On Butterfly Watch

>Check out one of the many butterflies observed yesterday in the garden Nancy and Summer Spree campers planted last week:

Bird feeders and Butterflies

>Today, CAC Summer Spree campers completed bird feeders made out of recycled materials. Previously this week, campers created the base of the bird feeder by gluing small water bottles filled with sunflower seeds to plastic plates. Our good friend, Ammar, helped in drilling holes in the bottles where a wooden dowel was placed, which gives the birds a place to perch and peck at the the food. Today, summer spree campers collected "treasures" to paste onto the roofs of their bird feeders, giving each an authentic, natural look. 

[ Box full of treasures ]

[ Pasting on the delicate treasures ]

[ A very special treasure ]

[ A spiky treasure ]

[ The base of the bird feeders ]

[ Complete! ]

[ Check out the Orange group's incredible bird feeders! ]

[ A butterfly in the garden we planted last week ]

Sketching the Sights

>The turquoise group took the time to appreciate the hard work they put forth in expanding the secret garden area as they not only observed all of it's natural enchantment, but sat down with a pencil and sketch pad in hand to draw this area, and will later fill in with water colors to create landscape paintings. Take a look!

[ Sketching the humming bird garden ]

[ Studying the surroundings of the humming bird garden ]

[ Drawing different angles of the water tower ]

[ Water tower sketch ]

[ Drawing the details ]

[ Taking it all in ]

[ Even Pat takes the time to sketch the brand new path the turquoise group helped to create last week ]

Path Cleared, Flowers Planted; Bring on the Birds!

>In a matter of just one day last week, CAC Summer Spree campers cleared a path, planted flowers of all kinds including honeysuckle, garden phlox, bonfire salvias, red cardinal flowers, purple coneflowers, and even began to map out their own original ideas to expand on the secret garden area. Now that the sunflower seed bird feeders are complete, and the flowers have been planted, CAC Summer Spree campers eagerly await the birds to inhabit this area.

[ The path has been cleared and mulched, which will lead to the soon to be tiled archway ]

[ CAC Summer Spree campers learned proper shovel etiquette, which includes always placing the shovel standing straight up in the dirt directly after digging ]

[ While transplanting the flowers into the ground, CAC Summer Spree campers learned to dig only as much dirt that could fit in the pot in which the flower was purchased in ]

[ CAC Summer Spree Campers planted all of these flowers in just one day! ]

[ Spotted: Only moments before this photo was taken, our first hummingbird was lurking within this plant, but too quick to be captured ]

[ Wonderful ideas mapped out by CAC Summer Spree camper, Andrew Spangler]

Garden Diggers

>Summer Spree campers were hard at work today clearing the path, turning soil for the hummingbird garden, and making sunflower seed bird feeders to attract more wildlife to the secret garden. Nancy explained that the presence of birds indicates a healthy garden since they aid in pollinating plants, as well as keep harmful pests to a minimum, thus creating a sense of balance. 

[ Flowers that will be planted in the hummingbird garden ]

[ These campers removed this large branch from the path! ]

[ Caterpillar? Actually, this is a fungus that was growing on the flower petal! ]

[ Creating bird feeders out of pine cones, vegetable shortening and sunflower seeds ]

[ Bird feeders hang by the secret garden, waiting to be devoured ]

Suzanne's Chair

[ Suzanne happily sits in her new chair ]

>Last week marked Suzanne's final week as Program Director here at the Community Arts Center. Although she will be teaching at the pre-school in the fall, Summer Spree staff wanted to send her off with delightful memories of her work with Summer Spree that she can forever sit with...literally.

[ Ms. Sarah and the Orange group were given the chair to paint and take charge of the project ]

[ Thanks to Ms. Sarah, in just a few days, the chair is almost complete! ]

[ Memories modge podged ]

[ Summer Spree staff sign the bottom of the chair ]

[ Checking it all out; memories everywhere! ]

Suzanne has done fantastic work for Summer Spree over the years, and will be missed immensely the rest of this summer. We are so thankful for all of her efforts, wish her only the best, and hope she always finds both comfort and inspiration in her one-of-a-kind chair.  

The Secret Garden Grows

>This week marks the beginning of a new session, and with that, a new workshop that will take place over the next two weeks. This session we welcome back Nancy Long, who will be helping us clear a path to the new (what will soon be tiled) archway,  as well as create a humming bird garden and bird feeders, all in efforts to make the surrounding areas at the CAC a certified wildlife habitat. Yesterday, I went on a short hike with Nancy and the campers into the woods where we found nests of birds, learned how to identify dangerous plants (such as poison ivy), and also found an unidtifiable creature; check it out!

[ What is it? After writing down it's description, we plan on researching and clearly identifying this caterpillar looking creature soon ]

Check back soon to see how the secret garden area Nancy helped create over the past summers continues to grow and evolve!

We Want to Hear from You, Too!

>Please feel free to let us know you were here on the blog; either 'follow' us or post comments to know you've been keeping up on our summer fun!

Delight in the Dragon's Dazzle

>Campers show their friends and family the completion of the dragon, who does not blow fire, but inspirational bubbles:

[ Inspirational bubbles ]

[ Proud ]

[ Pointing to her contribution ]

A very special THANKS to Claire for making this magical mosaic come to life!