Posted in Nature, tagged Nature, Seasons, Spring on February 22, 2010 | 8 Comments »
I’ve had to check the calendar several times in the last few weeks to make sure it’s really February, because in Eugene, Oregon, we’re seeing a whole lot of this…
and this…
and these….
It’s a little unsettling that everything’s blooming so early, since we undoubtedly have many gloomy, rainy, frozen days ahead.
But it’s impossible not to be [...]
Posted in Family life, Nature, Simple Living, tagged Nature, Neighborhood, Winter on January 19, 2010 | 8 Comments »
This fall, my neighbor, an avid grower of corn, fertilized his backyard garden and pinned black plastic over it. A couple of days later, a few ducks showed up and stayed for the night. He surmised that from above they may have mistook it for a pond.
The next evening more came. And then more. One [...]
Posted in Family life, Nature, tagged Celebrations, Entertainment, Family life, Family Traditions, First day of Winter, Holidays, Nature, Nature celebrations, Nature walks, Seasonal celebrations, Seasons, Winter, Winter Solstice on December 14, 2009 | 3 Comments »
December 21 is the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. Locales above the Arctic Circle, including parts of Canada, Alaska, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Greenland, and the very northern tip of Iceland will experience 24 hours of total darkness. You can find out when the sun will rise and set where you [...]
Posted in Family life, Nature, Simple Living, tagged Astronomy, Constellations, Nature, Stargazing, Winter on December 7, 2009 | 2 Comments »
My husband was a devoted viewer of Jack Horkheimer’s Star Hustler (now Stargazer) when he was growing up back in the Eighties. And my husband still knows his way around the night sky. Whenever we’re out after dark, he points out stars and planets and entertains me with stories about the constellations. I always enjoy [...]
Posted in Nature, Simple Living, tagged Autumn, Fall, First day of Winter, Nature, Seasonal celebrations, Seasons, Winter Solstice on December 4, 2009 | 2 Comments »
The first day of winter is December 21. Look for a post next week on ways to celebrate!
Right now, I’m savoring these last fleeting days of fall….
Posted in Nature, Simple Living, tagged Nature, Rain, Winter on December 1, 2009 | 3 Comments »
From the rocking chair, I have a perfect view of the tree in our front yard. I’m spending quite a bit of time in this rocking chair lately, sitting next to the fire, and reading books, singing, snuggling, and comforting.
So I’ve watched this tree’s leaves change, day by day, from green to fiery red to [...]
Posted in Family life, Nature, Parenting, Simple Living, tagged Fall, Family life, First steps, Milestones, Nature walks, Seasons, Simple Living on November 10, 2009 | 6 Comments »
The ducks are flying low, black vees swooping between the trees. “Ga ga,” Ezra calls as they pass. He’s toddling along beside me. He weaves into a neighbor’s yard, and I reach for his hand to veer him back onto the sidewalk
Ezra took his first solo steps this week at seventeen months old. Most babies [...]
Posted in Health, Herbs, Nature, New Urban Habitat, Whole foods cooking, tagged Common cold, Cooking, H1N1 Flu, Health, Herbal Medicine, Herbs, Immune system support, Immunity boosters, Medicinal Herbs, Seasonal flu, Wellness on October 28, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
If you’ve turned on a radio or television, picked up a newspaper, or logged onto the Internet in the last month, you know it’s flu season. Like many Americans you might be trying to decide whether you and/or your kids should get vaccinated against the H1N1 and seasonal flu this year. If you’re looking for [...]
Posted in Nature, Parenting, Simple Living, tagged Connecting with Nature, Health, Nature, Nature Deficit Disorder, Nature walks, Parenting, Simple Living on July 6, 2009 | 6 Comments »
Most of the new parents I know are anything but negligent. They take their toddlers to story time and enroll them in swim courses, dance classes, and music lessons. They serve fresh vegetables, read picture books, learn baby signs, and take workshops in infant massage and child development. A story time leader at my local [...]
