Graeme Base’s books are a magical combination of whimsical illustrations and rich observations about the ways that human beings interact. During the week, we’ll explore many of the author’s well-known and lesser-known works including Animalia, The Worst Band in the Universe and The Eleventh Hour.  We’ll pay particular attention to The Sign of the Seahorse, reading it aloud together and reveling in its high adventure, romance, intrigue and important ecological message.  We’ll use Base’s detailed illustrations as a basis for an ocean-themed mixed media collage.

During the week, we’ll take a look at the important role that bogs play in biodiversity.  We’ll learn about the animals that make their homes in wetlands, the various threats posed to this habitat by human development and what we can do to preserve the bogs and wetlands in our community.  We’ll share the book The Eco-Diary of Kiran Singer by Sue Ann Alderson and look at the unique culture that has sprung up around the preservation of Camosun Bog in Vancouver. Each day we’ll record our own observations and thoughts in a hand-bound diary, just as Kiran does in the book. Weather permitting, we’ll take a trip to Camosun Bog in Pacific Spirit Park to observe all that we’ve been learning about first-hand. 

Each day we’ll begin with meditation in the Lyceum’s garden, followed by a few stretches.  We’ll share stories that explore some of the principles of zen, including wisdom, the attainment of enlightenment and the importance of compassion. During the  afternoon we’ll examine the aesthetic of wabi-sabi - specifically, art that is imperfect, impermanent, asymmetrical and simple as it celebrates the integrity of natural objects and processes.  We’ll take inspiration from nature walks while working on our own art projects inspired by wabi-sabi.