It wasn’t raining too hard when the Red-tailed Eyas met at Fairhaven Park to get familiar again with the Art of Carving. But, it got wetter as the day progressed. Fortunately, we practiced carving safely and there weren’t any cut or slashed articles of clothing. Great focus, Explorers!
We gathered under the maple tree next to the basketball court, sheltered from the rain, and met some new members of the community. In meeting the Red-tailed Eyas for the first time, Greg was really excited to share some knife skills and stories. We also welcomed Kael and Nico to the group for their first Fall season outing.
Explorers dropped packs in a circle towards the back of the field to create the Coliseum in which we played Squirrel Tag. It was a slippery arena, but dogs chased squirrels and trees transformed into running boys as we got out some energy early in the day.
While heading into the woods to take shelter from the sprinkling, Explorers found an animal scat with bones in it. Skillfully, Greg opened the evidence to help us examine what had been for dinner and who ate the meal. As we were on the brink of asking the right questions to figure out the mystery, boys got distracted by a squirrel or something and the moment vanished. It’s great being an Explorer and a Mentor!
Nico and Kael were given a crash course on safety rules of Boys Explorers Club, including introductions to the group jobs, the Crow Call, and our popular game,Hide. As Dave walked to his car to get some carving wood and tools, the boys (along with Greg) disappeared into the forest. He returned to a vacant area that had once teemed with Exploring energy. Then this wily mentor tracked the small footprints in the mud until they simply stopped… and led to a trail and a huge Thuja plicata.
Red-tailed Eyas were scattered in and among various Sword Fern thickets, Snowberry bushes, and Red Alder branches. Eventually they came out, we celebrated their stealth skills, and our focused work began. Mentors reviewed knife safety and boys chimed in some considerations they learned last year.
Explorers created appropriate blood circles to make sure they wouldn’t hurt anyone else. If you aren't sure what a blood circle is, pelase ask your Explorer to explain. Everyone respectfully used their blades. In fact, for a good ten minutes, every single one of us was carving, asking questions, or learning new techniques. Well done! Carving is a skill that will help us along the earth skills journey; carving spindles and knotches for fireboards, for example, will allow us to create fire by friction in a couple of years.
By this point, our old cedar had protected us from strong winds and stronger rain. It looked almost as if we were in a different ecosystem than the alder thicket not 30 feet away. There was a deluge away from us and only drops hitting our heads while carving.
At any rate, it was time to put the carving aside for a game of Cougar Stalks Deer. Ask your Explorer who the deer was in each of the two rounds. What do they remember while chasing and then hunting after the deer? Where did they find the deer? Who was cold after that game?
We ended the day following our motto, Attitude of Gratitude, sharing apples, and giving thanks during closing meeting. Explorers even managed to sneak in a last game of Hide before slipping and sliding their way down the hill towards the parking lot.
Explorers-well done today! You did a great job carving. We encourage you to practice at home with your parents' oversight. You are off to creative carving careers, but you have much practice to do. Parents-thank you for supporting your boys in the process. We appreciate your support of the Boys Explorers Club and look forward to connecting with you at the next outing.
Please look at the photo gallery to see more pictures from the outing. The next outing for the Red-Tailed Eyas is an early start on October 19th, as they face the tide during the Larrabee Traverse!
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