Nature Neccesities

King of the Castle

As it is now (I'm sure) abundantly clear, one of our favourite family activities involves some good old fashioned nature exploration.  We strive for at least one extended outing a week, and, as I basically always bring my camera along, many such adventures end up on the blog.

Winter coat and sun hat - it must be early spring!

The wonderful thing about these outdoor excursions is that - so far, at least - we all love them.  We readily pack our little bags with whatever we (individually) deem most important, don our hiking clothes, and hit the trails with gusto and excitement when we get to our destination. There is very seldom any whining (despite often navigating some pretty rugged terrain), and a whole lot of enthusiasm and joy. 

Woods Sprite

This has been the norm for long enough that I almost (ALMOST) take it for granted.  But it is good to stop and remember every once in awhile why it is such a successful shared activity.  There is no grand list, mind you,  but I can at least take yesterday's jaunt to Hemlock Ravine to demonstrate why IT was so much fun.

 1. The Surroundings

Mesmerizing tree "art"

The East Coast is an amazing mix of different landscapes.  There are stunning coastal scenes (such as the ones I posted last week from Peggy's Cove and Polly's Cove), and there are any number of different wooded treasures as well.  The very fact that there is so much variety to choose from makes it truly seem like every adventure is a new adventure.  Hemlock Ravine is no exception - it is the kind of truly magical forest that lends itself both to joyful exploration, and wild imaginings.  You could absolutely expect to run into some fairies if you were able to be still and patient for long enough. Also, everything changes and morphs with the seasons, making even the most familiar haunts seem new and exciting on a regular basis.

2. The Activities

There is very little that is planned or scripted when we set out for a hike, but it is fun to be able to discover at least one new skill, or learn something about the surroundings.  Sometimes this takes the form of identifying plants or animals (or scat); sometimes it involves journalling, and sometimes - like yesterday - it involves some basic survival/navigational techniques. Clark and I are both pretty familiar with Hemlock Ravine, due in large part to the fact that we have done more than one orienteering meet there.  This also means Clark (aka "map hoarder extraordinaire"), was readily able to lay his hands on an old orienteering map, and bring it along.  Therefore, this time around, the kids learned both how to read a map, and how to use a compass.  I think a family orienteering event is a goal to work towards asap!

Deciphering an orienteering map...

... and figuring out how to navigate using a compass

3. Freedom (and play) For me, these outdoor adventures are mostly about the fresh air, the beauty, the exercise, and the full mind-body-soul recharge that comes with even an hour or two on a trail.  For the kids, I think it has a lot to do with the freedom they have to run around and explore on their own terms.  Last week, climbing and jumping on the huge Peggy's Cove boulders was a rollicking good time.  This week, the game involved running ahead and hiding behind trees or in bushes, and then surprising the stragglers when they ambled past the secret spots.  Next week, it will undoubtedly be something different.  What's not to love about that?

Nothing to see here!

Surprise!

Alright - off to start the week, and maybe start to plan next weekend's adventure.  See you next time!