Family Camp Weekend a Big Success!

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What a fantastic weekend we had at MPEC with 7 families learning about Nature and enjoying the beauty of the November warmth. Children ages 3 to 12 had the chance to learn from Rangers Greg Smith and Audra Goodsell in all kinds of activities both inside and outdoors. These children were all so engaged and their parents and grandparents joined in the classes too. All of this was underscored by a cozy night in the newly restored dorms after songs and stories at the fire circle. This program will be one that MPEC continues to offer and we hope all MPEC members who have children in their lives will plan to come to our Winter Family Camp ( dates TBA)

Earth Studies moves into 3rd Session at MPEC

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If you have a 5th grader in Pueblo Public School this year you have already had the enjoyment of listening to him or her as the wonderful experience of learning in the Pueblo Mountain Park is described in detail.

In this session you will be as amazed as your student to find out we don’t have to cut down a tree and count its rings to find out how old it is.  You may see the same relief on their faces that we did when a method using simple math and a string is revealed.  The wise old Ponderosa Pines in our park wait in quiet serenity as student’s measure and calculate the years of their lives.

Long shadows on a quiet autumn afternoon!

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autumn in the park After a busy day with lots of students from Pueblo’s Bessemer Academy in the park, all is now quiet and serene since the buses left and the sun nears the horizon.  I did hear the tapping of a woodpecker in the snag (on the right in the photo) as I took this photo. The temps are beginning to drop on this peaceful autumn afternoon, and I think I am going to take a long walk and enjoy being outside on such a lovely late afternoon before I head home in just a few minutes.

A Beautiful Fall in the Mountain Park

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The Pueblo Mountain Park in the Fall is a wonder to behold.  Laced between the Ponderosa Pines hikers can hear the laughter of children and a sweet whisper as the wind finds its way through the park.  The beautiful thing about this park is no matter when you visit your heart, mind and senses enjoy a totally new experience from day to day and season to season.

Matt Rayne
Pueblo Mountain Park Caretaker
Dedicated employee of the Mountain Park Environmental Center

Halfway through my favorite month, Septober (or Octember)!

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I love this time of year, late September and early October — I call it Septober, or Octember! The days are not so hot, the nights are cooler, the landscape is wearing its colorful autumn wardrobe! On my after-dinner walk last evening, the earthy smells of autumn, with the fallen leaves beginning their decomposition into life-giving soil, and the coolness of the air was like giving my senses a deep  massage. If you haven’t already, get out for walk in Pueblo Mountain Park before too long — I am confident you will be glad you did.  Happy autumn!

Summer showing signs of wear in Pueblo Mountain Park.

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With summer winding down and autumn hinting of its approach, some of the oaks have succumbed to the very dry conditions and went right to brown. But not all of them – I am noticing and enjoying some orange and yellow entering the color scheme of the unfolding autumn landscape. There are also lots of acorns and apples, which the bears are apparently enjoying. Yes, its’ dry out there, but the  park is still a wondeeful place to be. fall oaks

MPEC Launches new website

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Yes! We birthed a new website this week and so you may be seeing it for the first time!  We outgrew our old site and with the renovation of the Horseshoe Lodge now complete and people wishing to make reservations on line for overnight rooms and programs, we had to upgrade. Naturally, there are some kinks that we are addressing but our tech team is working literally 18/7  ( yes we let our staff sleep sometimes!) to fix the bugs as they show up. If you try to register for a program, or make a donation and have trouble, just send us an understanding email and our Tech Pros will get on it right way. For the most part, the transition has been seemless and we are thrilled with what the site will allow you to do ( and will bring our office administration up to the next level of efficiency)

We know you’ll love the many photos at the site and we’ll be changing them often so you can see what is happening at MPEC along with the seasonal changes. Plus we’ll be posting late breaking happenings and if you take a great photo and can submit to us, we’ll consider it for one of the web pages. As always, we are dedicated to serving you, our members and community and please drop in and see us at the Horseshoe Lodge soon or come and spend a restful night!

 

 

Earth Studies for 5th Graders starts Sept 4th

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What is the Earth Studies Program?

Earth Studies, now in its 11th year, is a comprehensive, outdoor-based Nature education program that takes place among the ponderosa pines of the 611-acre Pueblo Mountain Park.  MPEC’s Nature Educators are busy training and getting organized for our first class to arrive on Sept 4th!  If you live in Pueblo and have a 5th grader in Pueblo City Schools, then your student will be coming up to spend 6 full days over the course of the upcoming school year. They will learn to identify birds, explore what bioregions are near where they live, hike the Pueblo Mountain Trails and experience MPEC’s wonderful outdoor classroom. Parents are welcome to join their child’s class for the day so we hope to see you!

This photo is from an Earth Studies Day during winter 2011 where eager students gathered during snow falling. ES Students love seeing MPEC’s outdoor classrooms in many different weather forms and cold and snow don’t deter them from being willing to learn!

A gloriously cool (& trying to be rainy) day today!

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I am home this afternoon, doing a bit of prep for presenting to City Council for a work session later today, and am so enjoying the overcast skies and relatively cooler temps right outside my door. I can hear a raven calling; I believe he is saying, “Isn’t this cooler weather grand?” Yes, I respond, it is grand.