Date: May 21, 2009
Location: JMB, Masardis, Maine
The earl part of the day was spent on further reducing the red oak stave. The day was very hot but windy enough to keep the black flies at bay. I have the stave carved close to the goal lines. I decided on the dimensions recommended in Primitive Technology II. After lunch we worked on plant ID and I added a number of specimens to my herbarium. Before dinner we identified two sets of tracks along the road.
Accomplishments and Observations:
1) made progress on bow
2) pressed plants
-Fragaria virginiana
-Plantago major
-Viola sp.?
-Rumex acetosella
-Sambucus sp.?
-Amelanchier sp.?
-Alnus sp.?
-Taraxacum officinale
-Populus balsamifera
-Populus tremuloides
-Brassicaceae gs? sp?
Initial Reflections:
The family based plant ID is really helping my understand of plants. It gives a great framework for ID and for understanding plant evolution.
Current Reflections:
I am now getting back into proper plant study so its fun to try and access this information from a few years ago. I've also taken a few proper biology courses now so I am curious to see how the classroom work informs my person study and viceversa. I think the raw quantities of information in nature study make it a better fit for self study than classroom work anyway. I don't absorb a whole lot of academic information in the classroom setting, I tent to just take notes and do the actual learning on my own time.
I am surprised to find myself becoming curious about how learning actually happens and how to optimize it. Education is more interesting than I gave it credit for.
Showing posts with label natural history. Show all posts
Showing posts with label natural history. Show all posts
Friday, 20 April 2012
Friday, 13 January 2012
JMB Spring Term Day 9
Date: April 26, 2009
Location: JMB, Masardis, Maine, USA
Summary:
I managed to get more felling practice in the morning before much of the day had begun. The rest of the morning was spent looking at potential camp sites down by the river. We worked on land navigation to get us there and back again. After lunch we built the shelters we will be spending the night in. These shelters went up much faster than the quadpods. The day ended with a "plant of the day" and dinner.
Accomplishments and Observations:
1) Felled 2 trees
2) Started a large 1-match fire
3) Worked on navigation by sun position
4) Found hare, grouse, and black bear scat
5) Built a shelter (looks kind of like a bivy sack made from a bough bed, alder saplings, and a tarp)
6) PotD entry for Coptis trifolia (goldthread)
Initial Reflections:
My felling is getting much better. I corrected an angle problem I was having and it made a big difference. Our trip to the new camp site made it apparent why rivers were the highways of the bush as the bush is "dense". I think the shelter sleeping will go well tonight. The temperature is supposed to drop to around -7C but I will have a sleeping bag so it should be ok.
Current Reflections:
The real accomplishment today was the 1-match fire, I think it was my first. I think the "secret" that this jump (10-match fires to 1-match) represents is really an issue of patience. I kept trying to "force" the fire to start before I had everything in its right place. When I chilled out and took the time to get all my fuel stages properly aligned things got much easier.
Location: JMB, Masardis, Maine, USA
Summary:
I managed to get more felling practice in the morning before much of the day had begun. The rest of the morning was spent looking at potential camp sites down by the river. We worked on land navigation to get us there and back again. After lunch we built the shelters we will be spending the night in. These shelters went up much faster than the quadpods. The day ended with a "plant of the day" and dinner.
Accomplishments and Observations:
1) Felled 2 trees
2) Started a large 1-match fire
3) Worked on navigation by sun position
4) Found hare, grouse, and black bear scat
5) Built a shelter (looks kind of like a bivy sack made from a bough bed, alder saplings, and a tarp)
6) PotD entry for Coptis trifolia (goldthread)
Initial Reflections:
My felling is getting much better. I corrected an angle problem I was having and it made a big difference. Our trip to the new camp site made it apparent why rivers were the highways of the bush as the bush is "dense". I think the shelter sleeping will go well tonight. The temperature is supposed to drop to around -7C but I will have a sleeping bag so it should be ok.
Current Reflections:
The real accomplishment today was the 1-match fire, I think it was my first. I think the "secret" that this jump (10-match fires to 1-match) represents is really an issue of patience. I kept trying to "force" the fire to start before I had everything in its right place. When I chilled out and took the time to get all my fuel stages properly aligned things got much easier.
Thursday, 5 January 2012
JMB Spring Term Day 5
Date: April 24, 2009
Location: JMB, Masardis, Maine, USA
Summary:
The rain and wind had passed by morning. Breakfast was followed by work more work on knots. After lunch we built braces for the group shelter's stove pipe as it had blown down the day before. The rest of the day was spent building "quad-pod" shelters. The other student and I are each on one side of a long fire. We will be spending the night in these shelters without sleeping bags.
Accomplishments and Observations:
1) Learned three new knots:
i) prusik
ii) constrictor
iii) square
2) felled 2nd tree (Thuja occidentalis - white cedar)
3) made braces for stove pipe
4) built 1st quad pod
5) noticeable local increase in bird and insect activity
6) tadpoles now in ponds and stream
7) shown how to make basic sundial
Initial Reflections:
There really seems to be a lot more birds active today. Shelter is a huge amount of work. I was chopping carrying and weaving boughs for most of the day. It will be interesting to see how this turns out.
Current Reflections:
Going through the process of actually building a shelter (vs just reading about it) really highlights the complexity of the task. There are a lot of variables to consider and balance. One has to account for wind, rain, convective and conductive heat loss, proximity to fire, and other local considerations. Actually building a quadpod made me uncomfortable with my previous stance of "oh, that looks easy enough.... I'm sure I could build one if I really needed to...". My view shifted considerably after this day. My stance is now,
If you haven't done it, assume you can't do it in the bush.
Location: JMB, Masardis, Maine, USA
Summary:
The rain and wind had passed by morning. Breakfast was followed by work more work on knots. After lunch we built braces for the group shelter's stove pipe as it had blown down the day before. The rest of the day was spent building "quad-pod" shelters. The other student and I are each on one side of a long fire. We will be spending the night in these shelters without sleeping bags.
Accomplishments and Observations:
1) Learned three new knots:
i) prusik
ii) constrictor
iii) square
2) felled 2nd tree (Thuja occidentalis - white cedar)
3) made braces for stove pipe
4) built 1st quad pod
5) noticeable local increase in bird and insect activity
6) tadpoles now in ponds and stream
7) shown how to make basic sundial
Initial Reflections:
There really seems to be a lot more birds active today. Shelter is a huge amount of work. I was chopping carrying and weaving boughs for most of the day. It will be interesting to see how this turns out.
Current Reflections:
Going through the process of actually building a shelter (vs just reading about it) really highlights the complexity of the task. There are a lot of variables to consider and balance. One has to account for wind, rain, convective and conductive heat loss, proximity to fire, and other local considerations. Actually building a quadpod made me uncomfortable with my previous stance of "oh, that looks easy enough.... I'm sure I could build one if I really needed to...". My view shifted considerably after this day. My stance is now,
If you haven't done it, assume you can't do it in the bush.
Wednesday, 4 January 2012
JMB Spring Term Day 4
Date: April 23, 2009
Location: JMB, Masardis, Maine, USA
Summary:
Woke up to heavy rain this morning. I took a shot at getting a fire going but the tinder was too damp and I couldn't make it last. The rain and wind kept us inside all day. We review our canoe trip plans and created some contingency plans if something goes awry. The rest of the day was spent on nature study.
Accomplishments and Observations:
1) Found a 7" spotted salamander
2) Worked on canoe trip plans
3) Nature study on Salvelinus fontinalis (brook trout)
4) Read H.A. Rey's "Stars"
Initial Reflections:
It is surprising the degree to which weather effects your daily life when you live outdoors. I find myself immensely thankful for things like the angle of my shelter to the wind.
The "Stars" book was interesting as I had no previous knowledge of astronomy. I feel I could now extract quite a bit more information from the night sky.
The spotted salamander was found trapped in a deep footprint in the snow. It hardly reacted to being picked up but disappeared soon after being placed under a tree out of the snow.
Current Reflections:
Weather seems to be one of the major mechanisms through which we "synch up" with the land. I was used to ignoring the weather and going about whatever business I had previously arranged. There was a strange kind of communion to following the rhythm of things and altering my plans in accordance with the weather.
Location: JMB, Masardis, Maine, USA
Summary:
Woke up to heavy rain this morning. I took a shot at getting a fire going but the tinder was too damp and I couldn't make it last. The rain and wind kept us inside all day. We review our canoe trip plans and created some contingency plans if something goes awry. The rest of the day was spent on nature study.
Accomplishments and Observations:
1) Found a 7" spotted salamander
2) Worked on canoe trip plans
3) Nature study on Salvelinus fontinalis (brook trout)
4) Read H.A. Rey's "Stars"
Initial Reflections:
It is surprising the degree to which weather effects your daily life when you live outdoors. I find myself immensely thankful for things like the angle of my shelter to the wind.
The "Stars" book was interesting as I had no previous knowledge of astronomy. I feel I could now extract quite a bit more information from the night sky.
The spotted salamander was found trapped in a deep footprint in the snow. It hardly reacted to being picked up but disappeared soon after being placed under a tree out of the snow.
Current Reflections:
Weather seems to be one of the major mechanisms through which we "synch up" with the land. I was used to ignoring the weather and going about whatever business I had previously arranged. There was a strange kind of communion to following the rhythm of things and altering my plans in accordance with the weather.
Tuesday, 3 January 2012
JMB Spring Term Day 3
Date: April 22, 2009
Location: JMB, Masardis, Maine, USA
Summary:
I took another walk to the river after waking up. This was followed by breakfast and an entire morning spent on knots. It had just rained so lunch became an impromptu lesson on starting and maintaining fires in wet conditions.. After lunch we did our "plant of the day" nature study and carved bow drills.
Accomplishments and Observations:
1) Learned 3 knots: i) jam knot
ii) slippery sheet bend
iii) non-inverting slippery bowline
2) added Thuja occidentalis (yellow cedar) to herbarium
3) carved bow drill (Thuja occidentalis)
4) got 2nd bow drill coal (I had only managed this once previous to the course)
Initial Reflections:
Knots are hard. It will take a lot of consistent practice to internalize these knots. Lighting fires when everything is wet is also hard! I am interested to see what strategies are available in temperate rainforest to combat the wet, both in terms of fire and bush life generally.
Current Reflections:
I found (and continue to find) knots quite challenging. On top of the obvious practical use of knots, the process of learning them is important for my self knowledge. Like most people I have a tendency to prefer tasks that come easily to me. As knots are a challenge to learn they are useful for building my patience and gaining a better understanding of how I learn.
As someone who lives in the rainforest I really enjoyed learning wet weather fire skills. It seems like much of the challenge of living in the temperate rainforest is dealing with the wet. We may not spend much of the year below zero but soaking wet at 6 degrees is "not fun".
Location: JMB, Masardis, Maine, USA
Summary:
I took another walk to the river after waking up. This was followed by breakfast and an entire morning spent on knots. It had just rained so lunch became an impromptu lesson on starting and maintaining fires in wet conditions.. After lunch we did our "plant of the day" nature study and carved bow drills.
Accomplishments and Observations:
1) Learned 3 knots: i) jam knot
ii) slippery sheet bend
iii) non-inverting slippery bowline
2) added Thuja occidentalis (yellow cedar) to herbarium
3) carved bow drill (Thuja occidentalis)
4) got 2nd bow drill coal (I had only managed this once previous to the course)
Initial Reflections:
Knots are hard. It will take a lot of consistent practice to internalize these knots. Lighting fires when everything is wet is also hard! I am interested to see what strategies are available in temperate rainforest to combat the wet, both in terms of fire and bush life generally.
Current Reflections:
I found (and continue to find) knots quite challenging. On top of the obvious practical use of knots, the process of learning them is important for my self knowledge. Like most people I have a tendency to prefer tasks that come easily to me. As knots are a challenge to learn they are useful for building my patience and gaining a better understanding of how I learn.
As someone who lives in the rainforest I really enjoyed learning wet weather fire skills. It seems like much of the challenge of living in the temperate rainforest is dealing with the wet. We may not spend much of the year below zero but soaking wet at 6 degrees is "not fun".
Monday, 2 January 2012
JMB Spring Term Day 2
Date: April 21, 2009
Location: JMB, Masardis, Maine, USA
Summary:
I began the day with some solo nature observation down by the river. After breakfast we worked on spark ignition and the use of cotton balls in vaseline as tinder. An introduction to saws was next but we were forced inside by heavy rains. Instead of saws, Tim gave a presentation on wilderness survival and its relationship to bushcraft. Following this was time spent on nature study, specifically the "mammal of the week". After lunch we moved to the newly built common shelter and worked on carving netting needles.
Accomplishments and Observations:
1) ignited cottonballs in vaseline with sparks
2) listened to survival presentation
3) nature study on Lepus americanus (snowshoe hare)
4) limbed portion of hardwood tree
5) carved netting needle
Initial Reflections:
The survival presentation was very useful. I feel I have a better grasp on plan and gear priorities. My netting needle was poor but my carving improved through the process. I couldn't make sparks with the back of my knife because the edges are rounded, I must remember to file them flat.
Current Reflections:
Carving the nettling needle was quite a challenge. My previous woodworking experience was of the chisel/plane variety with very little knife based carving. I was having problems because of the width of the end blade on Mora knife I was using. The blade was narrow and I was inexperienced, so maintaining my grip for fine carving was a difficult. I switched to a slightly larger Mora and the problem went away. I think this was a skill based problem and not a knife based problem. Tim has larger hands than I and he used that same knife with no problem.
This was also my first real exposure to why I wouldn't want to do fine work (like carving a netting needle) with a large knife. I think it would be very difficult to have the kind of control required to do the carving work efficiently with a large knife. By "large knife" I'm talking bowie/tacticool size, not just the "larger Mora" I was discussing previously. I guess what I should do is buy a large knife and try it myself!
Location: JMB, Masardis, Maine, USA
Summary:
I began the day with some solo nature observation down by the river. After breakfast we worked on spark ignition and the use of cotton balls in vaseline as tinder. An introduction to saws was next but we were forced inside by heavy rains. Instead of saws, Tim gave a presentation on wilderness survival and its relationship to bushcraft. Following this was time spent on nature study, specifically the "mammal of the week". After lunch we moved to the newly built common shelter and worked on carving netting needles.
Accomplishments and Observations:
1) ignited cottonballs in vaseline with sparks
2) listened to survival presentation
3) nature study on Lepus americanus (snowshoe hare)
4) limbed portion of hardwood tree
5) carved netting needle
Initial Reflections:
The survival presentation was very useful. I feel I have a better grasp on plan and gear priorities. My netting needle was poor but my carving improved through the process. I couldn't make sparks with the back of my knife because the edges are rounded, I must remember to file them flat.
Current Reflections:
Carving the nettling needle was quite a challenge. My previous woodworking experience was of the chisel/plane variety with very little knife based carving. I was having problems because of the width of the end blade on Mora knife I was using. The blade was narrow and I was inexperienced, so maintaining my grip for fine carving was a difficult. I switched to a slightly larger Mora and the problem went away. I think this was a skill based problem and not a knife based problem. Tim has larger hands than I and he used that same knife with no problem.
This was also my first real exposure to why I wouldn't want to do fine work (like carving a netting needle) with a large knife. I think it would be very difficult to have the kind of control required to do the carving work efficiently with a large knife. By "large knife" I'm talking bowie/tacticool size, not just the "larger Mora" I was discussing previously. I guess what I should do is buy a large knife and try it myself!
Sunday, 1 January 2012
JMB Spring Term Day 1
Date: April 20, 2009
Location: JMB, Masardis, Maine, USA
Summary:
Today was the first day of the JMB Spring Term. After a breakfast of bacon and oatmeal we started on basic axe-work We worked on felling, limbing and sectioning. This also included a lot of work on stance, positioning and safety.
After lunch we got an introduction to wet weather fire ignition. This involved finding an appropriate dead tree which we returned to camp for sectioning. From this dead tree we made and ignited feather sticks.
Following this was an introduction to the nature study curriculum and a plant walk. Dinner was rice and lentils cooked in a solar oven.
Accomplishments and Observations:
1) Felled my first tree (Abies balsamea / balsam fir)
2) Limbed two trees for my shelter floor
3) Made first feather sticks
4) Added Abies balsamea specimen to my herbarium
5) Carved simple knife for spreading jam on a sandwich
Initial Reflections:
I butchered my first felling and sectioning jobs, though the second sectioning was noticeably better than the first. My feather sticks worked but there is lots of room for improvement.
Current Reflections:
This day was a big deal for me. I had spent very little time working with an axe prior to this course so spending the first day with an axe in my hand left an impression on me. Felling, limbing, and sectioning are all a lot of work and those three tasks were precursors to many other jobs around camp. It was quickly obvious that trying to live in the forest without a good axe was not a great idea. It was enough work with an axe, I would not be keen to try them with a big knife.
Note: Feather sticks are a great tool of specific importance for those of us living in wet ecosystems. If you live in temperate rainforest you should have a handle on feather sticks.
Location: JMB, Masardis, Maine, USA
Summary:
Today was the first day of the JMB Spring Term. After a breakfast of bacon and oatmeal we started on basic axe-work We worked on felling, limbing and sectioning. This also included a lot of work on stance, positioning and safety.
After lunch we got an introduction to wet weather fire ignition. This involved finding an appropriate dead tree which we returned to camp for sectioning. From this dead tree we made and ignited feather sticks.
Following this was an introduction to the nature study curriculum and a plant walk. Dinner was rice and lentils cooked in a solar oven.
Accomplishments and Observations:
1) Felled my first tree (Abies balsamea / balsam fir)
2) Limbed two trees for my shelter floor
3) Made first feather sticks
4) Added Abies balsamea specimen to my herbarium
5) Carved simple knife for spreading jam on a sandwich
Initial Reflections:
I butchered my first felling and sectioning jobs, though the second sectioning was noticeably better than the first. My feather sticks worked but there is lots of room for improvement.
Current Reflections:
This day was a big deal for me. I had spent very little time working with an axe prior to this course so spending the first day with an axe in my hand left an impression on me. Felling, limbing, and sectioning are all a lot of work and those three tasks were precursors to many other jobs around camp. It was quickly obvious that trying to live in the forest without a good axe was not a great idea. It was enough work with an axe, I would not be keen to try them with a big knife.
Note: Feather sticks are a great tool of specific importance for those of us living in wet ecosystems. If you live in temperate rainforest you should have a handle on feather sticks.
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