Red-Tailed Eyas Revisit the Art of Carving in Fairhaven Park

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!

Exploring Arroyo Park with the Red-Tailed Eyas

With snow having fallen the day before the outing, Red Tail Eyas reached the Arroyo Park trailhead prepared for any of the crazy weather that Spring was ready to dish out. They embraced the rain and were ready for a day of activities and connection.

Unfortunately, Mentors didn’t have the E.C. camera, so the pictures for this outing and blog posting are rather limited and not the best quality… please excuse us! Fortunately, however, the precipitation let up with every passing minute and only twenty minutes into our exploration, we were basking in sunshine! You know what it feels like.

Matt put us to the test immediately and engaged our observation skills. He picked out a blooming salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) and asked us a series of questions about the plant and its neighbors. It was a great way to sharpen our naturalist skills!

Leo eventually caught up with us and we had opening meeting down by the creek. Dave told the story of the Red-tailed Juvenile that Sam and his friends had found in Boulevard Park during spring break. He shared that it wasn’t a Red-tailed Hawk but actually a Peregrine Falcon, like Sam and his friends had said! That led our EMA, Kyler, from the Firestalkers, to share a story about an accipiter he saw in his yard last week and we discussed bird prey and predator strategies.

Explorers decided to use this new knowledge of raptors and hunting to create a game. It is still in the prototype version and remains nameless but it will take form in upcoming outings. Please ask your son if he remembers anything about accipiters or the “bird-killing birds.”

Our journey took us to the bridge at Arroyo Creek where we explored amphibian habitat. Though we didn’t find any slimy herps, we still had a chance to poke around in the forest and underneath logs. We even saw some young horses that quite obviously had never seen Explorers before!

Up the hill we went. We made it to the junction in the road and mentors warned us about the dangers in the area. One of the dangers had very sharp leaves and branches and goes by the common name of Devil’s Club (Oplopanax horridus). Despite the scary scientific and common names, this plant has very strong and beneficial medicine for us. As such, we are going to refer to it more affectionately by calling it, Medicine Club!

We took a water break but pressed upwards and onwards… to Cougar Rock! Please ask your Explorer why it is called Cougar Rock and what they did there! During that time, we practiced our motto, Stretch Your Edge through many different activities: climbing a huge slippery rock, learning how to spot our friends, being cougars and stalking Matt (who pretended to be a deer), and carving chopsticks and other items with our knives.

Red-Tailed Eyas then felt the time crunch as Mentors moved them downhill quickly towards “Grandpa Douglas Fir.” Fortunately, we still had precious moments for a Sit Spot and we all had a moment to commune with nature on our own. As important as our group outings are for building community, we also value strengthening individuals’ connections with the natural world.

Boys found many Trilliums (Trillium ovatum), as they were blooming in the understory. Please quiz your Explorer about this forest flower- he should know how many leaves and petals there are in addition to how long they take to grow before they bloom!

Though time had gotten away from us during this fun outing, we concluded with a Circle of Thanks, practicing our motto, Attitude of Gratitude. We’ll conclude this blog posting with the same motto:

Thank you Explorers for getting involved in so many different activities today. From game designing to carving and climbing, you really inspired us with your energy. Parents, thank you for your support of this program and the encouragement and love you give to the Explorers. It’s really enjoyable to spend our weekends together and watching them grow.

We look forward to seeing you at our next outing on May 12th from 12-4pm as the Red-Tailed Eyas deepen their stewardship ethic. We’ll return to Larrabee State Park and toil to keep the English Ivy at bay. Please look at the photo gallery for other pictures from this outing and sign up for summer camp if you haven’t already. See ya!

Art of Carving with the Red Tailed Eyas in Fairhaven Park

Sunny weather was nature’s way of saying that the Red-Tailed Eyas were prepared to begin their Earth Skills Journey along the Art of Carving. As such, the day focused on stories, attitudes, and practical knowledge about safe and focused knife usage.

We played a game to reacquaint ourselves with one another after a long winter and to meet a new member to the group. Saxen, welcome to the Red Tail Eyas!

Matt shared a powerful story about his teacher who taught him themotto, A Tool Is An Extension of the Body. Ask your Explorer for details about the story including what Matt was doing during his teacher’s demonstration!

That led us into practice using other tools as extensions of our arms. Stealthily, Red-Tailed Eyas were to use long poles to retrieve items in a forbidden area. All the while, the blindfolded guardian could point them out if he heard them approaching or trying to get an object.

Using these tools laid a strong foundation for how we should consider all tools. Explorers discussed a critical Explorer’s Club motto, The Difference Between a Tool and a Weapon is You, and recognize that their intention is very important when they decide how and when to use a tool like rocks, sticks, and knives.

Then, we marched through the mud to find a suitable carving place in the 100 Aker Woods. Sure enough we found the huge cedar tree which provided a nice sheltered area for us to learn about knife safety. Though Explorers were eager to start using their sharp tools, they stayed focused and patient enough to listen to the entirety of Dave and Matt’s lengthy explanation about knife safety. Great work guys!

We looked at different knives: some serrated and others straight blades; some with locking mechanisms and others without. Some knives had other gadgets besides blades for carving. Red-Tailed Eyas were introduced to various types of knives and each person showed the mentors that that he could safely open and close his knife.

Thus, the projects began! Some boys worked on close, short knife technique by making fuzzy sticks. Others went to the primal sensation of carving a pointy stick… and then double-pointed sticks! Some Explorers were inspired by the samples and went to work carefully crafting chopsticks and butter knives. Ask your Explorer what he was carving and see if he still has it to show you.

Other initial discussions included sanding our carved items. We felt the difference between rough and sanded items and then practiced sanding out wood with sandpaper and Chuckanut Sandstone. Explorers were empowered to know that they could find all of these carving and finishing materials in the environment.

Lastly, we learned that in carving is actually the preliminary skill for effective fire-making! We have to carve good spindles so that we can use a bow-drill. Moreover, any shavings and carving “leftovers” make for great kindling and fire-starting material.

No one cut himself during the outing which was both surprising and a welcome relief to the mentors and undoubtedly parents also. As Explorers practice at home and in the field, it is likely that they will cut themselves accidentally. We should all be prepared with the right first aid items accessible when boys inevitably learn about inattention with a blade in hand.

Explorers, thank you sincerely for your focused attention and diligent behavior during this skills outing. We mentors recognize that it can be grueling to sit and listen when you want to explore your tool but you are going to be better knife-wielders as a result of that lengthy preparation. Thanks to you parents for supporting this work and for encouraging your boy to safely use his knife. Your supervision is a vital extension of the skills we practice in Explorer’s Club.

Please look on the website for information about next outing on April 14th, from 12-5pm at Arroyo Park. You should also peruse the photo gallery for more pictures from this outing. And don’t forget, summer camp registration begins on April 8th. See you next month!