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
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