Last week, Camille went to Nature Nuts day camp at Kickapoo Valley Reserve. She spent 5 1/2 hours each day hiking, making a nature journal, learning how to make fire with a bow drill, making cordage from wood nettles, identifying edible plants, making primitive traps, canoeing, playing team games, tracking animals, building a shelter, and splashing in the river. To say that she loved it would be an understatement! Here are a few photos off of her camera:
working the bow drill
cooking wild rice with milkweed and nettle leaves
cracking hickory and black walnuts with stones
making cordage from wood nettle fiber
On some of the days that Camille was at camp, Sylvia, Ayla, and I explored the reserve on our own. We had a cold snap and had to bundle up in woolen hoodies (in July)!
milkweed
false sunflower and bee balm
swamp milkweed
at the pond
at her own pace
jewelweed
(the juicy stems are fantastic for rubbing on nettle or poison ivy rashes)
covered footbridge
Sylvia took a pic of me carrying Ayla when her legs were tired.
li'l toads
damselfly
We brought our picnic lunch to the skatepark after several hours of hiking.
At the end of Tuesday's camp, Sylvia took pics of her sister playing field games.
After 5 1/2 hours of hiking, picnicking, and skating, they still had energy to hike (for 3 hours!) at Wildcat Mountain State Park. This is apparently our summer of go-go-go!
at one of the observation points
tiger lily and chickweed
fungus along the Hemlock Nature Trail
at the top of Mount Pisgah after a serious climb UP
perfect place for a breather
I am so thankful for these long summer days with these amazing beings, and very grateful to my husband for supporting our nature-lovin', peaceful parenting, unschooling lifestyle. Without him, our lives wouldn't be as sweet, secure, or sparkly!
What energy and what wonderful times! Why is it you all aren't sweating in all of these pictures? :)
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