I wasn’t ready for this question when I first started teaching in the program.  I didn’t know what tree they were talking about.   My first thought was the spruce.  Woodsmen used to pinch off nubs of sap from the bark and chew it like gum.  But how could this be it?  The stuff tastes awful.  The kids can’t possibly be all hyped up about such nasty tasting tree gum.

My only other thought was the black birch, Betula lenta.  Now that smells great and was used to flavor candies, gelatin and of course, bubble gum.   Kids could get psyched about that.  My colleagues later confirmed that this is the tree they touted as the “Bubble Gum Tree”.

Kids don’t seem to be disappointed that they can’t pluck off pieces of bubble gum like they envisioned.  The flavor can be detected in the twigs.  Just under the bark one can smell oil of wintergreen.    They light up when they find their own bubble gum tree using the scratch and sniff method.  Scratched twigs smell so deliciously cool, fresh and minty.  I let them collect a 6-inch section and then share how I make birch bark tea.   Here’s how:

Black Birch

1. Collect

It’s the twigs that you’ll need, so tall adult trees with branches out of reach will not do.  Saplings or seedlings will need to supply twigs within reach.  My backyard is full of B. lenta trees, so I frugally trim a few branches here, a few there, or when I have to get rid of a wayward seedling,  I at least use it for tea.

stripping birch twigs

preparing birch twigs

2. Twig Prep

Strip the leaves off.  Break up the twigs to be 2-4 inches long, or however short they need to be to fit into a pan.  In doing so, expose the cambium, where the oil of wintergreen can be detected in the sap.  I strip the bark on a couple sides of the twig.  Fat twigs don’t contribute much, so stick to flexible twigs less than 1/8 inch thick I’d say.  Just keep sniffing as you go to stick with those end twigs that have the most odor.

simmer twigs until brown

Infusion of birch twigs smells great

3. Heat it up

Cover your collection of twigs with water.  Simmer – don’t boil.  You want to extract the oil of wintergreen flavoring from the twigs but you don’t want to boil the flavoring away or make it taste harsh.  Your kitchen will smell great during this process!

On this hot summer day, I’m thinking about making birch tea using the sun tea method.   I imagine, putting the twigs in a clear container out in the sun for a while might extract the flavor as well.  I haven’t tried it yet, but maybe you can give it a go and let me know.

filter out floaters

4.  Filter

Once the water is nicely brownish, I call it finished.  You want to separate the water from the twigs and other stuff you don’t want to swallow.  I often use cheesecloth, but a paper towel serves the same purpose as a filter.  I just put it in the mouth of my container and pour my tea right through it.

Refreshing black birch tea

5. Enjoy

At this time of year, I stick my tea in the fridge to drink cold.  In the winter, I prefer it warm.  I have a sweet tooth and sugar usually goes in other teas, but black birch tea tastes just fine as-is.

At the end of our day, among the many frameworks-oriented lessons they’ve learned, my kids go home with lots of super skills.  They’ve gained some plant identification skills, learned to look  closely at nature and used their senses.   Lastly, they realize there is specialness in plants.  Well, at least one plant in particular.  That’s my particular passion that I hope they pick up on – the unique world of plants.

campfire fun

What is camping without a campfire? Smores, ghost stories, cooking hot dogs on a stick – that’s what makes a campfire fun family time. Pack the marshmallows, lawn chairs, and creativity and have some fun with these games around the campfire:

1- Skin the Marshmallow – While toasting your marshmallows on a stick over the coals, see who can skin their marshmallow the most times. Toast your marshmallow to the point where you can pull off just the outermost toasted layer. Toast the remainder lightly until you can pull off its outer skin. Repeat until you have skinned your marshmallow down to nothing. Don’t forget to count how many times you skinned the same marshmallow. My personal record is 13 skins.

2- Circle Story – Everyone sitting around the campfire contributes to the circle story. One person starts the story with, “Once upon a time…” and for instance can say, ” a boy and his pet dragon went for a walk in the woods.” Then, the next person picks up the story and builds the drama. Each person can tell for as long as he/she wants, but cannot undo what previous storytellers said. Its fun to try to put in a twist for the next storyteller in the circle. The story ends when it completes the circle and comes back to the person who started it. (Or, keep it going round and round – it could go all night!)

3- A What? – This is a fun classic that is sure to make everyone laugh. One person hands an object to the person next to him in the circle saying, “This is a widget”. (Any word can be used, the weirder the better actually). The recipient asks, “A what?” and the response is, “a Widget”. The second person then hands the object to the 3rd person in the circle telling her, “This is a widget”, and the 3rd person asks, “A what?” and the 2nd person turns back to the first and asks, “A what?” and the first answers, “A widget”. The second then answers the 3rd with, “A widget” and the third can then hand it to the 4th person, saying, “This is a widget”, who of course has to ask, “A what?” which gets relayed all the way back to the starter. The object goes all the way around the circle with, “A What?” going all the way back to the original person as if no one has any memory at all, and “A widget” being conveyed back to the person with the object. Once you have that down, try passing a different object around the circle in the opposite direction at the same time. Then the confusion and hilarity really begins.

4- Rhythm Game – Everyone has to have their hands free for this one. Decide on a general topic, like animals. Then, start a rhythm by clapping thighs twice followed by two claps (slap-slap-clap-clap) Not too fast at first. To start, the first person names an animal beginning with the letter A on the claps. The next person in the circle then has to shout out an animal starting with the letter B on the very next claps. The third person in the circle then has the letter C to name an animal on the claps and so forth down the alphabet. If someone misses an animal or messes up the rhythm, he is out. Who of your group is the quick thinker and most coordinated? Other categories can include places, people’s names, food. You can come up with plenty others I’m sure.

5- Twenty questions – Another classic in which one person thinks of a person, place or thing. Others around the campfire can fire off questions with a “yes” or “no” answer to come up with what the person is thinking of. Narrow the focus with categories like movies, historical figures, famous people, astronomy, or whatever you want.

There are many games to play around the campfire. Make up some of your own. Those can be some of the best fun.  Who knows,  you may be up all night!

Hot Springs coin

America’s National Parks and Preserves are featured in a new series of quarters to be issued by the US Treasury.   Five quarters will be issued in 2010.  Look for these in the palm of your hand this year:

1. Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas – the first publicly preserved landscape, will be the first quarter issued.  As early as 1807, people had begun using the springs for relaxation and health.  In the 1830s, President Andrew Jackson set aside some of the springs for public use.  Although not designated as a National Park, the Hot Springs became the first nationally preserved land.  In 1921, Hot Springs was re-designated as the 18th National Park.

Yosemite coin

2. Yosemite National Park in California -  followed a similar path to National Park status as Hot Springs.  President Abraham Lincoln set aside the land as a national preserve, but the land was returned to California soon thereafter.  It wasn’t until 1890 that Yosemite returned as a National Park.

Yellowstone coin

3. Yellowstone National Park -  the first official National Park will also be honored.  In 1872, President US Grant established as the first National Park in the world.  Established originally to preserve its scenery, some now refer to Yellowstone as America’s Serengeti for the exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities found here.

Mt. Hood coin

4. Mount Hood National Forest – although not a national park, the 100-year effort to make it so continues to this day.  Mount Hood and its surrounding forests are managed by the US Forest Service.  Although some land is preserved under wilderness designation, much of the land is managed for timber harvesting.

Grand Canyon coin

5. Grand Canyon National Park -  was established as one of America’s first National Monuments.  The US Antiquities Act gave the President the opportunity to set aside land without the approval of Congress.  Originally meant to preserve important Native American archeological sites, President Teddy Roosevelt read into the act a broader mission.  He used the act to create 18 national monuments, including setting aside over 800,000 acres as Grand Canyon National Monument.  Learn more about the history of this special National Park with a Grand Canyon NaturePod.

Eastern Phoebe; photo by Bruce Dayton

I stopped my cadre of 5^th graders right under the tree where a songster was loud and distinct.  “Listen to this fantastic bird, my friends,” I urged excitedly, and the group of 23 inner-city kids fell silent.  After listening a few seconds I whispered, “This awesome bird sings his name. He’s called a Phoebe.  Do you hear him sing “Phoebe” over and over?” Again, we all listen intently, and I see smiles creep across faces.

“Yea, I hear it.”

“That’s what he says.”

Other murmured phrases and nods of recognition ripple through my rapt audience.

I can’t really memorize bird song very well.  I’m relieved to say I’m not the only one.  The best way to distinguish and remember specific bird song is to translate it into English.  It is not only easier to describe to kids (and adults) but recognizable in our brains.

There are a number of mnemonics that are commonly associated with certain birds. Here is a list of some birds you may hear this month, and the mnemonic of what their song sounds like:

American Robin – “cheery-up, cheery-o, cheery-up, cheerily”

Yellow warbler – “Sweet Sweet, Sweet I am so sweet”

Yellow warbler

Eastern towhee – “Drink your teeeeeea”

Black throated green warbler – Zee Zee Zee zoo Zeee”

Barred owl – “Who cooks for you?  Who cooks for you all?”

Whip-poor-will – “WHIP-poor-WILL, WHIP-poor-WILL  WHIP-poorWILL…“

Eastern Wood-Pewee – “Pee-ah-wee  Pee-ah-wee”

Eastern Phoebe – “Fee-bbbbbe Fee-bbbbbe”

Black-capped Chickadee –

Call: “Chick-a-dee-dee-dee”

Song: “Hey-sweetie”

Warbling Vireo – “If I SEES you, I will SEIZE you, and I’ll SQUEEZE you till you SQUIRT”

Red-eyed Vireo – “Here I am.  Where are you? Over here.  Look up now.  Do you see?“

Tufted Titmouse – “Peter-peter-peter.  Peter-peter-peter.”

Carolina Wren – “tea kettle tea kettle tea kettle tea kettle tea kettle.” (loud and fast)

Brown Thrasher – “Spring’s here, spring’s here, plant it plant it, in the ground, in the ground, cover it up, cover it up…” (doublet after doublet; each doublet seldom repeated)

Chestnut-sided Warbler – “very very very very pleased-to-meet-you” (quite fast)

Ovenbird – “teacher teacher teacher teacher” (with each “teacher” progressively louder)

Common Yellowthroat – “Which-i-ty which-i-ty, which-i-ty, which-i-ty

White-throated sparrow – “Poor Sam Peabody Peabody Peabody” or  “Oh Sweet Canada Canada Canada” (depending on your nationality of course)

Red-winged Blackbird – “Honk-a-reeeeee”

Eastern Meadowlark – “spring of the year”

American Goldfinch – “per-chick-a-ree”

Here are some resources to further your study of birdsong:

The Backyard Birdsong Guide, by Donald Kroodsma – an audio field guide.  Lets you listen to the birdsong with a push of the button.

Lang Elliott’s Naturesound Studio

The Cornell University Lab of Ornithology’s Macaulay Library of Bird Song

Exploring the Language of Nature with Jon Young

May the sound of a familiar songster bring a smile to your face too.

Surfman using a signal flare

Memorial Day is approaching fast.  It’s the unofficial start of the summer season.  If the weather is warm, you will find the beaches at Cape Cod National Seashore filled with waders, swimmers, and sun lovers.  If the weather is cool and stormy, the waves will teem with wet-suited surfers.

Should you find yourself at the Cape, and need a break from the sun and surf, check out the Old Harbor Lifesaving Station at Race Point Beach.  Park staff and volunteers recreate the techniques first employed by the U.S. Lifesaving Service back in the mid 1800’s.

A strong offshore current known as “The Race” caused numerous ships to flounder as they rounded the tip of the Cape.  Surfmen patrolled the beaches during stormy weather to spot and assist these ships.

Unloading rescued passengers from a surfboat

When the word went out that a ship was in trouble, surfmen would gather.  When the weather was so bad that surfboats could not be launched, a canon would be fired to deploy a line to the struggling crew.  As testament to the importance of these waters for trade, instructions were sent with the line in multiple languages.  These instructed sailors to affix the line to their mast and ride a breaches buoy to shore, skimming across the tempest.

The lifesaving stations had a 99% success rate along the shores of Cape Cod, saving over 175,000 lives.

In 1915, the U.S. Lifesaving Service and the Revenue Cutters Service joined to create the US Coast Guard.  Today, these men and women continue the tradition, going out in the worst of weather and under the most difficult conditions, to assist sailors in trouble.

Ethnogeology is a branch of science that explores the link between traditional stories from native peoples and the geological processes that built the landscape in which they lived. Sunset Crater National Monument is the perfect place to embark on this endeavor.

For more than two centuries people lived in the Sunset Crater area. Their name has been lost, but their stories have been passed on orally to the descendant cultures of the Hopi, Zuni, and Navajo. The Hopi still tell the story of the wind spirit, Yaponsta.

Yaponsta liked to blow strong gusts and dust devils across the landscape. This made life very difficult for the people. These winds would knock down the corn or cover the young plants with dust so that they could not grow. The people grew weak and frightened. They gathered in the kiva to discuss what should be done to stop Yaponsta. It was decided that they would need help from the twins, Palongawhoya and Pokunghoya. The two war gods were summoned and agreed to help.

They told the elders to prepare a number of pahos, prayer sticks, while they went and sought the advice of Grandmother Spiderwoman. Grandmother told the boys that they would need to seal Yaponsta into his cave if they were to stop the winds. She told them to use a corn mush to seal the cave. So Palongawhoya and Pokunghoya returned to the kiva, gathered the pahos and corn mush, and hurried off.

At the base of the crater, they found Yaponsta’s cave. They quickly ran to the cave and threw in the pahos. As Yaponsta turned to retrieve the sticks, the boys quickly sealed the cave. Now Yaponsta was trapped inside.

Many days passed and the people became worried. Without the winds, no clouds came to their land and so also no rain. Crops began to die. No cooling breezes blew down from the volcano and the people began to suffocate under the oppressive heat.

The elders gathered again in the kiva to debate their fate. It was again decided to call Palongawhoya and Pokunghoya. They asked the twins to go back to the volcano and release Yaponsta for it was better to deal with his winds than live in the situation they had created. The boys returned to the cave, but instead of removing all the corn mush, they created just a small hole from which only some of Yaponsta’s winds could be released.

Today, you can visit Yoponsta’s cave by walking the to the end of the trail at Wupatki Pueblo. When you stand before it, you may feel air moving in or out. Geologists call this a blowhole. Connected to this opening is a vast underground passageway. In the morning when cave air is cool and dense, air pressure is lower than the outside air, so air moves into the cave. During the day, as the sun warms the air outside the blowhole, it becomes less dense and air pressure outside the cave drops. Now the air in the cave has higher pressure and comes out.

Passing storms affect air pressure too and can therefore influence the cave’s “breathing.”

Back in 1965 spelunkers lowered themselves 18 feet down the blowhole. They found the passages too narrow to continue, but calculations suggest that the passageway system has a volume similar to a cave 165 feet high and wide by 50 miles long.

NaturePods shares many stories to help you appreciate inhabitants of these special places. Don’t miss Yoponsta’s cave when you visit Sunset Crater National Monument. Sunset Crater, Walnut Canyon anNature Tracksd Wupatki National Monuments are all featured in the upcoming Flagstaff Area Monuments NaturePod, due out this summer.

Treetops jostle. Snow twisters whip up and dance away. Snow skitters across the flats like smoke. This cold and blustery January day requires refuge. I’m here in a heated home, but how are our wild creatures faring out there in wind chills dipping into the negative numbers? Need I be concerned? Where are they?

The grey squirrel is active all winter, except on cold days like this. On such days, he can be found high in a tree. There he has made a drey, or nest out of twigs and deciduous leaves in the fork of sturdy branches. He may have bunkmates for extra body warmth or he may go it alone. Lined perhaps with soft grass, the squirrel lies curled up with his bushy tail wrapped around him like a blanket. On a day not quite so harsh, he’ll climb down and search for a buried nut or two to snack on, and then retire again to his winter abode. His summer house may be higher up, between branches that sway in the wind on such days as this. These dreys are easily seen now that the leaves are no longer hiding them. If the squirrel has made a sturdy drey packed with lots of insulating leaves, has a decent layer of fat and a thick winter coat, he should make out just fine.

Black bears don’t hibernate either. They’re too big. A bear has too much body mass to heat up when it comes time to wake in the spring. Body temperature, breathing and heart rate drop dramatically in true hibernators like ground squirrels, jumping mice, and ground hogs. Not so in bears. It is more correct to say black bears are in a state of “carnivorous lethargy”. Let’s just say they’re groggy.

A black bear will most probably stay in a well-chosen den for many weeks at a time. The den-of-choice is a big tree cavity. Pregnant females prefer these sites, which are safest from predators and weather. Otherwise, a den site on the ground will do the job – under a windfall, in a brush pile or in a rock crevice. A cave would not be ideal because there is too much space to heat. A den big enough for a curled-up bear to move around a bit is just right.