Native American Technology with Barry Keegan

Remember last spring when Mikro took the class on Native American Architecture and built a model wigwam and longhouse? Well, he recently had the chance to see a full size wigwam, and to learn about firemaking, tool making and other Native American skills as traditionally practiced by the Lenni Lenape people who once lived in this area. Up at Croton's Jane E. Lytle Memorial Arboretum, Barry Keegan demonstrated five different ways of making fire, used an adze to show how dugout canoes were hollowed out, demonstrated cordage making, and shared his artifact collection and wealth of knowledge. We also enjoyed a walk around the arboretum on what turned out to be a spectacular fall day.

Village Earth Day Fest, Flint Knapping, and Hawks!

Today was our village's Earth Day celebration, at a village park on the Hudson River. There were free t-shirts and trees, live music, a shore cleanup, and booths for nature and environmental organizations. And there were trees to climb, rocks to balance on, an eel to touch and help return to the river, and lots of grass to roll in.



We found out the hard way that eels can secrete a slimey substance to help them escape predators-- that stuff took a lot of washing to get off our hands! The eel was about 22 inches long, and I'm sure he's happy to be back in the Hudson.



I love being by the river. Isn't this cloud covered picnic table the perfect place to daydream?



Later in the afternoon, we headed to yet another amazing park on the Hudson, for a program at our local Nature Center on flint knapping.



After flint knapping, the kids went on a hike. Mikro especially enjoyed climbing down near the water...



A pair of redtailed hawks stole the show, hunting and perching nearby to finish their meals. The female flew down and struck a rat literally less than ten feet in front of me. I nearly jumped out of my skin! They seemed fairly unconcerned by humans, except for occasionally giving us a seemingly "My dinner, not yours!" glare as they chowed down...