Welcome to Week 2 of our 10-week challenge, designed to encourage new naturalist discoveries as we continue to practice social distancing and wait for the coming vaccinations! I invite you to rustle up a pair of snowshoes, shoe gripper/spikes, or cross county skis and head out to create your own adventure.
Each week, select one of the 60 total activities designed to delight your senses, stimulate your curiosity, and remind you of the joy that springs up just by being outside in nature. When you’ve completed 10 activities, send an email to Susan (skylinebal@gmail.com) so she can add your name to the list of Coronavirus 2021 life-long learners on the Wenatchee Naturalist website.
Below are six options for Week 2 – find one that tickles your fancy!
Read
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and the teachings of plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer. I keep this book on my bedside table so I can read individual chapters again.
Listen
Listen to Northwest Nature Matters podcast by the Oregon Chapter, of the Wildlife Society and the Oregon Wildlife Foundation. Their goal is to give an opportunity to hear directly from experts about natural history and conservation.
Watch
Watch keynote, Ashley Ahearn, a freelance journalist, speaks of what sage-grouse can teach us about ourselves, our relationship with nature, and the division we face in our county, using excerpts from her “Grouse” 8-episode podcast.
Journal
Watch and paint along with Molly Hashimoto as she demonstrates how to paint a Northwest forest scene, from her book, Colors of the West.
Visit
Visit a Chelan PUD maintained park to look for wildlife in Chelan, Entiat, Orondo, East Wenatchee, or Wenatchee. Use the link above to find a park and access details.
Advocate
Engage with your U.S. Representative on a natural resource or conservation topic you care about. This webpage link provides all contact information.
Be sure to check out the Wenatchee Naturalist website’s topical bibliographies for natural history references. Plan a date-night with a field guide so you can curl up under a blanket and connect with our watershed!
