Showing posts with label nature. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nature. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Green Reads

March came in like a lamb and went out like a lion, and now the April showers are here. Time to start thinking about Earth Day, Easter Eggs, and gardening. Who's got Spring Fever?

If you're looking for ideas or inspiration to get outside or to make some greener changes in your life this spring, look no further. Here are some new books we've been enjoying.

First up, a fantastic book that celebrates Earth Day as well as National Poetry Month:

The Green Mother Goose: Saving the World One Rhyme At a Time by Jan Peck

All of your favorite nursery rhymes have gone green! Clever twists on Jack & Jill, Humpty Dumpty, and Yankee Doodle will have you rhyming and recycling in no time! My favorite is This Little Piggy, in which the littlest piggy cries "Re-re-recycle all the way home".

Think Mother Goose is just for babies? C is reading these aloud to his class of 5th graders and they are enjoying them too. Maybe they'll be inspired to write their own. Check out poetry.org for more ideas on how to celebrate poetry this month.

Next up, one for curious kids who wonder how things work or are always asking "Why?":

How Things Work in the Yard by Lisa Campbell Ernst

Concepts of science, simple machines, and biology found in your own backyard are illustrated and explained in a non-textbook way. Simple enough for preschoolers but also interesting and humorous so that elementary school-age kids will enjoy. The book is bound and illustrated in a sort of field guide-notebook sort of way. Would make a nice gift for a budding naturalist or scientist.


And, for the crafters:

ReMake It! Recycling Projects From the Stuff You Usually Scrap by Tiffany Threadgould

Cool projects; varying skill levels. Bottlecap Checker game, tissue box photo frame, cargo pants yoga mat bag, iPod case, and more. I like the magazine page envelopes and the newspaper gift bag myself!





Lastly, my friend Cheryl shared this link with me for an Easter Egg garland--an adorable and virtually free craft using paint chips and string. I am making one (or more!) today.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Bison

Deviating from my "typical" type of posts (do I have typical posts?) to share a family-friendly outing for fellow Cbus-ers.

Local readers may be interested to know that Battelle Darby Creek is the new home to 6 female bison. They come from The Wilds and seem to be thriving in their beautiful new prairie habitat.

We made our first trip to this park last Sunday and had a very enjoyable walk. The 1-mile path is wide and easy and pets were permitted. There are two playgrounds at the trailhead. A park volunteer was on hand at the bison viewing area, taking questions and sharing information. The park is apparently also home to coyote, fox, and of course many birds.

Bring your camera!



8/23/11 UPDATE: The Metro Parks Facebook page recently posted some tips about bison viewing. During the heat, early morning is best, or after a rain. 

Also, if you take your kids, you may want to swing by the library afterwards to learn more about bison. We always leave nature parks with more questions! The non-fiction area of the library is definitely becoming J's favorite--books about animals, insects, dinosaurs, volcanoes and planets abound!

We are also reading this cute new picture book right now about a buffalo. I need to look up the difference between buffalo and bison...again. I can never seem to get that straight!



Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Babies


This weekend while mowing the lawn, C found a rabbit nest. Right smack in the middle of our backyard. The only reason he noticed it was that a teeny tiny brown cottontail shot out of the nest across the yard when the mower came close. Thankfully, the mower did not come too close and the nest was undisturbed. He scooped him up and the three of us ooohed and ahhhed over him for a few moments until we saw another one scamper out of the nest! C scooped that one up too, and then carefully nestled them back in among at least three other brothers and sisters, and abandoned the mowing.

It filled us with anxiety to think that they might be abandoned or that there was more that we should do to protect them from stray cats and the occasional hawk. But, a google search led me to a couple web sites that completely backed up our actions:

> handle them with gloves so as not to leave your scent on them (mothers may reject babies that pick up scents other than their own);

> do not relocate the nest (we debated on moving it to a less conspicuous spot, but decided not to, so that mama would be able to find it);

> nestle them back down under their nest and keep pets away.

According to what I read, rabbits are the "absent parents" of the animal world. Fathers are not involved in the care of babies at all. Mothers nurse their young 5 minutes a day, leave the nest during the day, and return at night. The baby bunnies leave the nest at quite a young age, only 2 weeks (!) and are completely independent by 3 or 4 weeks.

Please keep your fingers crossed that these little guys are doing alright and will soon be off on their own!

Sunday, May 31, 2009

~ sunday to sunday ~

Anticipating summer and feeling relaxed and peaceful on this gorgeous day, I'll let these pictures mainly speak for themselves, and for what we've been up to the last week.

Homestead Park -- Hilliard's home to an historic Ohio barn as well as an old blue train caboose; also many playgrounds, walking paths, and a cute covered bridge:



Gonna catch that train...



Early summer blooms:


Pretty sights from a morning walk on Memorial Day at Heritage Park , formerly the Rosedale Farm, home to the Everal family in the late 1800s :

The Everal Barn




Knock knock, anybody home at the Carriage House?

I liked the look of this old latched coal chute on the front of the chimney.


We weren't the only family out enjoying the lovely morning


Not the greatest gardeners, we spent a lot of time this week on our prettiest landscaping project yet -- still a work in progress.


Hope yours was a beautiful week, too, with another one to come!

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Dawes Arboretum


Today we enjoyed a lovely Spring day at Dawes Arboretum: 1,800 acres, beautiful scenery, elegant landscapes, walking and hiking trails, 15,000 living plants, and many species of wildlife.

Clockwise from top:

  1. we do not use the timer setting on our camera often enough!
  2. Dawes Lake
  3. The Japanese Garden and pond
  4. The Cypress Swamp
  5. trees that looked like something out of a Dr. Seuss book
  6. J scouting salamanders (the salamanders had just migrated days ago to the swamp to begin their breeding season and were extremely well camouflaged, much to J's disappointment)
  7. goldfish in the pond at the Japanese Garden
  8. Conifer Glen, where we felt as if we were strolling through the setting of a Jane Austen novel
  9. my silly boys imprisoned at the Japanese Garden!

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Sunday, November 2, 2008

Earth Day

Some keep the Sabbath going to Church,
I keep it staying at Home -
With a bobolink for a Chorister,
And an Orchard, for a Dome.
- Emily Dickinson

Sunday, November 2
The crisp blue sky and earthy smell of Fall drew us outside early this morning. We indulged our inner naturalists and felt (mostly) justified in skipping mass. Fortified with coffee and donuts, our little threesome embarked on a self-guided nature walk through Highbanks Metro Park.

Our pace was much slower than the other hikers out today, but we thoroughly enjoyed the exercise and fresh air. J religiously pointed out every downed tree ("big tree fall down"). We peered through the slats on the bridges we crossed, J unsuccessfully looking for fish or frogs. Birds sang and squirrels busily gathered acorns and nuts. Every so often we paused to sit on a log bench or examine fallen leaves and acorns. J and I tucked a few acorns into our pockets and when we got home I made a little arrangement for our kitchen table.

It was a beautifully peaceful (and educational) morning.

"Nature will bear the closest inspection. She invites us to lay our eye level with her smallest leaf, and take an insect view of its plain."

- Henry David Thoreau