Congratulations to our Sheep Pelt Giveaway Winners!
And the winners are…drumroll please…
*By Doc Fred Chichocki, Camp Chewonki Naturalist* On an otherwise average day this past August, I was working in the Nature Museum when I received an unexpected package. I thought it amazing the odd-shaped parcel reached me, considering it was simply addressed to DOC fred, Camp Chewonki, Maine.
*By Greg Shute, Director of North Woods and Coastal Properties* Observing the natural world has always been at the heart of the Chewonki experience, and I find great satisfaction in passing this vital skill to the next generation at Chewonki’s Debsconeag Lake Wilderness Camp, where I am based each summer. So, it was truly exciting when Lulu, a young adventurer visiting with her family this August, flipped the script by making a completely unexpected aquatic observation that surprised even this Debsconeag old-timer.
*By Megan McOsker, Semester Science Teacher* When Teal and I dipped a plankton net into Montsweag Brook this November, we weren’t sure what we would find. Teal had chosen to study plankton for their final project in our Natural History and Ecology class but had never done a plankton tow before and I had never sampled the waters off Chewonki Neck in the late autumn.
*By Megan Phillips, Chewonki Farm and Woodlot Manager* A line from a Michael Blumenthal poem has been rattling around in my head this week: “And now, I think I see it all in terms of light.”
“Every semester writes its own story.” This is not just a declarative statement, but a piece of oral history and wisdom, something passed on to me when my sons joined Maine Coast Semester 64. A compelling invitation. A unique narrative, an original outcome, a story line that could only be written by these young authors. So much opportunity, space, and agency to shape and weave a narrative.
Resupplying our backcountry expeditions is most definitely my favorite summer work task. The process begins when I open the door to Packout, our on-campus trip coordination hub, and I’m hit by the smells of garlic powder, cheddar cheese, plastic bags, white gas, and humans working in the hot sun. Adventure is afoot, and excitement bubbles.
With the Maine Coast Semester at Chewonki application deadline approaching on February 15, we wanted to take a moment to highlight this unique program. Have you ever thought about Maine Coast Semester for a young person in your life but weren’t sure how they’d fit in? Well, we’ve got a few numbers for you.
Maine Coast Semester students just returned from wintry backcountry expeditions – a highlight of the semester experience. Trips visited five locations throughout Maine and New Hampshire, and each brought back a camera full of images documenting their journey. Which is Best is Snow? We’ll let you be the judge.