton!

There were signs of several other animals as well. The Dragonflies discovered a few sets of tracks along the sandy riverbank. We observed their oval shape, small size, and easy gait, and decided they belonged to a coyote! That small wild dog was probably searching for delicious salmon to snack on like the eagles.

We found signs of a human presence, too, even on that wild river. Many large pieces of trash were caught in the woody debris along the river. That unfortunate sight didn't get the Dragonflies down though, as they Turned Problems Into Possibilities and repurposed that trash into ferries for building materials! The new problem for the group quickly became "how do we build a bridge across this chilly river?" Rainpant's waterproofness was tested and several girls went wading (well, swimming) as they explored and navigated more Nooksack River terrain.

We gathered again as a group, with a special rock in hand. Our task was to tell the creation story of our particular rocks, and wow, Dragonflies are creative! We stacked all of our rocks together in a cairn, and discussed how we balance the many pieces of our lives.

And now, with chilly (and somewhat numb) fingers and toes, we began to navigate our way back through the marsh. We made it back in record time! These girls' navigation, communication, and teamwork skills really shined today. We decided to test that even further with a special salmon-themed game of Finder, Seeker, Speaker.

The end of the day snuck up on us, so we tried a new version of Peaceful Place. We decided to throw one of the 5 S's out the window (Still), and completed a moving meditation. It seemed fitting to flow back to the bus in the direction of the river, peacefully taking in all of our surroundings, and reflecting on the day.

Words of the Day: Water, mud, beaver sticks, eagles, salmon, swampy marsh!

See the link here for the rest of the story!

EC Mottos especially alive today: Be Prepared, Safety First, All Things Are Connected, Dance to the Beat of Your Own Drummer, It's About the Journey, Not the Destination, Leave No Trace, You See It You Own It, Get Dirty!, LIBK, Be Here Now, Expect the Unexpected

Night Exploration @ Whatcom Falls Park: 12-3-16

"To go in the dark with a light is to know the light. 
To know the dark, go dark. Go without sight. 
And find that the dark too blooms and sings, 
And is traveled by dark feet and dark wings."

Indeed, we discovered some of the magic and mystery of both the turning time of twilight and the dark after dusk, by exploring sans light but with the support of one another. 

Rather than share the customary narrative of our time together, we thought we'd give you a sneak peek into some of the behind-the-scenes work we do to prep for our outing days. We always spend thoughtful time crafting a place-based curriculum for each outing. While we do print and bring these outing plans, we operate on the 50/50 principle: part of the outing honors the plan, and part of it always honors the teachable moments and girl-led explorations. Sometimes the ratio is 80/20, other times 10/90. Being fully present means being flexible and aware. So, without further ado, below was our plan for this outing. We followed much of it, and followed other in-the-moment learnings and inclinations for the rest. Perhaps it can be a starting point to conversations with your explorer!

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Materials to bring: headlamps - candle lantern - cups, cocoa, stove, pot - extra layers (fleece, rain jackets), objects for “Blindfold Caterpillar”, long rope

3:50-4:00 Girls arrive! Buddy up and do a be prepared check on one another.

Mentor 4:05-4:20 Arrival game: BAT & MOTH (bandanna)

4:20-5:00 Opening Circle

• Mentor - Reflections on last outing, Shelter Building? Tell LuLu about it

• Outing plan - We’ll be exploring along Whatcom Creek, setting out together to "know the dark" and discover its many gifts. We'll reflect on our dominant sense of sight and then prepare to activate other senses as we move together from dusk to dark, the sound of Whatcom's noisy waters always by our side.
  
  

• Mentor- Does anyone remember what “Whatcom” means?  The Place of Noisy Waters. The creek comes from Lake Whatcom, which originally was called The Tear of the Mountain.

• We are diurnal animals - we’re mostly active during the day. What senses and skills do you think diurnal animals need to be particularly strong to be active in the daylight? Sense of sight, hearing, camoflauge so not seen and eaten, speed… What other diurnal animals can you think of?

• Mentor-  What are some names for THIS time of day? Twilight, Dusk. Also called Crepusculur (Latin word for twilight).  It’s the turning time, the no longer and the not yet. Where else in life does this come into play, “crepuscular” times of life, when we’re straddling two worlds, time periods, experiences?Being on the cusp of childhood and adolescence, someone who is dying but not yet passed, straddling seasons (like right now, fall to winter), being engaged but not yet married, being in between when making a decision. Crepuscular also refers to the time just after dawn.

• Mentor - What are some crepuscular animals? Brainstorm! Skunks, fireflies, deer, dogs, cats, rabbits, jaguar, rats, tigers,  bear, moose, some bats, hamsters, bobcats. This is a safe time for them to be active, to either avoid their predators or to find their prey. Most big cats are crepuscular… why is that? They have vision that improves as it gets darker while their prey’s vision decreases.

The time of day an animal is active depends on a number of factors. Predators need to link their activities to times of day at which their prey is available, and victims try to avoid the times when their principal predators are at large. The temperature at midday may be too high or at night too low, so for many varied reasons, crepuscular activity may best meet their requirements by compromise. Some creatures may adjust their activities depending on local competition.

There’s a very smart reason for picking these dimly lit in-between hours to be active: crepuscular critters are avoiding predators. Many predators are most active at the peak hours of daylight and darkness, so animals like rabbits which are a prey species for countless carnivores, are active during twilight hours when predators are already tired from a night of hunting, or are just waking up. Plus, it’s tough to see during these hours, a fact that gives prey species an added edge in hiding from or escaping predators.

In hot areas, there’s another reason for crepuscular activity: it allows animals to be active when the temperature is most reasonable. Desert animals can escape the heat of midday and the chill of midnight by being active at dawn and dusk instead. And some species may shift from being nocturnal or diurnal to being crepuscular due to environmental factors such as competition with other species — for example, some owl species may be crepuscular to avoid competition with other raptor species — or disturbance from human activity.

• Mentor  Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the night. Examples of nocturnal animals? Owls, cats, ferrets, rodents. Nocturnal animals are usually more vulnerable to predation, so keeping active only during the night makes them somewhat "invisible"(mice). Nocturnal predators usually have a sensitive sight and/or do not rely on visible light to see(infrared vision). They can also have very well developed senses of smell and hearing.These animals are usually appropriate for pet owners who stay up late, and are ready to provide for them then. Usually you could only stay up late if you wake up late, which is quite a common trend. So a small number of these animals may prove to be surprisingly appropriate pets for some! (more info about different nocturnal animals at bottom of plan).

Mentor -  What skills and senses (adaptations - explain what this is) are strong in crepuscular and nocturnal animals? Excellent hearing (notice cat’s and deer’s big ears),  eyes more sensitive to light, sense of smell (rat has the best smell of any animal, except the African elephant. Rats possess 1,207 olfactory receptors, whereas dogs, often employed as scent trackers, have only 811)

• While we can’t take on those senses in one night, adapting ourselves with the skills of jaguar, bat, owl, we can learn to be comfortable in the night, even though our dominant sense is dimmed. Vision is just one way of knowing - dimming it opens up to other ways of knowing.

Take a stand up break from discussion and play the ADAPTATION GAME using nocturna/crepuscular animals (if it’s too dark at this point, play this next time or go to an area with more light and play it)

REGROUP and finish council:

Mentor Stretch Your Edge. Because we’re losing/dimming our dominant sense by exploring at night, it might bring up some edges that you didn’t know that you had. We will work through them together and as a group…

Mentor  Briefly explain Comfort Zone - Challenge/Growth  Zone - Panic Zone using concentric circles with ropes, backpack, or on paper. Best to do it on the ground so kids can step into each zone when mentor gives examples. Eg. “Place your foot in the zone that is a match for you with this scenario”: 1. Backpacking overnight (most feet go in comfort zone), 2. Backpacking for 10 days (some stay in Comfort Zone, most move to Growth Zone, others to Panic), 3. Backpacking for 4 months. Mentor can go on with many examples, eg picking your nose, getting on an airplane, exploring at night in the pouring rain, dissecting a frog, building a house, etc… etc…

ASK: How can we support each other moving into Challenge Zone? How can we LIBK if our edge is stretched too far (or we want to stretch it more)?

What are the risks of hiking at night? How can we lessen those risks? Buddies. LIBK. S.T.O.P Risk Assessments. Helping maintain body safety and heart safety. Use owl eyes. Howl if separated from group! Mentors: keep group close together

Before we go: Engage in a short discussion about introverted/extroverted tendencies and the space that gets filled by Raven voices, and how the Deer Ears in the group need an open space in order to step into it. Remind to consciously leave that space open - respecting the pause; in some case, Ravens may wish to use their voices to invite Deer Ears into that pause to contribute. Also mention Wolf Communicators, those who straddle between Ravens and Deer.

EXPLORE 5:00-7:40

Participant-led exploration along the creek trails - let’s see what emerges!

-As dusk becomes dark, stop and read:

* To Know The Dark (W. Berry) Read with feeling

“To go in the dark with a light is to know the light.

To know the dark, go dark. Go without sight,

and find that the dark, too, blooms and sings,

and is traveled by dark feet and dark wings.”

*What does this poem mean to you?

*Why are we not using lights tonight? What do you see in the dark when you travel with light? How does it affect your night vision (experiment with this)? When we let our eyes adjust to darkness, we can actually see better, more comprehensively!

- Dinner Find a sweet spot for this. Use candle instead of headlamps.

• Explain why pirates wear patches: http://mentalfloss.com/article/52493/why-did-pirates-wear-eye-patches

• Consider reading the Wolf’s Eyelash. Tie this into inner wisdom, & motto Let That Quiet Voice Inside Be Your Guide. http://goldenillustration.deviantart.com/journal/also-The-Wolf-s-Eyelash-by-C-P-Estes-227709608

POSSIBLE ACTIVITIES

Facilitate 3 activities where sight will be taken:

1. Trust walk with mentors using a rope. Allow time for them to experience w/o sight the way of the creek
2. Trust walk split group, “Blindfolded Caterpillar” (sit group in circle with bandanas & pass nature/non nature sensory items around circle, about 10 items)
3. Buddy Trust walks

GAMES - Sleeping Miser / Firestalk / Silent Drum Stalk (if we find an appropriate spot)

Peaceful Place by creek (15-20 minutes + debrief by candlelight)

7:00-7:15ish Walk back to starting point

7:20-7:50 PM Closing Circle need about 25 minutes for Closing Circle this last day of season

How has it felt to be without your most dominant sense? What lessons has nature and the darkness taught you that you’ll take home with you tonight?

Revisit Comfort Zone - Challenge/Growth  Zone - Panic Zone and ask them to show which zone they were in before the outing, imagining the outing and night exploring, and which zone they’re in now about night exploring.

Web of Life Activity (Everyone standing).
Today, we’re going to appreciate all the aspects of Nature we connected to this spring through our EC Motto: All Things Are Connected (explain this motto a bit, and the web of life – everything is connected to everything else. So everything we do affects other things).

Remember outings this season (for each outing BRAINSTORM on everything we’ve connected to, directly or indirectly. Everyone pick one thing – different from others - that we connected to this season (again, you don’t have to have had a direct experience w/ it to have connected to it). Have girls go around in a circle and say what they are.

Leader holds ball of string and passes it to someone else and speaks of their connection. Following girls say what they are, and pass it to the next person, who says what she is and that she’s connected to the thing before, eg “I’m alder and I’m connected to salmon”. On it goes, till later girls are saying everything before, eg “I’m nettle and I’m connected to banana slug, rose hip, water, deer, fir tree, salmon, alder.” Last person (who also started) names all the things she’s connected to.  String, criss-crossing, makes the Web Of Life.

Point out that when one thing is affected in this web, all other things are affected, and that humans have a particularly strong affect on the web (due to their adaptations of complex brain and opposable thumbs!). GEC is a big project about strengthening the web (everyone can pull on their part, making the web stronger), but some human actions and choices can really weaken the web (make all parts of the web weak and limp). Suggest that each girl keep one hand on the web while putting the other on the shoulder of the girl next to them. We're also about strengthening the web of connection between each other, practicing collaborative decision making, respectful communication, and building a circle of trust. Again, what GEC motto does all of this reflect? All Things Are Connected

* Words of the Day? Knowing the Dark, Welcoming the Water

- Aimee

Service at Woodstock Farm: 11.19.16

Four GEC groups contributed joyful purpose to our shared service day, taking pride in our new role as caretakers of Woodstock Farm.

At our gathering meeting, we learned about the history of this place and the role of generosity and forward conservationist thinking that led to its preservation. Thanks to Cyrus Gates, his family home and land has been gifted to Whatcom County for all to enjoy - Mr. Gates also had a strong hand in protecting Larrabee State Park, Arroyo and Fairhaven Parks, Sehome Arboretum, and the Mt. Baker Bulb Farm (since turned into Bellis Faire Mall due to a legal loophole).

We brainstormed on who the users of the park are: humans, yes, but also raven, salmon, chipmunk, raccoon, weasel, mouse, heron, slug and so much more. We talked about why a park needs caretakers for all these stakeholders, and what occurs without people lending a hand to manage trails and terrain. Since our gathering area was adjacent to a stand of alders, thimbleberry and salmonberry, overrun by invasive blackberry, the girls quickly understood how invasive species take over native ones rather quickly.
Then we were off on a very short trip by bus to our destination just up the road. The next few hours were spend collaborating in purposeful work, removing invasives with care and attention, singing and talking while we worked.

At one point in the day about 50 of us were spread out across a section of trail; pulling, digging, laughing and chatting. What a fun thing to witness!

If you have not been to Woodstock Farm, take the time for a short visit.  The old homestead is owned by the city of Bellingham.  It is a beautiful site and you can wander around, take in the views south across Chuckanut Bay, or explore the grounds.  Wild Whatcom has been partnering with Bellingham Parks and Rec for many years, engaging in service alongside other volunteers from our community.  This season marks the first season for the GEC in having a permanent site, adopted by us with the purpose of providing unlimited opportunities for stewardship.  Our first project has been to clean up a trail leading south from the top parking area.

Our groups included middle schoolers through fourth graders, so it was an opportunity not only to work, but interact with older girls.  Some of the older girls stepped up to lead and work alongside the younger gals.

The Dragonflies are such a hard working bunch and it is joyful to watch.  There was also a definite pull to waving at cars as they zoomed past on Chuckanut Drive.  Many would honk and this gave the girls a burst of energy.  I think we should have posted a sign declaring that we were all there doing volunteer trail work...then the honks would have been in true encouragement of that service.   Maybe that's what people sensed.

Thank you for the strong sense of connection and commitment to GEC and to doing service that you have instilled in your girls.

I have no more photos to share unfortunately.  I love service days because I love physical work...so I had a hori hori in my hand the entire time!  - Rebecca 

Shelter Building in the 100 Acre Wood: 11-18-16

Welcome to "The Magpie Motel"! Around the corner you'll find "Fort Sticky Stick," "Pile O' Leaves" and down yonder lies "The Fox Den". an unnamed but well-constructed dwelling.  A new subdivision has been developed in Fairhaven, using sustainable "green" construction methods and materials. No, these state of the art residences are not for sale, BUT! they are open for viewing in the Hundred Acre Woods. The talented architects and construction crew? The Dragonflies!

We began our day in opening circle discussing the realities of wilderness survival, reviewing the Survival Rule of Fours (ask your daughter what the four survival priorities are and in what order... and ask her why deep breathing is so important in a survival situation). On this day we focused on the survival priority of shelter, learning how imperative a properly insulating shelter is for surviving even a single night in the woods. We discussed the many ways and reasons one can become cold: conduction, evaporation, convection, and radiation (see if your gal remembers and can explain these four types of heat transfer). 

Our first focus was to put on shelter eyes, traveling up the trail and seeking nooks and crannies that could be or become a shelter for different sizes and types of animals. After a snack and shelter story from Tom Brown, we took a cue from the squirrels, who build nests with sticks and insulate them with leaves, and let their designs inspire our own natural shelters, which were built in the classic "debris hut" style. Our community dwellings sprung up from the forest floor, and within a few hours we had four deluxe shelters! On this super cold day, building shelters kept us warm, and that was a big bonus.  With the bit of time remaining, we took a home tour of each shelter, assessing each on their ability to withstand wind and rain, retain body heat, and remain safe from any nearby blowdowns. 

Finally, we engaged in a group challenge activity that utilized teamwork and a "We, Not Just Me" attitude. It was lovely to see the Dragonflies really work together, letting all voices be heard (and they came up with a way to solve this puzzle that no group before them had thought of!). 

Next time you take a walk through the Hundred Acre Woods, see if your own "shelter-seeking eyes" can detect these artfully constructed debris huts- they are truly impressive, and almost invite one in to spend the night...

Our words of the day? Go Ask the Squirrels!

You may view the slideshow from our day here. 

EC MOTTOS that came into play today: Many Hands Make Light Work, All Things Are Connected, LIBK, Be Prepared, Get Dirty! Leave No Trace

Exploration to Cherry Point 9-25-16

The Dragonflies' first outing of the season was full to the brim with connection, learning, and exploration.  As girls arrived, we studied various objects placed on a bandanna: a shell, heron feather, bottle of seawater, litter, water bottle, jacket, picture of a cruise ship, stuffed toy otter, and tried to figure out how all of these things were connected.  The girls were quick to catch on- all of these things compete for the resources of the ocean ecosystem, whether that be for transportation, survival, as a garbage and sewage repository, for views, or for home.  With those connections and impacts in mind,  we hopped on the borrowed bus, 'Tom the Beluga' (thanks Explorations Academy!), and headed north for a day on the shores of Cherry Point, a spot that could provide us with some answers... and some more questions... and mostly an example of how the questions and answers exist more in the grey areas than in the black and white.  

Our goal for the day was to understand the story of Cherry Point in a deeper way through exploration and discussion.  This expansive bay is home to herring, red tailed hawks, sea stars, crabs, gulls, and salmon, and is also the proposed site of the Gateway Pacific Terminal.  Here are some highlights from our sunny day on this beach that feels the tug and pull of many users:

• Getting stuck on a forested road en route to Cherry Point by a looong train pulling many cars full of oil, coal, grain, and other resources.  Good thing there wasn't anyone behind us, and we could back Tom the Beluga all the way up to the main road! 

• Exploring and playing all along the beach.  The group Collaborated and Compromised to decide how they'd like to spend the day.  A few girls wandered down the beach with Stormie, and came back with stories of blackberry face painting, stone identifying, and what you can learn from nature when you listen.  The rest of the group set up base camp with Lauren, played many games, went swimming, and refreshed their carving skills.  Throughout this time of exploration and play, the girls found deep connection with what exists presently at Cherry Point. By connecting with a place through imaginative play, the Swallowtails created a lasting bond with this special place that has been slated for some dramatic change. 

  

  Playing a favorite DF teambuilding game: Ants on a Log

• Revisiting the Earth Skill of Carving.  We brought the chopsticks and other carving projects that the girls started way back in the Spring, as well as the Chuckanut sandstone the girls had gathered from Clayton Beach.  This is a skill that can always be practiced- all you need is a sharp locking knife, a piece of wood, and some time and space to focus on your handiwork.  Safety First!

• Discussing the impacts of coal and the realities of our coal usage.  As we ate lunch, we discussed coal: what is it (plants in a changed form), why do humans want it (energy!), what journey does it take from the ground to the Puget Sound and Salish Sea. What role does Cherry Point play in the coal drama? As we sat with the weight of all we had seen and learned about the past, present and future of Cherry Point, we came to the empowering realization that change, though it can be a mixture of many feelings (including mad and sad), is something that we each can play an active role in and help direct. In EC we work to Build Bridges Not Walls, and this means finding peaceful and meaningful ways to live out personal truth through our actions. This looks different for each person, and we brainstormed concrete ways for each of us to Be Part of the Solution in meeting both nature's needs and human needs and desires. We discussed ways to minimize our impact through present-free birthday parties, donations to charitable organizations, or reducing the amount of plastic "stuff" we buy and do not need (reduce, reuse, recycle, and refuse).  

  

  The beautiful Sea Witches of Cherry Point!

• Acting out the Web of Life present at Cherry Point!  We became the plant life (over 161 species at CP), the micro-organisms and macro-invertebrates, the herring and smelt, grebes, eagles, salmon, orca, and humans. This improvisational skit prompted us to muddle through and discuss the gray areas of the local environmental drama surrounding this beautiful stretch of beach, as we contemplated the connections between the clothes on our backs, the iPhones in our pockets, the coal in the train cars, the plans for changing the beach at Cherry Point to a shipping terminal, the herring in the bay, the eel grass they swim in, the nearby oil refinery and aluminum smelter, runoff from farms and homes upstream, the eagles and orcas' needs, and more. 

Chipmunk (as a herring) feeling
the effects human usage at Cherry Point

• Connecting with the other-than-human communities even deeper with a game of "Oh Herring!"  The Dragonflies met this critical thinking exercise with curiosity, passion, empathy, playfulness, and grace.

• Gazing out at the gulls feeding, watching a family go crabbing, imagining the herring swimming beneath the sea's surface, feeling the sun on our face, the wind on our cheeks, and taking in the vibrant, diverse beauty of Cherry Point during a long Peaceful Place.  

  

  Madrone sharing a poem
  she wrote during Peaceful Place

All in all it was a day full of exploration, discovery, connection, contemplation, and joyful sunshine-soaking with this wonderful group of girls (who are bonding more and more), and those sentiments were summed up by all in our closing Circle of Thanks. Laughter and songs rang out of the bus windows as we drove back to Bellingham – another day lived fully, beautifully and with purpose in the company of inspiration and connection-making. 

Check out our photos from the day here!

EC Mottos that came into play today: All Things Are Connected, Safety First, You See it You Own It, Leave No Trace, Widen the Circle, Build Bridges Not Walls, Collaborate and Compromise, LIBK, Connect and Protect.