%20(1).png)
Wild, Inspired and Unstandardized
Our Story
"I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees."
Thoreau
.jpg)
Get to know us by checking out our latest newsletter
Piñon Class Newsletter
May, 2026
Dear Families,
I am reaching out to express my gratitude to you for joining the Flower Mesa community in its first year, and first class. I am so looking forward to getting to know your children, and being a teacher again, sharing what I love with the next generation. You are making this possible!
We are starting small, like the little piñon tree, Pico, who is the main character in the story that I will be telling in this session. Pico is a young Piñon tree, who grows up to learn what his gift is, and I hope to help your children expand and express the special gifts that they have to share.
I have decided to name the inaugural class the Piñon Class, as we will be studying the Piñon in depth this session. We will become familiar with the creatures and plants with which we share this land: the Cholla cactus, the Yucca plant, the Indian Paintbrush, the Prickley Pear, the Pinacate beetle, the Blue Pinon Jay, and the Cottontail rabbit, and more.
In our Sharing circle, we will be using a talking piece, a beautiful Cholla branch. Everyone will have a chance to share, and work on communication and listening skills. We will be singing several songs and learning poetry. I will begin to teach the children about the directions and we will learn about and begin building a medicine wheel.
On our hikes, we will visit a small mesa, where Pico the Piñon tree lives (from our story), then we will go down to a beautiful arroyo to explore, play and have lunch. After lunch, we will practice mindfulness and breathing. I will begin teaching the basic breathing/mindfulness exercise, made popular by Thich Nhat Hahn, my favorite Buddhist teacher. Baby Girl will be our companion when we are on our hiking adventures.
Our yoga session will happen back at the play yard, in the shade of the two Elm trees. We will work on the basics: Child’s pose, Cat/Cow, Downward dog, Triangle, with some twists and heart openers. Then we will go over to the barn to spend some time with our therapy horse, TooTall. We will begin by grooming and learning some interesting facts about horses, focusing on how they communicate and read their environment.
We will end the day by getting creative with painting. We will be working on a mural on the wall in our play yard, and the children can choose to work on their own canvas as well. Their clothes could get paint on them, so dress accordingly.
This is the plan for the day, though I like to be flexible and leave it open, as each class is different, with different needs. We will see where we go from here!
That is all for now. I am busy preparing for tomorrow and the birth of Flower Mesa Forest School. Thank you again for being a part of this journey. We have a Blue Moon at 2:46 am on Sunday morning, which is auspicious for this new beginning.
Many blessings on our journey together,
In Gratitude,
Donna
Flower Mesa
At Flower Mesa, our programs are based on Waldorf pedagogy, which is lauded for its holistic approach to childhood development, fostering creativity, imagination and a deep sense of empathy and social responsibility.
We are a nature immersion program, which means that we are outdoors in all weather, and make use of a huge barn during storms or intense heat. Our goal is to help children feel at home in nature and to teach them the skills that make that possible.
Ms. Donna with our therapy dog, Baby Girl
Each class includes equine experiences, and the children develop strong relationships with our resident horses. Our days are filled with story, song, art, hiking and being in nature. We learn the stories of the arroyos and mesas, and we practice sitting in meditation and building fires. Mindfulness and self-reflection are essential in our journey together, and we practice the art of listening and conversation.
Children build confidence, strength and an expanded sense of self and community by joining a class at Flower Mesa. Reach out and find out more about the beauty we have to offer.
FLOWER MESA
Founder &
Lead Teacher
Donna Lynn
Donna Lynn is the creative spirit behind Flower Mesa Forest School. ​She is a warm and inspiring teacher, and she loves working with children. Her mission is to help them stay in touch with their unique selves, offering them beauty and life skills that will build their confidence, awareness and contentment.
​
Donna is a seasoned teacher, a holistic educational pioneer and a specialist in early childhood development, with close to thirty years of teaching experience. She began her career as a French teacher, after studying at The Alliançe Française in Paris, and went on to discover Waldorf education. Donna trained in Waldorf early childhood at the Sunbridge Institute and completed her foundation year at The Waldorf Teacher's Development Association.
Donna has a wealth of experience working with neurodivergent children. She has studied the remedial educational approach of Rudolf Steiner at the Association for a Healing Education and The Mulberry Center for Curative Education. She spent over 15 years pioneering in the field of remedial education, creating bespoke, holistic curriculum.
​
​
​Donna grew up in the bluegrass region of Kentucky, with its rolling hills, hollers and meandering rivers. There, she began her 30 year tenure as a Naturalist, teaching in Forest schools and leading nature expeditions for children and their families. Donna's love of nature is contagious and she is a spirited and inspiring leader in the wild. Donna has a son, who is now 23, who was educated outside of the school system. She drew on her holistic, educational background and her work as a nature immersion expert to create a unique educational experience for him.
Donna is an artist who loves yoga, meditation and parcours. She is a seasoned teacher, who brings wisdom, compassion and insight to her classes. She is thrilled to bring her passions together in a nature school, and offer such a unique experience to the families and children of Northern New Mexico.
The Waldorf Approach
Waldorf pedagogy is at the heart of our programs at Flower Mesa and it is a highly therapeutic approach. Unique to Waldorf, is the understanding that each child is a unique soul on a path of development. We look for the uniqueness and the beauty that each child brings. We honor childhood development, and the rhythms of nature. Our days are filled with art singing and storytelling.
Horse Experiences
We are blessed to have a couple of horses who are a part of our classes at Flower Mesa. Onyx, Too-Tall and Freckles are our resident horses who give their grounding energy and horse lessons to the children. We offer horse time in every class, including grooming, feeding, observation and painting horses. The children love these experiences and develop memorable friendships with these wise animals.
​
​
.jpg)
RHYTHM OF THE DAY
What our days look like
Children are dropped off in the yard of the Arco Iris house, where play time is happening. After drop off, we circle up to check in, using a talking piece. We discuss our theme of the day and to hear from each participant. We sing a few songs and practice a bit of yoga and breathwork.
When we are centered, we head over to the barn and spend some time with the horses. Our horse experiences include: observation, feeding, grooming and painting horses.
Next, we go on an exploration hike. We then settle down in our home base for the day. We set up camp and begin free play which includes an art/craft and or nature skills project.
Next, we share a meal together, (each child brings a lunch) and we have our story time.
After the meal, we have a rest time, which is a time for sleep, quiet, stillness and perhaps journaling or drawing.
After rest, we circle up for a check in and some singing, then we begin our trek back to the main house for pick up.
