plenty of surprises at miracle beach

It never ceases to amaze me how even a familiar trail can offer up the unexpected. That was certainly the case last week during our outing at Miracle Beach. I was sure the kids would rush through the trail eager to get to the beach. Instead we lingered and wandered and took our sweet time.

We snacked on Oregon Grape blossoms along the trail. We marveled at caddisfly larvae and tried to spy darting fish in little puddle. We couldn't resist the mud, and discovered its properties of suction.

The beach was lovely, too. We found moon snail shells. We suddenly seemed so small.

And on the way back, the biggest surprise of all. Thanks to Louise's quick reflexes we got to hold a smooth, slithering, and surprisingly warm garter snake. Oh joy! One never can predict how a walk will unfold. But, one thing is for certain. You'll never know unless you go. Thanks for going along with us!

next meeting - miracle beach

Our next meeting of Into the Wild Family Nature Club will take place on Sunday, April 18th at Miracle Beach.

Meet at the north parking lot at 1pm. There are some nice trails for hiking along Black Creek before heading down to the beach for some good old unstructured play. The tide will be way out so be prepared for plenty of poking around in the sand.

Remember to bring some change to pay for parking, as Miracle Beach is a Provincial Park. Hope to see you there!

earth day events in april

April means Earth Day and this month and there are lots of community events to help you and your family celebrate and do your part to make our little patch of the earth a bit nicer.

April 17 - Strathcona Centennial Expedition Talk
The Campbell River Museum will be hosting a talk by local author and mountaineer, Philip Stone, about the history of Strathcona Provincial Park and an expedition planned to mark the 100th anniversary of Price Ellison's expedition, which led to the formation of the park. This illustrated talk will take place from1-3 at the museum. Cost is $6.

April 18 - Eco Fair
The Eco Fair takes place from 10 till 2 at the Compost Education Centre on Dogwood St. There will be displays from local organizations and activities for the kids. This free family event is sponsored by the Comox Strathcona Waste Management and the Compost Education Centre.

April 21 - Movie Night - Addicted to Plastics
Come watch this award winning documentary film about one of the planet's worst pollutants: plastics. City representatives will be on hand to discuss sustainability and Green City initiatives. Admission is by donation and all proceeds goes towards Carihi and Timberline environmental efforts. Doors open at 7pm at the Tidemark Theatre. Think of it as "date night", only green!

April 25 - Broom Bash
Greenways Land Trust is holding their annual Broom Bash on from 10 till 2 at the BMX track located on Homewood Road next the bottle depot and across from the Salvation Army. This is a great family event aimed at preventing the invasive plant Scotch Broom from taking a foothold in our local greenspaces. Refreshments, timbits, tools and prizes are available to volunteers.