Welcome June {2018}

June 7, 2018June 7, 2018 by Sarah | Leave a comment

Near the beginning of each month we like to pause and take a look at what’s going on in the world around us, with a particular focus on animal activity, farmers’ fields, and environmental holidays. You can find our archive of previous welcomes here .

Welcome June! It’s always with equal parts anticipation and apprehension that I welcome June each year. It’s the start of summer, but for some reason that always signals the beginning of the end type of feelings for me. This doesn’t happen with any other season and that’s how I know that summer is truly my number one.

I’m not prone to anxiety, but I really was feeling it this past week. I had just spent two awesome weekends camping, hiking, surfing, and exploring quaint little towns. Sounds awesome, right? But then my mind starting reeling, what am I going to do the rest of the summer? Will I have time for fun? I better plan it! I can’t waste it! These thought patterns are so unlike me that it caught me off guard. In order to stop the rumination, I sat down and figured my shit out. Continue reading …

Exploring Coastal Rocks and Tidal Pools in Tofino, BC

May 30, 2018June 1, 2018 by Sarah | Leave a comment

If you’re interested in things to do in Tofino, here’s a neat hike with the final destination being an old bomber plane. If you want to explore another tidal pool, I highly recommend a visit to Cannon Beach, Oregon.

Last weekend, I camped at Green Point Campground near Tofino, BC. Beyond surfing, skim boarding, biking, and hiking, there are plenty of beaches to comb and coastal tide pools to explore. I really enjoyed climbing around on the rocks between North Chesterman and South Chesterman beach. This area is also known as Frank Island, but you are able to access it by land, no need to cross water to reach it. Continue reading …

Hiking the Bomber Trail near Tofino, BC

May 29, 2018June 1, 2018 by Sarah | Leave a comment

We write about hiking a lot. Hiking in all seasons, hiking in many different states, day hiking and weekend backpacking, hiking with kids, hiking and photography, etc, here are all our hiking posts.

This past weekend, I went on a rad little hike. This time it wasn’t the scenery that made it extra special, it was the destination, an old bomber plane crash site. The plane was a Royal Canadian Air Force Canso 11007 that crashed shortly after takeoff on February 12, 1945. Apparently the engine malfunctioned causing the plane to crash into the trees just south of Radar hill, about a dozen kilometers south of Tofino, BC. There were 12 people onboard, they all survived the crash and were rescued 11 hours after going down. I’m betting most people will read this article for the pertinent information since the trail is ‘unofficial’ so I’m going to get right to it. Continue reading …

Gift Guide : Kids’ Camping Gear

May 10, 2018November 9, 2018 by Katie | Leave a comment

This month, in anticipation of summer vacations, we’re doing a few travel-related posts. You can see our full archive of travel posts here. And here are some of our basic tips for camping with young kids.

If you haven’t been following the blog regularly, let’s just throw it out there that we love to go camping. And we’re hoping to instill that same love in our two little guys (ages 5 & 3).

We’ve documented quite a few family trips on the blog. You can see a hike from our most recent spring trip here. Last summer we took a little road trip to Great Sand Dunes and the San Juan Mountains. And one of our most memorable camping trips was the winter weekend in Rocky Mountain National Park.

While the kids were babies, we packed almost no gear for them. As long as we remembered the carriers for hikes, what else did we need?

Welcome May {2018}

May 1, 2018May 1, 2018 by Katie | Leave a comment

Near the beginning of every most months, you can find us checking in with what’s coming up on the calendar, both literally and figuratively. You can find our archive of previous welcomes here, including May 2017, May 2015, and May 2014.

Ahhh, May! I’m happy you’re here, and you’re you.

Even if you did surprise us with a huge snowstorm midway through the month last year… not holding a grudge or anything.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

April 24, 2018April 24, 2018 by Katie | Leave a comment

April is Earth Month, and it has encouraged us to dig a little bit deeper into topics and headlines that flash across our screen. A (literal) big one is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. There are many detailed articles about this topic, and we don’t aspire to recreate them, instead we’re hoping to get you a concise summary of the issue. Throughout this post, we’ll use the term “patch” to identify the area, but as we explain below, this is not an ideal description.

And before we go any further, hopefully it’s obvious to you that the existence of a garbage patch within the ocean is a problem. Sea animals mistake the plastics for food, filling their stomachs with garbage rather than nutrients, leading to premature death from starvation. Other animals die by getting caught in the plastics and discarded fishing nets.

Two Bits : Earth Day Edition

April 20, 2018April 30, 2018 by Sarah | Leave a comment

Happy Friyay! There’s a party goin’ on around these parts as we celebrate the kiddos’ April birthdays with their little buds. Mimosas for the moms, a kid corner for cupcake decorating, this delicious cashew dip for fruits, some veggies and hummus, lox and bagels all around. That’s really all it takes for a good time. We think that the less you try to coordinate, the easier and more enjoyable the event. Some simple prep beforehand leaves you with very little ‘to do’ during party time giving you the time and energy you need to chat with guests and actually enjoy yourself.

Besides a cupcake decorating station, we’re handing out ‘bug bungalows‘ to each of the kids so they can play outside and capture some specimens. Kate bought them from a local toy store, they’re sold out on Amazon, but here they are on another online shop.

Tonight I’ll catch a redeye to Philly, arrive Saturday morning, and finally see my pup, Cash, after more than forty days away. Hooooray! I’m excited to feel the air in Pennsylvania and see what’s in bloom, but I’ll head right down to my ~~bug~~ bungalow in North Carolina.

Sunday is Earth Day and I plan on spending a sunny afternoon kayaking on Jordan Lake followed by a long hike through the mountain laurels with Cash. While I normally encourage disconnecting in nature, now is a great time to snap some photos of the natural changes you witness and any wildlife you may see to upload to iNaturalist. Being a citizen scientist is helpful any day of the year, but what better day than Earth Day?! If you’re wanting a bit of mindfulness, check out the video above and get a primer on flower gazing, a form of meditation that you can take to the trails or your garden.

Devil’s Garden Utah & 5 Reasons to Visit National Parks in Winter

April 12, 2018July 28, 2020 by Sarah | Leave a comment

Winter doesn’t stop us. Read about winter hiking, winter van camping, winter photography, snowshoeing, and winter hammocking. Oooo and here’s a link to our favorite winter adventuring jacket.

Feeling cooped up? We know it’s technically Spring now, but if you’re wondering what to do with your last few weeks of what feels like winter, we have a solution for you. Go visit a National Park or Monument before they get hella hot and busy. Here are five reasons why you should visit a national park this winter. Added bonus? We included all the info on Devil’s Garden located in The Grand Staircase of Escalante, Utah. It’s the perfect place to head off to before it gets too hot.

Welcome April

April 9, 2018April 30, 2018 by Sarah | Leave a comment

On the first (or second) Wednesday of every most months, you can find us checking in with what’s coming up on the calendar, both literally and figuratively.

Spring is officially here, but have you seen the signs in your own backyard or city? According to the National Phenology Network, the Spring leaf out continues to arrive early in the West, Southwest, Ohio Valley, and parts of the Mid-Atlantic, compared to a long-term averages (1981-2010). In parts of the Midwest and Great Plains, we’re about a week behind schedule and conversely parts of Nevada and eastern Washington, Oregon, and California are 4-5 weeks early.

A nature-inspired lifestyle blog.

Category Archives: nature

Welcome June {2018}

Near the beginning of each month we like to pause and take a look at what’s going on in the world around us, with a particular focus on animal activity, farmers’ fields, and environmental holidays. You can find our archive of previous welcomes here .

Exploring Coastal Rocks and Tidal Pools in Tofino, BC

If you’re interested in things to do in Tofino, here’s a neat hike with the final destination being an old bomber plane. If you want to explore another tidal pool, I highly recommend a visit to Cannon Beach, Oregon.

Hiking the Bomber Trail near Tofino, BC

We write about hiking a lot. Hiking in all seasons, hiking in many different states, day hiking and weekend backpacking, hiking with kids, hiking and photography, etc, here are all our hiking posts.

Gift Guide : Kids’ Camping Gear

This month, in anticipation of summer vacations, we’re doing a few travel-related posts. You can see our full archive of travel posts here. And here are some of our basic tips for camping with young kids.

Welcome May {2018}

Near the beginning of every most months, you can find us checking in with what’s coming up on the calendar, both literally and figuratively. You can find our archive of previous welcomes here, including May 2017, May 2015, and May 2014.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Two Bits : Earth Day Edition

Devil’s Garden Utah & 5 Reasons to Visit National Parks in Winter

Winter doesn’t stop us. Read about winter hiking, winter van camping, winter photography, snowshoeing, and winter hammocking. Oooo and here’s a link to our favorite winter adventuring jacket.

Welcome April

On the first (or second) Wednesday of every most months, you can find us checking in with what’s coming up on the calendar, both literally and figuratively.

Near the beginning of each month we like to pause and take a look at what’s going on in the world around us, with a particular focus on animal activity, farmers’ fields, and environmental holidays. You can find our archive of previous welcomes here .

If you’re interested in things to do in Tofino, here’s a neat hike with the final destination being an old bomber plane. If you want to explore another tidal pool, I highly recommend a visit to Cannon Beach, Oregon.

We write about hiking a lot. Hiking in all seasons, hiking in many different states, day hiking and weekend backpacking, hiking with kids, hiking and photography, etc, here are all our hiking posts.

This month, in anticipation of summer vacations, we’re doing a few travel-related posts. You can see our full archive of travel posts here. And here are some of our basic tips for camping with young kids.

Potatoes are our ingredient of the season. You can find our full archive of potato posts here.

Near the beginning of every most months, you can find us checking in with what’s coming up on the calendar, both literally and figuratively. You can find our archive of previous welcomes here, including May 2017, May 2015, and May 2014.

Winter doesn’t stop us. Read about winter hiking, winter van camping, winter photography, snowshoeing, and winter hammocking. Oooo and here’s a link to our favorite winter adventuring jacket.

On the first (or second) Wednesday of every most months, you can find us checking in with what’s coming up on the calendar, both literally and figuratively.