Scavenger Hunt!

We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. 

There is no end to the adventures that we can have 

if only we seek them with our eyes open.

~Jawaharlal Nehru

Hello, all!

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. I'm so jazzed for the activities we have to look forward to! Our next excitement is this Saturday, the 6th, at Martha Lafitte. We will be going on a scavenger hunt in tandem with looking for a geocache!! The key is located here.

Kayla Haffley has, again, kindly orchestrated this event. We will be meeting on Ely Triangle at 1:00 in the afternoon to carpool to Martha Lafitte. Please bring a camera and shoes that are allowed to get a little muddy-- there are some great places to slip and slide around out there!

Essentially, it'll look like this: After we meet on the triangle, we will be carpooling to Martha Lafitte, which is a 5 minute drive. From there, you'll want to have your camera, the clues sheet, and a smart device. When you find an item on the list, take a picture of it! The more exciting pictures, the better-- drag your friends into the shot. Make funny faces. Take it from some crazy-cool angle. 

There is also a geocache to unearth in Martha Lafitte. If you're interested, bring a small trinket to leave behind. You will need a GPS device to find it-- we can always buddy up to hunt it down. 

We have made a sheet for the clues, you'll find it attached. We prefer not to print things out unless absolutely necessary-- if you have  a smartphone and can access these clues online, you're helping us to go green. 

If you need some incentive, all participants will leave with a candy prize and can send me their photos for the blog! As for the winner(s), there will be a great candy prize along with an ODC T-Shirt. If you are one of the cool few who already own one, I'll take you out to coffee. Or something cool like that. ;)

Unfortunately, I will not be in attendance. However, keep me updated! I am so excited for this event and want to see all your great pictures! It is only an hour of your time on a beautiful Saturday afternoon-- if you can make it, I would love to see your beautiful pictures light up my email. 

Best,

Devi Fitelly

An Adventure in Artistry

Hello, friends!

The WJC Outdoors Club is getting together on Saturday, November 17th to begin a marvelous adventure to the Nelson-Atkins Museum!

The Nelson-Atkins is home to a plethora of amazing art as well as a magnificent outdoor area. Weather permitting, we hope to enjoy lunch in sweaters and scarves in the presence of turning trees and its renowned art collection.

I'd like to invite you to join us! We want to make it a fun day at the plaza full of good food, great friends, and   amazing artwork. We will be meeting on Ely Triangle at 10:45 in order to carpool and leave around 11:00am. The art museum is open until 5:00 that evening, but we are free to do whatever inspires us before or after that time.

If you're interested, Kayla and I will be making sandwiches in the Caf the night before. I would be honored by your presence in food-making and laughter.

This is a great opportunity to see some of Kansas City, get a taste of artist culture, and enjoy the crisp fall weather. I would love to see you there.

Best wishes and so much excitement,

Devi Fitelly

Adventure is Out There!

"Let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure."

      -J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

     After much deliberation and many honorable submissions, we have come to a consensus on a t-shirt design. Submitted on a whim, it captures our innermost feelings and deepest hopes: to become rollerskating dinosaurs and wreak havoc everywhere we go. Or maybe that's just me.

     He will be displayed on a cotton crew-neck t-shirt, proudly proclaiming to the world that the Outdoors Club of William Jewell College, have crazy mad raging hipster Dinosaur skills.

     When we are approved by Student Life, we will have a table in the union so that we can sell our shirts. It will be a sign-up process, done on a prepaid basis.  

     If you’d like to order one (or five, whatever works), you can do so by signing up in the union or contacting myself or Kayla Haffley. If that doesn't work out, please feel free to email me at fitellyd@william.jewell.edu, letting me know your size. J

     This week, we are presented with several opportunities. I’d like to make you aware of all of them, and hope to see your smiling faces!

     Yoga is going on once again this Thursday, at 7:00pm. I will be set up in the grass between Grandriver Chapel and the Schoolhouse, though the location may change depending on the turnout and the weather.

     On Friday, the 14^th, the observatory on campus is open to all students! We have the opportunity to see a star cluster in the constellation Hercules. It’s a great thing to go to and enjoy- you don’t have to be a star mapper to have fun! I am unable to attend, but Rose has graciously offered to meet up with everyone on the triangle around 8:45 or 9. This event runs until 10:30, so if you can’t make it to the triangle at the start, you could always come later on. J

     This Saturday, the 15^th, we will be making another short trek to the Nature Sanctuary to walk along the paths and explore the area. Last week, we hitched a social trail and wandered up a creekbed! It’s a great time to walk, relax, take and pose in marvelous photos. We will be meeting on the triangle at 1:00 that afternoon.

    I hope this week has been good to you, and that you’re settling into this school year with ease.

     Best wishes,

           Devi Fitelly

The Week Ahead

"It will be as if, in place of the stars, I had given you a great number of little bells that knew how to laugh..."
                             -Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

     Stargazing came and went, and we shared a marvelous night. Whether you came as an experienced gazer or, like myself, you made up your own constellations, it was a pleasant evening. Jeff Buscher kindly brought us a van and acted as our chaperone, and we were honored by his care and attention. We spent a few hours in laughter and wishing upon shooting stars, though the moon obscured much of the sky with its radiance. When I plan it, our next stargazing event will be during the new moon. Fingers crossed.

     In other news, we are looking at fundraising with nifty t-shirts. Several designs have been posted to the facebook page, but are more easily accessible by clicking here: T-Shirt Designs WJC Outdoors

     Feel free to check out the shirts, or even submit a design of your own! The shirts will be no more than $10, and if we can get a large enough order, we might be able to make them more inexpensive.

     We will be meeting this Wednesday evening at 8:00 in front of the perch to talk about other upcoming events. Unfortunately, I will probably not be able to join, but I leave you all in the hands of my dear comrade, Kayla Haffley. She'll take good care of you, promise. 

     Hoping to see you soon, and wishing you my very best,

           Devi Fitelly

Space: The Final Frontier

The stars are the jewels of the night,

and perchance surpass anything which

day has to show.

                             -Henry David Thoreau

     By some lucky chance, we are on the verge of our first events: Our first journey together begins with laughter and a thoughtful look to the sky. We will gather on the triangle On Sunday at 10:30 and head off into the great unknown!

     As the night comes closer, I get more and more excited. Stargazing is a love of mine, not because I am particularly good at it, but because I an in such awe of those who are. The stars inspire me to sing, to dance, to write songs about the kind of smile that catches you unawares as it steals across your face, and to ponder  the joy resting in every light strung across the deep expanse of sky. I seem to fall into them, and goodness only knows what we will have in store for us with a brilliant moon and many happy companions.

     Snacks will be available, as well as basic constellation spying, and small games. By the end of the night, who knows what will happen for us. But with kindness and consideration, we will have a wonderful time of it.

     Let the stars inspire you. I welcome you to join us for stargazing this Sunday.

     With my highest hopes and deepest wishes,

          Devi

Sunset Yoga

I took a deep breath and listened to the old bray of my heart.
I am. I am. I am. 
                         -Sylvia Plath

     Today, we took a moment to slow down and give our bodies a chance to speak. From the deepest toe to the space haloed above our heads, we sought to lengthen the spine and listen to the inner rhythm of our beings. 

     It was not always easy. The most difficult thing to do when starting yoga is to take the first breath and reach for the first pose. Then, moment by careful moment, we are able to reach within and stretch without. It becomes less of a struggle, the ego sits back and lets the unconscious do the tugging. 

     We untie the knots kinking our muscles. We learn to listen to our bodies and accept our limitations as they are. We honor our hearts and minds by giving them time to rest. We strive to present ourselves with challenges that lead us forward and allow us to breathe. We release our worries and sufferings into the earth and sky. We learn to live within our bodies, rather than simply using them to get through the day.

     We make the choice to live, rather than simply exist. 

     And that is the most beautiful choice we can make.

     This first session went splendidly. I hope that you will consider joining me for another Thursday. I would be so honored to share the sunset with you. 

     With all my best wishes and highest hopes, 

     Devi

Welcome!

     Dear Outdoors Club Member,

     Welcome aboard. We're glad to have you.

      This is a year of wonder. Of excitement. Of splendor beyond all human reckoning and glory untold. We're coming into the fall semester with heads held high and shoulders thrust back. Though I know it may be a challenge to find balance in the year, it is worth seeking. From the many sleepless nights and split-second study sessions between spoonfuls of cereal, I know that college can sometimes get the best of us. I know it's going to feel like a long journey at some points.

      I'm here to say that it's okay. We're human, and we are imperfect. It's going to happen: we're going to feel overwhelmed sometimes.
     ----And guess what? I'd be surprised if it didn't happen. Life keeps us on our toes. That's how things work: things fall apart so that other things can come together.

     And so, friends, we need to take time this year to be human. From 5-minute nature walks to yoga on the quad to caving and hiking in the Appalachians, we have so many opportunities to quit the books and live.

     Here's where we can make it marvelous. We can enjoy this beautiful place, and we can share it with those around us.

     So here's the inside scoop: We have plenty of ideas. We just need the intent and the energy to follow through.
     Invite those who might enjoy it. Post pictures. Leave footprints. Talk to someone about us. Keep an eye out for possible sponsors. Get your daily dose of vitamin D. Keep it fresh.

     In the midst of it all, keep us up in the loop.

     Lost yourself in the night sky? Gone Planking? Witnessed the recent annular eclipse? Planted a garden? Learned a new knot? Discovered a fun yoga pose? Been bird-watching? Feel asleep while studying outside? Danced in the rain?
     Tell us the story!

     I look forward to sharing the great outdoors with all of you precious people. Take care, enjoy your summers, and come back to Jewell ready for the semester!

   Best wishes and highest hopes,

                             Devi Boudicca Fitelly