Bloudering Hike explores little known side of Ijams

"Here we go a-bouldering, Among the leaves once green. Here we coma a-wandering, So far to be not seen." 

During this time of giving consider helping us protect the sanctuary we maintain for the animals and for our outdoor adventures like naturalist Christie Collins' hike through the quarry boulders yesterday.

H.P. and Alice Ijams declared their 20-acre homesite a sanctuary in the 1920s. Since then we have grown to over 300 acres for all to explore and get away from it all.

For information about making a donation, click: Ijams Facebook page. 

Ijams Homeschool Academy wraps up semester with yardbirds

It was a day of smiling faces yesterday as we wrapped up the fall semester of Ijams Homeschool Academy. This was the last of the four fall natural science classes and we will take a break of two months for the holidays.

Yesterday the learning activities were built around the topic of Yardbirds, or the birds we traditionally see around our homes visiting the bird feeders. The homeshoolers were divided into three age groups hosted by Christie, Ashlind and Stephen Lyn, each with age appropriate lessons. One group even made suet cakes for the birds—yum—while the overachieving older kids found a barred owl. Yardbird? Well anything is possible at Ijams.

Happy Holidays homeschool families!

For a look back at the other three fall 2017 classes click:

Mammals

Insects

Aquatic Life

Ijams hosts Serenity Saturday to find inner peace

Find your inner peace.

Yesterday was a Serenity Saturday at Ijams. Our group met at the Miller Education Building at the Homesite. It is the location where our educational classes began at the nature center many, many years ago. And for three hours we cut ourselves off from the outside world.

After herbal tea and organic cocoa, we went on a quiet, no talking, no cell phone mindfulness walk along the Serendipity Trail.

First we walked as a group in single file, then individually. Each serenity seeker collected bits of autumn to create their own assemblage of ephemeral art, a homage to British en plein air sculptor Andy Goldsworthy. It is ephemeral in that it will only last a short time.

The meditative walk allows you to let go of your modern day concerns and find your inner child, your creative self. You regress. Then sitting on the ground arranging sticks and leaves as we all did as children feels totally natural.
And trust us, it is so liberating to be a six-year-old again, even for only a short while.

Ijams naturalists Christie and Stephen Lyn hosted the gathering and everyone left peacefully with a sachet of essential oils, leaving their artwork behind to return to nature.

Our next Sererity Saturday will be December 16.