I hear, and I forget. I see, and I remember. I do, and I understand.

Words are left to interpretation until you get into the giddy-up mode, rolling up your sleeves and digging in.

For years I have been talking about experiential learning and the notion that you can’t master something until you “just do it”, just a Nike did it when the giant multi national organization coined the phrase with this famous motto and branding. In fact, there are many levels of learning that individuals needs to work through until they arrive at the “Just do it” point.

I digress, my last post which talked about the Carmanah Valley and the gentle giants that live within it, was not the main focus of my issue… dealing with rain water in my basement was. At some point, I learned about the environment that I reside in and how to master my journey through the trials of mother natures skillfully played out game. Yes, I have lots of hands on learning experiences, mainly home repairs and maintenance and mostly in the dead of winter when nature’s wrath is blowing cool winter air around my chilled body as I work outside in the elements. I did learn when I was younger that working outside in winter was not something that I resonated toward, outdoors, the summer was great unless of course…Mother Nature decided to sprinkle the arid ground to support it with enough love (precipitation, aka rain) to dampen the day…after all that is her job.

The point of this is that we can talk all we want, we will forget…we can see with our eyes, storing visuals in our brain for future recall, although visual memories fade into the night like a weaken candle as it exhaust it’s fuel. Finally, I do, a point of physical engagement that provides the brain with endorphins, that engagement of receptors in the brain that tells us what the experience is all about and making that decision whether we like it or not…

I am certain that many have had similar experiences as we travel through new Pathway of learning, that never ending journey.

By doing, we remember… hands on experiential learning provide endorphins a time to play, while the brain creates new highways to store that new experience… While we may not be a young as we use to be, the art of learning continues…

Some solutions for a leaking basement

While I have talked about the wonders of fall equinox and the fall harvest, I failed to remember the fall rains that bolster the reputation of the west coast rain forest I live in. When people talk of rain forest I tend to think about the Carmanah Valley on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, not the city in which I live... that would be New Westminster. Yes, years ago this area was known for it’s gentler giants, the Douglas Firs and majestic Cedar’s, Hemlock too, tall enough to touch the stars, big enough to build a house, trees that mustered a size that secured a strong foot in the soils of New Westminster, now to be seen in at least one area of British Columbia, The Carmanah Valley on Vancouver Island. These giants are all but a memory in New Westminster, however what remained of the rain forest was, “The Rain”...stalwart, Mother Nature’s own, remains and for more than a century, continues its regular visit.

Today, I am looking for solutions, not to remove natures own from the fair city in which I live, however, to find a product that will help to defend my fragile wood framed house that the god’s want so badly to water to make it grow… what the god’s don’t know is that this house lives on a cement foundation and try as they might, it will not grow.

This afternoon, while snooping around my cold room, I spied a small but curious stream of water resting in a small but annoying puddle at the base of my foot. With a grimace only a Muppet would understand, I removed all the boxes in my way to get a better look at this indoor anomaly. Well, Mother Nature found a way into warm her cool stream of water… I have looked at the new pathway of learning and realized that this journey would start outside, tomorrow, with hydraulic cement, something that Mother Nature didn’t know about… by tomorrow evening all will be fine…the sweet warm pool of mother natures own will be dried like a minnow in the hot day sun, and for me… it’s just another learning curve… I found the pathway around this one!

It is Corn or Korn... Fall Harvest vs Music Madness

Fall harvest brings the flavour of sweet yellow and white kernels of peaches and cream corn on the cob to our kitchen tables. Needless to say, this is not one of my favorite foods. In general, corn only get’s past my lips when lots of melted butter is applied to the cob, creating flowing rivers of a euphoric substance which makes any healthy artery cringe. Once in a while, I enjoy picking the kernels off the cob, one by one, like entering digits on a keyboard. In general it’s not my food of choice.

There is another Corn out their, perhaps an imposter to this fall vegetable. This Korn, is a group of rockers, music makers (if one can call it that) they travel from city to city attracting a following who would rather listen to this "music" than a good symphony.

The definition of their music is definitely not in my dictionary, no thanks, not even one little “key note” of their “noise” would move me off my couch. Is this evolution or devolution of society? I’ll take fresh Corn any day over Korn!

The Smashing Pumpkins and Korn… what can I say about Fall Harvest! I will take fresh vegetables any day. I mean the ones you can eat!

Smashing Pumpkins

With fall equinox behind us, it’s time to start harvesting some of those pumpkins…Within the next few weeks we will see thousands of these gourd’s in stores across north America. On the morning of November 01, we will also see many smashed pumpkins along roadsides as young people exert their personal version of what to do after small children have completed their night of trick or treating. Well, today my experience will lead me The Smashing Pumpkins… a North American alternative rock band that formed in Chicago in 1988. Who knew that a gourd could turn into something that could potentially change the face of pumpkins forever… wish me luck…Smashing Pumpkins here I come.

Fall Equinox

It's happening again, where did summer go... cooler nights prevail as we move into Fall Equinox that quietly crept through time last evening. The garden is starting its journey into its quiet winter sleep. We have a few weeks to go before many of the plants will stop flowering as the days will become colder and the Sun crosses the celestial equator moving southward...never mind, it will come again in the spring to warm the feet of the perennials inviting them to burst a presentation of flowers for another season gardening.

Please Don't Eat The Daisies

This picture of my garden was taken on July 31, 2007. This beautiful picture of lilies and daisies emulates the epitome of a gardeners delight. The picturesque life force and fragrance perfect the ultimate pathways to learning journey from here to eternity if you are able to take the time to close your eyes to let your mind wander and of course, if you have the opportunity to do so.
We all know first thing in the morning gardeners put on a fresh pot of coffee or tea then amble through their garden to see what presents Mother Nature will present us with that day.
But, in a far away city across the other side of the country there is another story…
Let’s just say, my gardener friend this year has had different experience…
Their lilies were progressing nicely and each morning my friend would examine the plump buds of these lilies that were mustering their energy gaining strength to bloom on that perfect day… however, one night, terror struck… some rascal bandits, (the local garden variety I’m told), made off with the plump buds of this vary same lily plant leaving only presents of chewed up buds on the picnic table. What kind soles the bandits were to leave little presents behind…




On the west coast I have a tried and true plan for my little bandit friends…at least it works here. You see, I have a pond in my front yard that I stock with feeder fish each spring. Yup, you guessed it, we feed the darn bandits with our fish in the pond…Yes… I actually stock my pond to feed these little fellers, after all, its cheap insurance and keep the bandits from eating my plants…This year we have four babies as well as both the parents we have to contend with.
I guess at the end of the day the trade of is…
I have my lilies, they have their fish…
Another journey well spent learning…
One request only…
Please don’t eat the daisies…

Perseverance

In Everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out.
It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being.
We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.
Albert Schweitzer

Blueberries

This morning I was sitting on my front steps taking note of all the amazing happenings in the garden. During this time, I watched a hummingbird drink from its delicious nectar laden flowers as I munched on freshly picked blueberries and raspberries from our garden. My little friend stopped for a moment and perched on the stem of the flower, for a brief moment, I thought even birds take time to smell the flowers, or might it be...what can I eat next?

The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses. ~Hanna Rion

Preparing the Path…

Preparing the Path…

In my yard I have a pathway that wanders through the garden, in that garden is a pond that hosts many forms of water life, fish, bugs, larva and so forth. The pond is also a watering hole for the birds and local urban creatures such as cats, dogs, squirrels, skunks, raccoons and birds too. Surrounding the pond are trees, flowers, blueberry bushes and raspberry canes. It never occurred to me in preparing such a wonderful pathway this would become a focal point of children’s learning.

Etched in a tile that is cemented firmly into the pathway is a quote, a reminder that we must consider the environment children experience everyday on their pathway to learning. “Prepare the child for the path, not the path for the child”. It is my belief that supporting children in their learning environment is optimal for each child’s learning. There will be a time for traditional learning (schooling) as we understand it, but not too soon.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712 – 1778) wrote “Childhood has its own way of seeing, thinking, and feeling, and nothing is more foolish than to try and substitute ours for theirs”. “Rousseau minimizes the importance of book-learning, (our learning) and recommends that a child's emotions should be educated before his reason.” By way of this statement, I am certain Rousseau considered book learning” a little too conventional, directive if you will and even perhaps hurrying the child to grow up to become a working part of society, lessening the importance of early years learning.

Bev Bos, see’s children’s learning as a “whisper in time, a brief moment, in which they can enjoy the richness of a childhood space.” Children move through stages of learning at a rapid pace, building their knowledge through personal experiences, therefore, it is important that attention is given to all aspects of the child’s needs to support an optimal learning experience.

In part, preparing the path in my yard was my way of creating an experience for learning, an environment that created an essence of wonderment, a place to sit, watch fish and bugs go about their daily tasks, a place to watch the birds drink from the fountain that circulates the water in the pond, informal learning if you will, but critical in their development. In creating this environment I am not sure I expected the wealth of learning and opportunities for children when my urban friends took up residence. It is my hope that children that have experienced this pathway have become a little more understanding of the complex world we live in.

Samuel Johnson once said "Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance”, this leads me to consider the path that we prepare for our children and their learning experiences.

Puff That Mighty Dragon

Today I traveled up to our local Value Village store to scout out items that have been well loved and are being offered a new journey in new homes. I generally stop at the VV boutique once in a while to snoop about to see if there is anything that would like to come home with me. Being a guy, I head straight to the back of the store where we find tools, lighting supplies, etc. all the exciting “guy” stuff. As I walk through the store, I must pass by the dreaded, dusty old books. You know, things that have words in them, I happen to have allergies to many of them focusing my mind to the phrase, no time to read… It is something that is not on the top of my list or ways to pass time. Perhaps once in a blue moon I will pick up a fiction book to read for pleasure… however, that might be another story for another day.

During my stroll through the book section I came across The Reader's Digest Family Song Book from the 70's. In it are many songs that took me back to my childhood, but also, to a group of friends who often sing around our piano during our annual Christmas party. This song book boasts 250 plus pages of memorable songs for the aging population and yes… I include myself in that statement, however young at heart. That being said, that scoundrel Puff that Magic Dragon and his side kick Jackie Paper, were hiding midway through the book. Now in all honesty, this was my favorite song as a child putting me into a cerebral trans thinking how wonderful it would be to have a pet dragon, fire breathing no less. This gossamer fable is just that, a fable, or so I thought, until one day… I saw Jackie Paper at the local grocery store, waiting to go home with his puff buddy. I suspected by the look of Jackie’s friend that Jackie would be in for a good time meeting many new friends that would share Puff fancy stuff around the table… perhaps other’s brought the strings and ceiling wax to the party, who really knows, although I hear still hear stories today about friends sharing the fancy stuff thirty plus years ago. You see, Jackie, Puff's friend, comes in little green packages that you can see right through his personality, Jackie rolls his friends into fits of laughter with other “fancy stuff”, living in British Columbia, I get it… my question is… did author’s Leonard Lipton and Peter Yarrow really write this song to mean this or is this just one of those urban legends… I’ll take that the interpretation as an urban legend as the song remains my childhood anthem.
You Go PUFF and I don't mean bring on the fancy stuff!

Pathways To Learning

I have friends who have been encouraging me to write a BLOG… So I asked myself what is a BLOG? In my pursuit to understand this I checked in my Oxford Advanced Learners dictionary only to find it not listed, so I mustered up the courage to google the darn thing on the internet… What is the meaning of this BLOG…thingy?

According to the website www.bytowninternet.com/glossary, a Blog is short for weblog. “A weblog is a journal (or newsletter) that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption. Blogs generally represent the personality of the author or the Web site”.

Thanks to my Google button and 'by town internet com’s' glossary for helping me to understand this…now, I can move forward.

To be clear and up front, I am not a writer, perhaps we can call this my pathway to learning. Why not, it's all about the journey...then…let the journey begin!

I will start with a quote from Ted Turner
"Do something. Either lead, follow, or get out of the way."
To which I say the challenge has been accepted, onward and upward...