Outing to North Lake Whatcom: 9/26/15

We gathered at the pedestrian and dog friendly entrance to the N. Lake Whatcom Park with playful hearts ready to go exploring! With grey clouds promising rain, many of our SeaStars arrived prepared for a five hour outing in fair weather, not necessarily the conditions at hand. Hannah suited us up from her cadre of raingear, and we began our journey...

Before we set out, we gathered leaves of all colors and crafted a circle cycle of life. We reflected on its mysterious winding path and discussed how each color represents the seasons of the year and the seasons of our life. Looking around at the green emerging from the decaying woods, we understood that fall and winter, death and decay, have their place. And that we too are part of this circle cycle.

This ended up being a great reference tool for our day, asking the girls “So, where does this tree fit into our circle of life?” etc. We talked about humans/animals/things we had known that had died before finishing the wheel. Death as a part of life, a necessary stage to support and nourish new life. This message emerged repeatedly in the forest around us in the form of the decomposers role. We found it echoed in the fungus, slug love and the function of nurse logs (via interpretive dance). Do ask your Sea Star about "Cubicle Butt Rot" and it's job in the forest to turn trees into dirt!

It might have taken us half the day to find a good sheltered place to eat snack as it was still chilly and drizzly. After a leisurely munch and chatting session, these girls initiated and negotiated their own version of Contagion Tag. So that warmed them up! The mentors stood amazed by the squeals and peals of laughter as these girls widened their circles with a raucous play time. It was lovely.

We played on the shores of Lake Whatcom for the remainder of our day, building cairns, exploring the beach and half submerged logs and getting quite happily wet, as the weather warmed. We gathered for a moment to explore a couple wild animal skulls and pelts and discussed the special adaptations these animals have to survive and thrive. We used that theme of what makes one special as a segue into a quiet peaceful place, spreading out to enjoy some reflective time by the lake. 

Heading back toward the trailhead (five hours flew by!), we thanked the lake for its many gifts: beauty, peace, sunlight, and the source of life itself for all of us by providing all the water for our households' use. 

Mottos especially in use today: Widen the Circle, Be Prepared, Collaborate and Compromise, and Stretch Your Edge

Want more photos from the outing? Check out our photo album here!

Words of the day? “Lake Whatcom, pelts, dirt and dead things!