We hid the 4H Trail Blazers geocache that has a letterbox stamp in it. The listing just went live so if you head to the trails today, you could be the first one to find it! If you don't have a GPS, just go to the "Additional Hints" section of the listing page and "decrypt" the message (the system does it for you - no hard thinking here ;-) to get directions to the box.
Robotbunnies Back in Action
Or you could make your own trail in the backyard using Girl Scout trail signs for your mom to follow.
End of trail sign with a ball 'prize' at the end.
This was a great activity suggestion from the Junior Girl Scouts Badge Book that the Webkinz bunny enjoyed too.
My family spent the last two days at Wolfe's Neck Farm with the 4-H Trail Blazers mapping the trail system there.
The Trail Blazers were originally supposed to map the trails at the farm and mark the trail's features using GPS/GIS technology but with the serious Nor'Easter we just had, the group was also asked to mark the coordinates of the storm damage locations. And boy were there a lot of fallen trees there!
The kids were up for the challenge and by the end of the second day, they had walked the entire trail system multiple times and marked all the coordinates needed not only for the new trail map and a new addition to the trail system but also all the storm damage.
An adult trail crew will be at the farm this weekend and is planning to use the kids' data to actually do the storm damage removal work.
Of course the group took lots of pictures - and video - of our time at the farm.
Not all the 4-Hers knew each other so they played a quick icebreaker to learn everyone's names. When it was L.'s turn to say her name and share her favorite ice cream, she couldn't think of a flavor and decided that 'everything' would be her answer.
The kids played a couple of games to practice marking waypoints with the GPS units before the group set out onto the trail. That was key knowledge for the mapping project.
The group was also given a quick overview of the trails by Mitch, the Farm's manager, so they could ask questions about how to prioritize storm damage they found and the type of features the farm wanted them to mark for the final map.
L. was her usual self with needing to bring along some random items. At least she only brought one Webkinz to the farm, instead of three she took on our Georgetown hike).
Each set of partners was given a GPS unit to mark coordinates of either a feature (bridge, signs, outdoor classrooms, etc.) or storm damage (fallen trees mostly) and a clipboard to write down those coordinates along with a physical description of the feature/damage. Then the groups split up to work on different parts of the trail.
4-H Trail Blazers work
While clearing away branches and brush from the trail, L. collected supplies to make a fairy house. She simply can't resist any opportunity to make one.
In Falmouth, state conservation officials said the hiking trail on Mackworth Island has been closed indefinitely because of damage from heavy rain and winds that reached the speeds of a Category 1 hurricane. There also were washouts on the causeway that connects the island to the mainland. Access to the island, which is home to the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, is being restricted.
But even with the job the kids had to do, they still found time to have some extra fun too.
L. taking a break with her dad and acting silly.
Lichen Lincoln
Balancing on logs
Acorn whistles
Work and Fun
AN EXCITING DISCOVERY
One of the kids spotted a musket bullet in a splintered fallen tree and after more investigating, we found several others. That was the talk of the day!
Finding musket bullets in tree
And of course L. was in her glory in the mud. There were a lot of washed out areas along the new long trail we were mapping the second day. And it was great that all the kids had a good sense of humor about being so muddy. We all were certainly wearing plenty by the time we returned to the trailhead.
Plenty of mud and snow
The 4-H Trail Blazers ranged in age from 10-16 years old.
This morning as we walked out our front door, we found a moose in our yard. I grabbed the camera after gawking for a minute but by then it was on the move again and crossing the street.
You would have thought we saw the Easter Bunny by how excited the girls were about the moose sighting (we've seen moose but never seen one in our own yard).
We haven't had power since Sunday night and yesterday the girls and I spent the day knitting (they're really into that right now) and catching up on some house cleaning and organizing. One day without power isn't so bad. It feels like a free day and those are few and far between for us.
Two days without power starts to get old ... and smelly. We had lunch and showers at our friend's house today and then spent some time at the library checking email and reading.
The quote of the day yesterday was from L. as we were washing dishes in cold, rain water (Fino decided to make spaghetti with sauce on the camp stove - nice idea and very tasty but he really didn't consider the clean-up issue).
"Hey mom, this is like living in the Colonial times huh?"
Yeah, but they didn't know what they were missing.
We do.
Today I stopped at the store for paper plates; it was worth every penny.
If you're a Harry Potter fan, then you're going to have a lot to do this July. The much-anticipated final book in the series, Deathly Hallows, will be released on July 21. And the latest movie, Order of the Phoenix will be in theaters on July 13.
As a way to celebrate the final book's release, a Portland group will be hosting it's own "MuggleFest" in the converted warehouses of The Portland Company Complex on the East End. The tickets proceeds, which are $12 per adult or child, will benefit the Youth and Family Outreach program (so although not the cheapest event, it all goes to a good cause). It's a 12-hour event that sounds like it will have something for Potter fans of all ages.
This year L. had her chance to page at the State House with other 4-Hers like her sister did last year. The UMaine Cooperative Extension had some fun displays and give-aways at the State House that day and L. and a few other 4-Hers did some lobster racing.
Then L. and Fino tried the spruce gum and both had a serious gag reaction.
While I decided to stay with L., G. and Fino headed over to the Maine State Museum for the morning. She took a ton of photos of the gemstones on display and when I was downloading the photos from the camera I began to wonder if she saw anything else there.
In reality she took 24 photos of the gems, "not THAT many mom!"
