CAMPGIRLZ.COM

This week the campgirlz crew was going to create a super segment on rock skipping.  However, our Technical Director, JJ, came down with the stomach flu.  So…you can look forward to that segment in the coming weeks.  Warning:  I am very competitive on rock skipping, so beware!   

This week has been very exciting for campgirlz.  Here are some updates to the site:

• I have uploaded a new photo of our Tshirt, modeled by crew member, Slug.  You can view it on the ‘Join the Club’ tab on the horizontal menu bar.    http://www.campgirlz.com/?page_id=72
• Campgirlz.com will be working with a local forest preserve to develop some programs for girls this summer! 
• Scott Schuldt from Seattle, WA sent me a poem on cattails!   When I looked up Scott’s website, I really enjoyed his writings.    http://www.canoepost.blogspot.com .  He also does beadwork.     http://scottschuldt.com.  You can check out the poem by clicking the ‘Fun Zone’ button on the vertical menu bar.  http://www.campgirlz.com/?cat=5
• A reader had a few more questions for Shirley, who continues to canoe at 82.  You can read her latest reponses.  Click on the ‘Hammockland’ button on the vertical menu bar.   http://www.campgirlz.com/?cat=32
• Bryan Hansel of nessmuking.com fame asked me to do a guest post, “Why I Canoe”.  I enjoyed writing it and it really brought out why I started this site.  If you have not seen it, you can check it out at:

http://www.nessmuking.com/

I love hearing from people as passionate about camping and the outdoors as I am.  Check out this cool photo!!  I love canoes; I love camping; and I love dogs.  This picture includes all three!  This is from Christine in Toronto, Canada.  Christine is 64 and still does solo canoe trips with her little dog. 

 From Christine:  “I live in Toronto, and canoe all over Central Ontario and the “Near North”. This photo was in July 2009 on the portage between Three-Legged Lake and Spider Lake at The Massassauga PP, near Parry Sound. And my bow-mate’s name is Bandit (she’s the best tripping partner EVER – this will be our 12th season together.. )”.

And, in conclusion, I received a post on the Ladies of the Lake event, held in Marquette, MI on August 12-15.  Check it out!

http://www.downwindsports.com/lady_lake.html

Thank you to everyone who is helping bring the mission of campgirlz forward!

I have an affinity for shadows.    I can spend hours looking for interesting shadows in the woods, created either by the sun or the full moon.  I stumbled upon some beautiful shadows in the woods yesterday.  I wrote a poem about them, as well.

Here is my poem:

Shadow whispers

On woodland winds,

Delicate wisdom;

Simple mysteries.

Jagged, distorted,

Elegantly fading,

Boldly returning,

Dancing with the sun~

*****************************************

And here are my photos:

Copy & paste this link in your browser….

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=198696&id=1410672664&l=1e750ab2d5

What a magical day in the woods!

A special interview will be covered this Sunday on campgirlz.com. I asked around on the internet for the oldest woman still canoing. I did this for two reasons. First, I have always been fascinated with people who approach aging in a positive way. And, second, the idea of staying active throughout your lifetime is a major theme of campgirlz.com.

I found Shirley from Guelph, Canada, and she was gracious enough to ‘speak’ with me! Shirley will turn 83 on September 11 of this year. She was actually on a canoe trip when 9/11 happened and says she will never forget that day. She did mention that a member of her canoe club is even older, but not online. I consider myself lucky to have ‘met’ Shirley. She is pretty amazing. Shirley is going to send me a picture in the mail, which I will post at a later date.

Campgirlz.com: When did you start canoeing?
Shirley: I started canoeing about 20 years ago — one year after our club was started. I have thoroughly enjoyed my 20 years with the canoe club since it’s inception back in l988. We are all retired, hence the (name of our club), “Ancient Mariners”, and we have had some good times and some great trips.

Campgirlz.com: What is your favorite part of canoeing?

Shirley: The favourite part about canoeing, other than the canoeing itself, is the camaraderie we all share. We are like one big family. When one of us has a problem or is sick, the support is remarkable.

Campgirlz.com: Do you canoe camp?

Shirley: Yes, we do canoe camp. Not in our weekly outings, but in special events. I can’t begin to tell you everywhere that our members have been, but one has even canoed in the N.W.T., and we canoe camp in a lot of places here in Ontario. Each June, we go to a camp on Chesley Lake, about 2 1/2 hours north of here, for a week-long holiday on all the rivers in that area — especially the Rocky Saugeen — which gives us some good canoeing.

Campgirlz.com: What has been your favorite canoe trip?

Shirley: My favourite outing has been in your Country. We canoed the Buffalo River in Arkansas when it was in flood condition; how exciting was that!

Having a snack on the Buffalo River

Campgirlz.com: Do you have anything to share with girls just starting out in canoeing?

Shirley: I can’t think of any better activity for young girls than canoeing or kayaking for fun and to get you out in the fresh air with like-minded people to enjoy all that nature has to offer. Our club has activities all year round. After we store our canoes for the winter, we hike, ski, and bowl. We even go to Bondi Resort in the late fall to hike (or paddle, weather permitting); but Bondi is very close to Algonquin Park and we hike the trails there and go to the Nature Centre and Museum. Some of us even go again in late January for skiing and skating. Deer are everywhere and at night you can sometimes hear the wolves howl.
So if young girls want a hobby, canoeing is a great one, you never know where it will take you. As long as I am healthy and active, I hope I can canoe many more years. I am not the oldest female member (of the Ancient Mariners), but Gwen doesn’t have a computer.
Campgirlz.com: I would love to know more about the Ancient Mariners

Shirley: Of course, our club is made up of seniors, both men and women, who have worked in various occupations and the expertise they bring to our club is amazing. It makes for a very interesting group.

This is our Dragon Boat team-I'm fourth from the left.

Also, we have a good rapport with the Grand River Conservation Authority (G.R.C.A.) who monitor all the rivers and dams in the area. On the 10th anniversary of the Grand being named a Heritage River, we canoed it in one day from the source to the mouth where it emptied into Lake Erie; in teams of two canoes who each paddled a designated section. When the day was done, we all assembled back at G.R.C.A. headquarters for a program and B.B.Q.
With their assistance, we designate and improve the put-ins needing it; especially one in Glen Morris, which was then dedicated to the founder of the club. We have also adopted a section of the river that we clean up twice a year; and we pick up garbage wherever we go and, because of that reputation, we get a cheaper admission to any parks managed by the G.R.C.A.
Paddles Up (which we used as a salutation in the Dragon Boat race)
Campgirlz.com: Paddles Up!
P.S. From Shirley
Just took a look at your website and had to let you know how great it is! I’ve been an outdoor enthusiast all my life, even did a wilderness canoe/camping trip about six years ago, but there never was anything like your “Campgirlz”. Of course, there weren’t any computers,either! It is great encouraging girls to camp and enjoy nature — you must love it.
Campgirlz.com: Thanks Shirley! I do love it and you are truly an inspiration to campgirlz!

A reader had a few more questions for Shirley, which she answered below:

Have you ever thought of giving up canoeing as you get older?

Shirley:  No, I never thought of giving up canoeing — and still don’t.  As long as I’m able  to safely get into a canoe and paddle, I will enjoy being on the water — everything looks so different from a river and you would think you are miles from civilization (even if you’re not).

What was your scariest experience?

Shirley:  My scariest experience was having a bear invade our campsite; thank goodness we had all food put away.

The concept of progression is my passion. I firmly believe progression leads girls to their passion. Without progression, girls can develop fears and aversions to nature that last a lifetime. This key ingredient to outdoor education success is often overlooked. Moving too fast, at too quick of a pace, can end a journey before it begins.

I firmly believe girls were meant to be in wild places. I know from experience that girls will only love wild places if they are introduced to them in a fun way & at a pace they are comfortable with. Whenever I hear someone say, “I canoed and I hated it!” Or “I went to camp & it was awful!”, I strike up a discussion about the comment. Invariably, I hear a story of fear and/or extreme discomfort. A hike that was too long in too hot of weather, or being placed in a canoe with no prior instruction & fearfully set adrift into the middle of a lake. Perhaps the first camping trip was in rainy weather without proper clothing to keep warm. As girls advance, discomfort can be a welcome challenge, but while learning, the pace needs to be slow and fun.

So, what is progression? Progression is starting where the child or group of children are at the moment. From this point, activities and skills are taught at a gradual pace, each time increasing the individual’s confidence and expertise.

For example, if a child is afraid of spiders, we want to address that first, before we put her in a platform tent for the night. If we have a group of girls that have never spent the night away from home, we want to have a backyard campout before we have an overnight in a wilderness setting.

Here are some cool stories of progression success!

Example 1: One of my children’s friends was terrified of canoeing. His only exposure to canoeing had been watching some older kids at a lake, who were horsing around and tipping frequently. Because of this and some other experiences, he had developed quite the fear of stepping into a canoe.

We started on shore, where I reassured him that he was in control. At his word, we would stop. Next, I let him sit in the canoe & hold a paddle while the canoe was on shore. I gently rocked it on shore so he could get used to the feel. We practiced some tips for getting into and out of a canoe the right way to avoid tipping, such as staying low & walking on the center line.

Next, I put the canoe in shallow water, with him in the boat & myself wading next to the boat. I let him practice some strokes while I held the canoe with a rope. Eventually, we paddled near shore, where the depth was only a few feet. During all of this, the communication was open & he knew he was in charge. Within an hour, we were both paddling across the lake. He loved it.

Example 2: One summer, I worked at a camp as a naturalist, and we had a girl so afraid that she was crying & begging to call her mom to come get her. Upon talking to her, she was terrified of the sounds at night. She had never been away from home & never spent a night outdoors. Even talking about her first night in the tent sent her sobbing. Anyone who has tent camped knows how large a tiny animal can sound at night in the underbrush. Her fears were transferring onto the other girls in the camp group. The counselors asked me to talk to the group about the animals & bugs at camp. The counselors and I spent the afternoon with the whole group, talking about all the animals that call camp home and some of the sounds they heard the night before. We had a night hike where we explored the woods as a group & talked about all the sounds that we heard. We also discussed that we had lived at camp all summer & had no problems with the animals at night. She calmed down & by the end of the week felt comfortable in her tent.

So, whether you are a family member or a youth group leader, spend some time getting to know your group, their level of comfort and their fears. And, start at the level they are comfortable with. From that starting point, the sky is the limit in outdoor adventures.

Cattails have always been one of my favorite plants. They grow in groups along shallow water, and are connected together under the water by a common root system, called a rhizome. Some of the many uses of cattails: the shoots are edible, the fluff is insulating and absorbent, the pollen can be used as a flour, and the mature plants can be used for baskets and cordage. Many books state that Native Americans used the fluff for diapers and for bleeding. They also are very beneficial to the health of water!

Collecting

For a survival unit at camp one year, I focused on the cattail. It was very successful! Make sure to bring waders to collect the cattails. When I collect the cattail leaves, I try to collect them so no one can tell there has been a harvest in the area. I cut the blades as low to the rhizome as possible, taking care not to pull up the rhizome. I also like to move around a stand, taking only a few blades from one spot. If the girls are not old enough to use a knife to cut the blades, have them help hold the blade while you cut and carry the harvest to a designated pile.

The collecting will not take that long, but it is a great excuse for a pond study! (More on a detailed pond study next time). You can also plan a picnic or hike to round out the day.

You will need to dry the cattails by placing them in a dry, dark area with good ventilation around the leaves. You can tie them together and hang them to dry or spread them out on a table or shelf.

Making necklaces, mats and baskets

It is easier to work with the cattails if they are slightly damp, so you can soak them in a bucket or wrap in a wet sheet.

To make necklaces, simply start twisting the cattail leaf from top to bottom. Add some wooden beads and tie in the back! This is so simple, but is SO popular. The jewelry looks great!

Younger girls can make mats instead of baskets. Tape five leaves into place on a table and weave other leaves back and forth. We have simulated the idea with construction paper. To finish the mat, you tuck the ends back into the weaving when you are finished. I found that the ‘tucking’ part frustrated some young girls. Also, if they accidentally wove some cattails unevenly, they might not have enough left to tuck back into place. A little bit of Elmer’s glue brushed over the back of the weaving will hold it in place also. Once dry, you can cut off the excess.

A simple basket pattern is to weave a small base:

Then, bend and lift the sides:

Then, weave cattails around the upright blades. Finish by tucking ends back into the weaving.

I have found that some girls really take to weaving, while others get frustrated quickly. Taping the cattails while working with them makes the job easier. You can also do your weaving on styrofoam trays and pin them into place as you work. One or two girls gave up and just made a bunch of bracelets and necklaces out of their basket materials. That’s okay, too!

As I write this, we are in the middle of a winter storm warning, so I cannot wait for springtime & seeing those little cattails shoots!

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I received a poem through the comments section!  The topic?  My beloved cattails.

The poem is from Scott Schuldt from Seattle. When I looked up Scott’s website, I really enjoyed his writings.  http://www.canoepost.blogspot.com.  He also does beadwork.  http://scottschuldt.com.  Scott grew up playing in cattails across from his grandmother’s house.

Here is the poem:

One Canoe Length

Somewhere, below and to my left
an unseen and bent or broken cattail
rubs against the side of my canoe.
It is a squeak, a mild soft squeal
not fingernails on a chalkboard,
but more the sound of a badly played note on a violin.
Although no bad violin player can play so softly.
Today, that bowing of the cattail
on my canoe flushes a snipe, so swift.
It darts into the air,
never more that six inches above the cattails.
Just long enough for the mind to catch and hold its silhouette.
And, it drops down into an unseen landing spot,
just 10 yards away.
While that happens,
while my attention is diverted,
The sound of the broken or bent cattail upon the side of my canoe ends,
and, I have traveled one canoe length farther.