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Timberwolf Trail - Week 9 - 2020-2021 Edition

This is always one of my favorite weeks of nature kindergarten. The beginning of our Wants & Needs unit brings the mouse house project. It, in turn, opens up our classroom collaboration with Children's Wisconsin. This time of year always energizes me and warms my hear, even as the temperatures begin to plummet southward.

We started exploring the fallen tree forest and looing for potential locations for our mouse houses. Then, we wrote about what natural materials we would need and envisioned what our design might be.

We also watched last year's mouse house trail camera visitor videos to build excitement about our future guests.

Then came the time to start collecting building supplies.

We paused in our mouse house plans to continue our Queen Anne's Lace removal.

Then, with a sprinkle of natural play, we wrapped up our materials collecting and continued scouting for potential locations. Inside, we investigated some non-fiction resources to research what foods would attract some of our favorite woodland friends.

Then it was time to start building. Our initial creations, which will evolve and be rebuilt again and again, were very impressive.

We also celebrated our month long look at leaves with a certain activity which has become an annual tradition Bury Mr. Dargatz

Timberwolf Trail -Trail Camera Captures -October 2020 Edition

One of biggest bucks we've caught

The addition of a subdivision adjacent to our school that eliminated a large section of mature forests form the area has certainly impacted the amount and diversiy of animals we see. But, we still find some gems!  Enjoy.

young buck

Opossum

Bottom center in log - flying squirrel

 

Ice Age Trail Alliance's Mammoth Hike Challenge - 40 Miles in 40 Pictures

When my family signed up for the Mammoth Hike Challenge to celebrate the Ice Age Trail's 40 years of being a National Scenic Trail, we were excited to get out on the trail we know and love so very much. We are a hiking family in all seasons, but there is something special about hiking amongst the fallen (and falling) leaves.

To date, both my wife and I have hiked over or around 60 miles. Our three kids, who completed the challenge cumulatively, passed the century mark earlier today. With just a week left, we are hoping to get out at least one more time. Until then, I have decided to celebrate our successfully completing the 40 mile challenge buy posting an assortment of 40 photos from the journey, each one with a special meaning or memory. I hope you enjoy viewing them as I enjoyed taking them.

Green above, autumn rainbow below

Always a sucker for the blanket of leaves covering the trail

Bench at Loew Lake Segment. . .memories of snack breaks with kids, Tyke Hike rest breaks, and lunch stop for Saunters students

Hiking with young children requires a diaper rock/log. Here is my first ever example, at Monches

I love creating leaf rainbows

We bop every blaze, often in creative ways

Love them!

We stop for every woolly bear, even during night hikes

Scuppernong Switchback 

My much better half

Such a lovely prairie

Cedar Lakes Kettle Loop trail

I'm  a stickler for signage

Teamwork makes the dream work

A favorite Tyke Hike natural play stop along Bark River in Delafield

Ice Age Trail Communities offer cute and quaint downtown scenes

Leaf bouquet

Powerful blaze

The Slinger Rooster

CR's can be beautiful too

I still prefer yellow blazes

Stump Jumps

An oak leaf for Oakley

The kids LOVE boardwalks

Sisterly love

Spreading milkweed whenever we can

Sunrise hike

More sisterly love

Ridge Run In West Bend

Rainy hikes offer unexpected surprises

It's a family affair

Yellow in a  sea of green

Dusk delight

More woolly bears

No filter needed

Follow the Leader

We dislike invasives, especially teasel and the dreaded garlic mustard

I love a good tree

Even more woolly bears

Every balance beam must be attempted