Branch Hoppers gathered for a sopping wet November service day this Saturday. Connelly Creek was rushing three feet higher than usual, the clouds were moving fast, the temperature had dropped, and all our rain gear was fully donned. A great blue heron flew back and forth over us as we circled up for an opening meeting and considered our missions for the day. We were here for service, and we were here as a group of full on Explorers. Explorers come out in all weather. The land is in need of service in all conditions. Wet and cold weather challenges can be fun and empowering if we respond to them intelligently and courageously. We checked in with each Explorer and made sure that we had all come prepared. Then we gathered up our tools and made our way to our service site.
Our EMA, Marcus, was a part of the Four Shields group to come up
with a service plan for this area. That was more than a year ago, and the land has dramatically transformed since. Marcus showed the boys some of the tools that we use with the oldest group and explained what kind of skills they would need in order to use them. We followed him to some blackberries and took a good look at the plant. We assessed the area, then decided what the best tactic would be for the tools that we had and the work that needed to be done.
with a service plan for this area. That was more than a year ago, and the land has dramatically transformed since. Marcus showed the boys some of the tools that we use with the oldest group and explained what kind of skills they would need in order to use them. We followed him to some blackberries and took a good look at the plant. We assessed the area, then decided what the best tactic would be for the tools that we had and the work that needed to be done.
But before we dove into the work it was necessary to make sure that everyone started with a good core body temperature. That meant a lot of running around was in order! We played a few games that got us huffing and puffing and red in the face. Then we reconvened and 
figured out an organized way to dig into our service work. Some boys chose the shovels and some chose the loppers. Two stations were designated for the respective tasks, and we began. Shovelers were quick to discover some interesting materials underground. Trash, Blackberry roots, old tools, and a full on skeleton! (Explorers last year found the front end of a car!!!) We took a look at the skull, and considered what a skull teaches us about the animal. Explorers might remember what we decided this animal’s dominant senses were and how we could tell that from the skull. Perhaps he will remember what animal we guessed that it was.
figured out an organized way to dig into our service work. Some boys chose the shovels and some chose the loppers. Two stations were designated for the respective tasks, and we began. Shovelers were quick to discover some interesting materials underground. Trash, Blackberry roots, old tools, and a full on skeleton! (Explorers last year found the front end of a car!!!) We took a look at the skull, and considered what a skull teaches us about the animal. Explorers might remember what we decided this animal’s dominant senses were and how we could tell that from the skull. Perhaps he will remember what animal we guessed that it was.
Nearby, other Explorers along with Marcus were carving deep tunnels
into the blackberry and reed canary grass. Big advancements were made and it was clear that everyone was doing some real work. Marcus had shifted over to a spot where the blackberries stood nearly 15 feet tall and was making some good headway when he lost his machete in the brambles. This became a moment for a great team effort. Find Marcus's tool! Explorers came together and made quick work of the thick blackberry bramble that happened to be smothering out a young red alder. We recognized that this was a great moment to do some double service and help the landscape as we helped Marcus. When the tool was finally recovered, we recognize that we had done a considerable amount of work
overall.
into the blackberry and reed canary grass. Big advancements were made and it was clear that everyone was doing some real work. Marcus had shifted over to a spot where the blackberries stood nearly 15 feet tall and was making some good headway when he lost his machete in the brambles. This became a moment for a great team effort. Find Marcus's tool! Explorers came together and made quick work of the thick blackberry bramble that happened to be smothering out a young red alder. We recognized that this was a great moment to do some double service and help the landscape as we helped Marcus. When the tool was finally recovered, we recognize that we had done a considerable amount of workoverall.
Simultaneously, it became apparent that the most important job we had before us was to make sure that our body temperatures stayed up. A few explorers were getting chilly, and one was quite cold. Throughout the day we had made sure to drink hot beverages, to wear our hats, and to think about how to stay dressed in appropriate layers. But these lessons really take hold when one is out in the elements. There is no finer teacher in the landscape itself. So, feeling the cold in our bones, and recognizing that we had done good work, it was time to get that body heat up again.
We drank more hot things and then started out on some animal forms. We ran back and forth in different animal styles with increasing
challenges. We crawled and hopped and ran and waddled as fast as we could. That got us huffing and puffing. Then some big open space running games were in order. Deer Oh Deer and Capture the Flag left us feeling perky and warm. Boys all learned quite a bit more about how to navigate wet conditions and how to harness their own internal heat. The land was graced with some very helpful work, and we all ended up in good spirits at the end. This was a fantastic day, especially for the Branch Hoppers Explorers. They are ready for challenges like this, and it is wonderful to see how brilliantly they rise to the occasion. Great job, all you Explorers! Thanks so much, parents, for your enduring support! Thank you to that wonderful land and to the salmon who are finally making their way up the creek after so many decades.
challenges. We crawled and hopped and ran and waddled as fast as we could. That got us huffing and puffing. Then some big open space running games were in order. Deer Oh Deer and Capture the Flag left us feeling perky and warm. Boys all learned quite a bit more about how to navigate wet conditions and how to harness their own internal heat. The land was graced with some very helpful work, and we all ended up in good spirits at the end. This was a fantastic day, especially for the Branch Hoppers Explorers. They are ready for challenges like this, and it is wonderful to see how brilliantly they rise to the occasion. Great job, all you Explorers! Thanks so much, parents, for your enduring support! Thank you to that wonderful land and to the salmon who are finally making their way up the creek after so many decades.
Don't forget to check out pics from our outing in her photo gallery.
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