Many Explorers Club groups have visited the Stimpson Reserve ,and all have traveled remarkably short distances around the 3 mile loop, caught up as we usually are in our motto It’s About the Journey, not the Destination. When one walks with Explorers’ eyes, there is an incredible abundance to observe in just a short stretch of trail.
At our gathering circle, we recognized and applauded the conservation efforts of the state of Washington and the Stimpson family that resulted in giving these woods to nature (rather than to some other use, like condominiums or a strip mall). Then, we hit the trail and immediately began noticing signs of spring: the sticky buds of cottonwood (which we'll use in later seasons to make salve), nettle shoots, Indian plum blossoms, the beautiful tri-petaled flowers of Trillium (aka Wake Robin / Birthroot), the moose-like leaves of vanilla leaf, and the sounds of many different species of bird staking out their territories. We encountered nurse logs that told the story of death giving life, a few fungal friends, and trees that bore evidence of pileated woodpecker and red breasted sapsucker activity. We sleuthed out how the wetlands had been made (beavers!) and did a short activity that helped us understand how beavers are keystone species, affecting so many other species by their work creating new habitats.
Throughout the day we continually revisited our theme of navigation and orientation. How do we decide which way to go? What direction is North/South/East/West? We practiced using a compass to determine which direction we’re going, as well as talked about the value of natural landmarks to orient us. For example, around here Water means West! Baker means East! How can we use landmarks to help us? How can we listen to our "inner compass" and how can it guide us?
During lunch we discussed lost-proofing: ways to keep ourselves from getting lost. Aimee shared navigation stories wherein people made mistakes and the girls' task was to name what mistakes were made, such as going solo, not filing a trip report, leaving the group without a buddy, being overconfident in local knowledge, being without some of the ten essentials, not staying in place when lost, and more. These stories, while sometimes sad, are very instructive - they align with our motto Mistakes Are Teachers and Turn Problems Into Possibilities.
We returned to discussing the different ways we can use our awareness to orient ourselves on the land. One of the ways the aboriginal people of Australia used to do this was with Songlines, oral poetic “maps” that they believed were “footprints of the ancestors” (you can read more about Songlines here). After discussing the Songline concept, the girls split into two groups and set off in different directions to create their own poetic Songline descriptions to notate landmarks. In this way, each group made a Songlines “map” of the path they had taken to give to the other group to follow. After creating our directions, we gave these metaphors to the other group to follow. For example:
Walk through the house of Mr. and Mrs. Douglas (2 Douglas Fir trees)
Watch for medusa's hair (a root wad with its long spindly roots)
Shh... When you can hear the rain you can't feel (a stream), walk past the childbirth plant that blooms when the robin wakes (trillium)
The landscape came to life as we practiced this ancient form of orientation and mapping!
We also played an awareness game, with girls being suddenly asked to close their eyes, then quizzed on some aspect of nature around them, to check if we had noticed it in passing, if we were paying attention. These kinds of awareness games are integral to developing naturalist sensibilities.
Peaceful Place among moss-carpeted trees added a welcome stillness to the day. Afterwards, we brainstormed on ways that sitting still is a skill. Girls identified it as allowing us to hear that quiet voice inside (another motto: Let That Quiet Voice Inside Be Your Guide), to quiet our minds, to access our other senses, to notice key things, to allow nature to come alive around us.
Finally, we headed back down the trail, with a sort of trust walk, involving removing sight from one partner and using sounds to follow the other partner guide. We discussed ways people permanently without sight do this using echolocation. Wow!
Our closing circle led us to a rich conversation about how the Stimpson family protected this land so we could connect with it, and how we in turn can protect the earth so others may connect.
Our words of the day? Stimpson Reserve + Navigation Skills = Connect and Protect!
You may check out the slideshow from our day here.
Mottos especially in use today: Collaborate and Compromise, It’s About the Journey Not the Destination, Attitude of Gratitude, Connect and Protect, Turn Problems into Possibilities, Safety First, Be Prepared.
