unschooling

owls, bison and ghost towns

We’ve been heading further out lately to enjoy the fall weather and look for wildlife and ghost town remains and beautiful views.

Antelope Island is an amazing place to see bison, antelope, birds of all kinds. We found an owl but missed the burrowing owls and plan to go back soon and look again. We had fun looking at the old farm machinery and buildings and spotting so, so many animals.

We drove south to see if we could find the ghost town remains we’ve heard rumors about. It took us two separate trips to find what we were searching for but we got lucky and found a great spot with old mining town remnants. Most of the structures we found were collapsed but Lilah found some pottery, we found some old metal mining cable, and this that was still upright.

I love ghost towns. I love the mystery and romance of them and knowing that what I see today may be gone by next year, or not. I love watching nature regain her territory, root and branches, wind and snow and time.

I love exploring and I love watching my kids enjoy exploring. This Earth is such a beauty filled place!

unschooling

Antelope Island

This afternoon the kids and my parents and I took a drive to Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake. It was cold and beautiful.

We saw a flock of red-winged blackbirds, a chukar, white capped sparrows, a magpie, a pair of owls, many bison, a coyote, and a rabbit in just a few hours. We even saw a pair of bison right on the side of the road.

We explored an old ranch. The kids practiced their calf-roping skills and Gavin spent several minutes trying to help a smaller boy figure out how to use the rope.

We explored old farm machinery including checking out a sheep shearing area.

They tried rowing a boat…. on land.

Both of them were really paying attention as my parents described how the lake used to be much fuller but because of the lack of rain and snow in recent years it’s incredibly low now. Lilah wished for lots of rain to raise the lake.

We watched the bison move across the hill to a water trough through the scope.