Archive for the ‘Event Spotlight’ Category

Posted on January 9, 2010 - by Blackhawk Staff Writer

Trees and Tracks Snowshoe Hike

Director of Outdoor Pursuits, Jil Wickander, lent her vast knowledge of the winter flora and fauna at Blackhawk to homeowners on a special “Trees and Tracks” snowshoe hike this past Saturday. Along the way, fox and deer tracks dotted the landscape as we trekked through the trees and along the Payette River.

In addition to animal tracks, we were also able to learn about a number of winter plants. One of the most prevalant plant species we encountered was Wolf Lichen (pictured on the tree above). This green lichen is found on trees throughout the region and seems to be one of those plants you see, but rarely acknowledge, so commonplace is its presence. In fact, this special plant has a long history with the indigenous people of North America. Wolf Lichen was the most widely used dye lichen, used from the Rockies to the Pacific coast, from California to Alaska. Some groups also made paint from it. This lichen is sufficiently poisonous that the Achomawi in Northern California used it, mixed with rattlesnake venom, to make poison arrowheads. The Apache painted wolf-lichen crosses on their feet so they could pass their enemies unseen.

Wolf Lichen also has medicinal applications and is used most commonly as a dermatological aid. Below is a recipe for a salve that can be used on a number of skin conditions.

Wolf Lichen Salve
Pack four cups of fresh Wolf Lichen into a quart jar. Fill the jar with olive oil. Pour mixture into a 2 quart pan, place on stove and heat slowly over low heat, stirring frequently, for 20 to 30 minutes. Strain the oil through a coffee filter or several layers of cheesecloth, discarding solids. Add 1½ ounces of finely shaved beeswax to the oil and heat slowly over simmering water. Pour into salve jars and cool completely before applying lid. Use salve for treating eczema and similar skin conditions.

Posted on December 28, 2009 - by Editor

Horse Drawn Sleigh Rides

Dashing through the snow until January 2nd! Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to enjoy the beautiful snow-scapes while being pulled along by a horse-drawn sleigh. Wrap yourself in warm blankets and enjoy hot cocoa on this one-of-a-kind tour.

To schedule your sleigh ride, please call Jil at (208) 630-4348.

Posted on September 6, 2009 - by mckenzie

Labor Day Fun!

The Blackhawk community celebrated the last days of summer with a special event at our newly landscaped River Lodge on Saturday, September 5th with pony rides, hot dogs and lots of artwork!

The afternoon began with a special art project hosted by Margo Anneke and family. Using lengths of string soaked in black paint, event-goers were able to create amazing designs by dragging the string across paper. Once dry, the designs were enhanced with watercolor paint. The result…stunning works of art!

With painting complete, kids were then able to test their skills on the Blackhawk horses with pony rides around the River Lodge lawn.

The afternoon came to a close with one of the all-time favorite events at Blackhawk…the paint the pony! Scooby Doo, elected by the kids as the best horse for their canvas, was painted with handprints, star bursts and polka dots.

From all of us at Blackhawk, we hope that everyone had a wonderful and fun-filled Labor Day…we definitely enjoyed hosting this special weekend event! Now it is time to bring on the snow!

Posted on July 24, 2009 - by mckenzie

Paint the Pony is Back!

Blackhawk’s most popular summer event made its 2009 debut on July 18th at the Equestrian Center. This month’s Paint the Pony Ice Cream Social was another huge success with guests putting their artistic stamp on the Blackhawk horses while enjoying ice cream and homemade cobbler.

As soon as the finger paints were out, our snow-white horses were transformed into works of art…even thier tails and manes recieved a touch of color!

There is only one more Paint the Pony Ice Cream Social this summer, so don’t miss this one-of-a-kind event. The next Social will be held on Saturday, August 22nd starting at 1:00pm.

To RSVP, please call Jil at (208) 630-4348!