The whirlwind of May has passed, and June has arrived. June-uary, has arrived, in fact, with an atmospheric river and high winds that branches heavy with leaves and seeds aren’t prepared to withstand.
The ground is dotted with bright leaves and dark branches. Mottled lichens and mosses that normally grace the canopy are now down low enough for grazers to explore, and the many maple seeds and unready Douglas fir cones that have been tossed unceremoniously to the ground are available for hungry critters to find.
I’m not sad to have a wet, cool June. The snowpack this year was late and low, and that will impact the summer season of fire and smoke. I’m grateful for everything that keeps our rainforests wet and fire resistant!
While most of the wind blew through yesterday, today had its fair share. Had we been going anywhere other than the beach, I would have had to cancel our field trip, but the beach is my favorite place to explore in the wind.
In fact, the beach with a bunch of playful teens is a fun way to end the school year. There was a pirate flag to use as a wind speed indicator, and lots of fun on driftwood see-saws. Red rock crabs scuttled away and buried themselves in the sand. Moonsnail collars were investigated. Student-made plankton nets were towed through the surf.
Only a few students are leaving the class, so it makes the end of the year less bittersweet than it would be otherwise. It’s such a privilege to get to watch these kids grow up into leaders of the future.
I hope you’re finding time to play in the wind, sing in the rain, and wander the wilds this spring!
Kommentare