Prys, draws, sculling, sweeps, posts and something called the Duffek, no these are not different ways to rid yourself of mosquitoes, they are just some of the 15 paddling strokes we learned to maneuver canoes safely and efficiently. Who knew there were so many?
All around the learning center spring is in the air. Birds are chirping, blossoms blooming, mosquitoes buzzing. It’s a glorious change from the blanket of snow that has been on the ground throughout the last few months. Two weeks ago many of us grad students packed up some bags and left for a week of “spring break.” It felt odd at the time calling it such because the roads still had piles of snow on the sides, many trails were still covered, the air was still crisp with a touch of frost, and very few creatures were venturing out.
We returned to the learning center this week to find that our porches, which had been buried in snow from winter roofalanches, now had barely any remnants of snow. The trails no longer required waterproof shoes to keep your feet dry from the heaps of slush covering the paths. Birds have begun to sings and twitter about catching bugs and nesting. The most exciting part of it all however, is that the plants are beginning to blossom.
On March 20, 2009 the members of Cohort C7 graduated from the North Cascades Institute, each receiving a Certificate of Leadership and Non-profit Administration. The event was attended by family, friends, staff, colleagues, and peers and served as a celebration of the cohorts’ residency at the North Cascades Institute.
I woke this morning to what has become a common weather event at the learning center this spring, snow. Perhaps snow in April is “normal” and I’m simply not aware of what “normal” is here on the shores of Diablo Lake. What wasn’t normal however was the thin coat of snow-ice on the lake.
I have no explanation of why the lake was covered in a thin sheet of snow-ice this morning, just a handful of ideas. So I’ve decided to share a few photos of this interesting event rather than speculating. I would, however, love to hear readers stories of similar events and perhaps hear some of your speculations about why Diablo Lake was covered this morning in a slushy mix of snow and ice.
(Top photo) This is a view from the dam, note how much of the lake is covered. (Above) An upclose look at the slushy mix of snow and ice.
Looking across Diablo Lake towards Highway 20. The snow ice layer covered nearly the entire lake, aside from a few areas near the dam and around the islands.
Puma, Mountain Lion, Cougar…..regardless of nomenclature this incredible animal is synonymous with elusive. Many could spend a lifetime in cougar habitat and never glimpse even a sign of its presence. So after my initial sighting of tracks earlier this year, following our first big snows of the season, I knew how fortunate I was to live in this amazing, wild place. Since that time I have had the privilege of tracking this animal on numerous occasions, noting that the cougar seems to travel in similar areas and patterns.
With the coming of spring, the snow around the Learning Center has changed into all forms of slush, perfect for tracking. My most recent snowy adventure led to a fun and notable discovery, two sets of tracks heading in the same direction and at the same time. Has the spring brought about a mate for our solitary feline? Only time will tell. And don’t worry, I’ll do my part and monitor our cougar neighbor as long as I can.
A winter weather advisory is currently in effect for the west slopes of the Cascades, the trails around the learning center are covered with deep, crusty snow and still the buds on trees and shrubs around the learning center are hinting that they will soon open. There are too many reasons to list for loving this season; among them are the anticipation of spring, the splendor it prompts, a plethora of opportunities for questioning, observing and marveling, and astonishment at the resilience of nature.
I’m getting ahead of myself. I should start this post with a warning. I’m impatient. This is a fact that is recognized by many people in my life. I often joke that my twin sister got all of the patience. All of it. This character trait prompted me to explore the learning center a few days ago. I was in search of the first spring buds.
Spring Mountain School training is in full swing here at the learning center. Graduate students, rangers and staff have spent the last three days on the trails rehearsing new lessons about forest carnivores, early Pacific Northwest naturalists, field science techniques and the amazing biodiversity of the North Cascades ecosystem.
Starting the season off right we faced inclement, snowy weather this morning; post holed up to our knees in dense, wet snow and through it all relished the opportunity to be outside playing again and preparing for Mountain School.
Our first group of Mountain School students will arrive in just under two weeks. It will be energizing to have a campus full of students again. To hear squeals of delight at the sight of a Douglas squirrel, smell the campfire, listen to camp songs, and to see students out on the trails, exploring the natural world sounds fantastic. And to be doing so on our beautiful campus as spring arrives sounds even better.
Photo: Spring Mountain School instructors braving the weather.
It is easy in the rush of things to forget about this place. With assignments, time lines, deadlines, family and life this place, my place, slips away and I stop looking. Perhaps I feel that it is all owed to me or, as with so many things, that which matters the most is usually the first to be taken for granted.
But then, I am reminded. I stand on the dock and watch the sun sink slowly behind Pyramid Peak. I catch a fleeting glimpse of a small bat that has ventured out after a cold winter. I stand astonished before a small willow carrying tiny, white buds that are so close to bursting open. It is then that I remember, it is then that I stop and turn slowly, savoring it all. It is then that I ask myself, how did I forget? How did I stop looking, seeing, relishing the beauty and magic that surrounds me? The sunset, bat and willow remind me. This place is full of mystery and beauty and I must remember to always relish and savor these moments, this place, the powerful beauty of nature.
“Every morning I awake torn between a desire to save the world and an inclination to savor it. This makes it hard to plan the day. But if we forget to savor the world, what possible reason do we have for saving it? In a way, the savoring must come first.”
E.B. White
PEACE- “It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in you heart.” (unknown)
Surrender Box (Image: an excerpt from my journal)
February 2009Â is coming to an end and the graduate students of Cohort 8 are officially in the second half of their residency at the Environmental Learning Center. With six months to go before heading off to Bellingham for the final push, we are moving full steam ahead in this experiential learning process.
I went exploring last week, just to see what I could discover on a cold winter day in February. What I found was abundant evidence of one of my favorite little critters, the Douglas squirrel. Throughout the forest the snow covered ground showed evidence of feasting, perhaps even gluttonous feasting in some places. This feasting was represented by middens. These midden were simply the remains of a squirrels meal, heaps of pine cone scales and cores.
