ENC Winter Camp Day Three: Fire & Flowers

What a pleasant place to be creative.



The squirrel in the palm tree kept us quite amused. Looks like he's eating the palm leaf buds?



Dan shows the Earth Explorers how to make the center of their flowers have the texture of seeds by doing rubbings.




Mark demonstrated how to build a fire, then the Native Skills kids built one on their own!



Mark demonstrated how to start a fire using a bow drill. Here is the video!

And here is a video of Mark starting the fire with the coal he made using the bow drill.



This is what your kindling should feel like - sort of like hair.



Enjoying the fruits of our efforts!



Meanwhile the Earth Explorers glue the petals on their flowers!

Winter Camp Day 2: Butterflies and Bare Feet

Mark and the Native Skills kids practiced their "ninja walk" on the grass field at Newport Harbor High next door.





Sometimes it's good just to flop down on some grass! The campers LOVE our Junior Naturalists!



The Native Skills kids constructed a nifty shelter!



The Earth Explorers learned butterfly anatomy, discovered the connection between pollinators and flowers, and made a cute butterfly craft.

ENC Winter Camps

After a break in the rain, the kids took to the trails to Explore the Earth!



Mushrooms love the rain, and so do we!



This phoebe rests in between bites of (gnats) to eat.



Along the trail we saw the claw of a crayfish by the stream!



Back inside we made snowpeople out of TP rolls and egg cartons. Recycling is FUN!



In Native Skills we learned how to find water. Mark shows campers how to harvest rainwater from a puddle using a t-shirt. You also have to boil it and let the sediment settle, of course!



A depression in stone is another good place to find water. Mark shows campers how to harvest dew that has accumulated on a plant.



The campers learned how to collect water from the stream using a t-shirt.




The kids probably enjoyed "hide and seek" the most. Here they are at the far end of the Nature Center. I'm guessing they'll dress in camouflage tomorrow!

Celebrating Platinum!

Yoga in the Green