Today, we had big plans for this blustery day. We were going to go much farther than we have gone this session! We played around the yard as usual to get warmed up. We also had a visitor joining us as a special helper too. Then, after getting all buttoned-up and packing our snacks in our bags, we hit the trail! This time, crossing the road and heading east down the White Pine Trail. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"8681","attributes":{"class":"media-image size-medium wp-image-190 aligncenter","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","width":"300","height":"225","alt":"IMG_2369"}}]] Many of us had not been this way, but for those of us who had, we knew exactly where we were going... [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"8686","attributes":{"class":"media-image alignnone size-medium wp-image-191","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","width":"300","height":"225","alt":"IMG_2370"}}]] [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"8691","attributes":{"class":"media-image alignnone size-medium wp-image-192","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","width":"300","height":"225","alt":"IMG_2373"}}]] ...to Beaver Pond! We stopped at the outlook on the way to check it out from above. Then we kept heading down the trail and stopped at our favorite bridge to have snack. While we were eating, Squirrel read Little Beaver and the Echo by Amy MacDonald. The story is all about a little beaver who hears someone that's a lot like him on the other side of the lake and goes out to find this other beaver while making friends along the way. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"8696","attributes":{"class":"media-image alignnone size-medium wp-image-193","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","width":"225","height":"300","alt":"IMG_2375"}}]] [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"8701","attributes":{"class":"media-image alignnone size-medium wp-image-194","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","width":"225","height":"300","alt":"IMG_2374"}}]] After the story, we had naturally divided into two groups: one that wanted to eat snack on the bridge a little longer and one that was ready to get to the pond. The first group went down and with the second group a little behind, we started shouting out "echo" to see if we could hear it back. Now I'm not sure if what we heard was an echo or the other group shouting back, but either way it was fun to have a chance to yell as loud as we could! Once at the pond we did some exploring. It  was windy down there on the "mudflat" in the open, so many of us stuck to the edge of the woods and pond. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"8706","attributes":{"class":"media-image alignnone size-medium wp-image-195","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","width":"300","height":"225","alt":"IMG_2376"}}]] [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"8711","attributes":{"class":"media-image alignnone size-medium wp-image-196","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","width":"300","height":"225","alt":"IMG_2377"}}]] [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"8716","attributes":{"class":"media-image alignnone size-medium wp-image-197","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","width":"300","height":"225","alt":"IMG_2378"}}]] [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"8721","attributes":{"class":"media-image alignnone size-medium wp-image-198","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","width":"300","height":"225","alt":"IMG_2379"}}]] [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"8726","attributes":{"class":"media-image alignnone size-medium wp-image-199","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","width":"300","height":"225","alt":"IMG_2380"}}]] [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"8731","attributes":{"class":"media-image alignnone size-medium wp-image-200","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","width":"300","height":"225","alt":"IMG_2381"}}]] Before too long, we were getting cold and it was time to head back to the barn to meet our families. On the way back we walked through the hemlock swamp singing songs. Some of us at the back of the group were so busy singing old McDonald that we didn't notice the front half of the group hiding in the woods! As we walked past they burst out of the trees! Very sneaky guys! We made it back to the barn with no more surprises. It was a grand adventure. Happy Trails, <3 Chickadee