Wordless Wednesday: Stone Walls

Photo taken 17 January 2012

Photo taken 17 January 2012

Photo taken 20 January 2012

Travel Tuesdays: Consider the Health of Our Planet

Today, a little food for thought,

No matter where you are in the world, what will you be doing on March 31st from 8:30-9:30? How about this?

Let's create change together. Will you join me? 

Wordless Wednesday: Fog on Snipatuit Pond

Photos taken 15 February 2012

Travel Tuesdays: Be a Traveler in Your Hometown or State

With the arrival of school vacation week here in Massachusetts, many families are off traveling. Since we'll be traveling to Italy this summer, this school vacation will be spent close to home.  Yesterday, we decided to go hiking.

We have hiking trails that literally start at our driveway, so we tend to fall into the habit of hiking what we already know. Instead of doing the same old thing, my husband suggested we explore some new nature trails about 3 miles from our house.

We know how dramatically the environment can change in just a few miles, but we were still pleasantly surprised by how different this trail looked compared to the ones outside our door. The most noticeable difference is how wet the Black Brook Wildlife Management Area is compared to our usual trail.

Parts of the trail have an ancient feel. Mossy, bright green patches brighten the forest floor and dappled sunlight illuminates lime green patches of moss on fallen trees.

Some ferns are still thriving, despite the (relative) cold, and holly trees abound. Our usual trail has a few hollies, but we know right were to find them. This area has fifty or more. We also noticed an abundance of two species of Princess Pine.

We also noticed lots of scat (animal droppings) along the way. This bright white scat stood out from the forest floor.

When I looked closely to the right of the scat, I also noticed an owl pellet just inches away. (An owl pellet is the indigestible bits of an owl's diet that get regurgitated). I've never found an owl pellet in the wild before, so I have to say, I was pretty excited! I used a couple of sticks as tools to break it open.

Inside, I found what looks like the skin of a snake. Can you see the scales? (Double click the photo to make it bigger). We could also see some small bones that looked like vertebrae.

All in all, we had a pretty good hike. We spent time as a family, explored outside, and made an exciting discovery. Not every hike reveals an amazing discovery such as an owl pellet, but there's always something wonderful to be observed in nature. 

Here in Massachusetts, every region has some kind of nature trail, conservation land, or parks. How about in your state? What can you find to explore? (I found these links by searching on "hiking trails Massachusetts").

What local hiking trail might you explore this week? 

Feeding Winter Birds

When we took our Christmas tree down this year, we propped it up in the front yard intending to decorate it for the birds. Well, we finally managed to decorate it last weekend.

These bird feeder ornaments are easy to make. You can hang them from any tree in your yard or neighborhood.

Directions

Supplies needed:

• cotton or wool thread (Birds will use the thread in nests later in the spring. Synthetics are bad for the environment. Do NOT use plastics such as gimp).
• any pinecones you can collect on a nature hike. Species does not matter. These happen to be from pitch pines. (Be careful not to collect in restricted areas such as state parks or national forests).
• peanut butter, suet, or vegetable shortening. (NOTE: If working with children other than your own, NEVER use peanut butter without checking for peanut allergies. In schools and libraries, I advise never using peanut butter).
• bird seed
• small bowl
• butter knife

Directions:

1. Cut a small length of thread. Make a large loop and knot it.
2. Work the loop into the pinecone so you can hang it. 
3. Spread vegetable shortening, peanut butter, or suet on the pinecones.
4. Roll them in birdseed.
5. Hang them on a tree outside your window.
6. Watch for birds to arrive over the next week or so, if all goes well. If you haven't been feeding birds, it may take a while for them to find your feeders.

Added 21 February 2012:
Hey...look... we had our first visitors to our bird feeder ornaments!

Not quite the guests we were hoping for (and they cleaned everything out in no time flat) but they were still fun to watch.

Have you been feeding the birds this winter? Have they been active?


You Might Also Like:
Signs of Spring-Bird Sightings
Nature Observations With Young Children

Wordless Wednesday: Ice Ornaments II

I feel a bit like Monet returning to the same subject over and over again trying to capture what I see...

Photos taken 12 February 2012

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Wordless Wednesday: Ice Ornaments

Travel Tuesdays: Pushing Outside Your Comfort Zone

Yesterday, Alexis Grant over at The Traveling Writer blogged about how fear popped up in her current trip.  Lexi previously backpacked solo through Africa, but that experience didn't prevent her from feeling apprehensive during her current solo trip to Nicaragua. Sure, travelers have adventurous spirits, but it doesn't mean they never get scared. As Lexi pointed out, "It's natural to be scared of the unknown." The key is to push through the fear and see where it takes you.

Lexi ended her post by asking, "When was the last time you did something that scared you? I searched my brain for an answer. Do you know what I came up with? When I flew alone, cross-country to meet my new niece and help my sister and brother-n-law with the transition. I know, it seems crazy, right? The girl who flew to the Philippines for a year when she was 16 was afraid of a little trip to California? Is this the same woman who participated in rain forest research in Ecuador, who rode camels in the Sahara, who took her young children to India?

The truth is, what we're afraid of may change over time. When I boarded a plane for the first time and flew to the Philippines, sure, I was scared. BUT, I was also a teenager. I didn't know fear the way I would if I had made that trip at age 30. And, I would have been afraid of different things. My trip to Ecuador revealed new fears that can creep in as you get older. By then I was married and my fear of leaving centered around the fact that I was leaving my husband behind (Oh and there was also that pesky fear of poisonous snakes to manage...). Each trip reveals a new insecurity, a new fear.

So why was I afraid of flying to California alone? It's simple- I'm a mom now. My fear was that my plane would crash and my children would be motherless. There. I said it. The thing probably every mother fears.

My departure was nothing short of gut-wrenching. I was an absolute mess, but I pushed through my fear and went. And guess what happened? I never enjoyed a plane ride as much as that one. I was kid-free with no responsibilities for 6 hours. I read. I wrote. I listened to a podcast. It was lovely.

What was even more lovely was meeting my beautiful new niece and her glowing mom at the airport. Then, when I called my kids later, they basically rushed me off the phone. They were with Daddy and busy with one thing or another. They were fine. I was more than fine.

Sure, travel can be scary. But most of our travel fears are irrational. We've all heard it before... the risk of dying in a car crash is far greater than the risk dying in a plane crash. But we get in cars every day. Sure, you might get robbed while traveling, but that risk is likely no greater overseas than in your own city if you are a savvy traveler. And here's the fact that Lexi pointed out in her post- most people are willing to help a foreigner who needs it. Think about it. If you saw a foreigner struggling, you'd do your best to help, wouldn't you? I know I have. Most recently, I helped a German family navigate the "T" (subway system in Boston) . The same is true for people all over the world- they'll try to help, even if you have a language barrier.

So readers, when did you last do something that scared you?


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