Week of June 8th - 14th

We welcomed Longfellow Elementary, St. John's Lutheran, Central Intermediate School, Century College TRIO Program, Joy Laine Yoga, Outdoor Nature Seminar, and the Congregational Church UCC Youth.

On Monday, the 4th and 5th graders of Longfellow Elementary arrived for a stay until Wednesday. While they were here, they were able to experience Group Challenges, Fungus Among Us, Beginning Orienteering, Archery, Pioneer Life, and Treetops.

St. John's Lutheran arrived with their 7th-9th graders for a morning of East Treetops.

Central Intermediate School arrived on Wednesday with their 6th graders. They were able to participate in Minimum Impact Camping, Oneota, Rock Climbing, Animal Signs, Beginning Orienteering, and South Treetops before leaving on Friday.

The Century College Trio Program arrived with 7th and 8th graders on Wednesday. They took East Treetops, Stream Lab, Pioneer Life, Fungus Among Us, and Group Challenges before leaving on Saturday.

The Joy Laine Yoga group arrived on Friday and had a weekend of Yoga.

The Outdoor Nature Seminar was held on Saturday. The group canoed down the Root River.

The Congregational Church UCC Youth group arrived on Sunday morning. They went on the East Treetops course and then had some lunch afterwards.

Phenology:

• In one of our Bluebird Nest Boxes, there are 4 baby Eastern Bluebirds. See photo by Jim Williams.
  
• In another nest box, there are 7 Tree Swallow Eggs.
• In yet another nest box, there are 7 House Wren Eggs.

Thought for the Week:
"I remember feeling connected with everything around me when I was a very small child. The trees, ski, and sun and all of Nature were not only friendly; they were in some way part of me, or I a part of them."
Gerald May

NATURE TRIVIA QUESTION

Answer to Last Week's Question:
Common Grackles allow ants to crawl on their bodies and secrete formic acid, possibly to rid themselves of parasites.

This Week's Question:
Barn Swallow males and females make nests out of mud. About how many trips do they make collecting the mud?