Posts focused on taking good care of our mind and body.
How are you handling the news lately? It’s a bit much, isn’t it?
I typed this post, added a few images and realized that it looks like it’s sponsored by the Morning Brew. Ha! It’s definitely not, but I do want you to sign up for this news service. Read on to see why. Continue reading
Recently Katie shared a great post encouraging you to Get Outside! In it, she included a bunch of tips for heading out the door and after reading it, I wanted to focus on the first one: Take it easy. You don’t need an epic adventure to reap the benefits of nature. This is so true and something that’s often forgotten.
I know I know this, that we all know this, but I think it was made even more clear to me while attending Adventure Fridays at Townsend Bertram & Co last week. On the third Friday of every month, TB&C invites the community to a free event to listen to an adventurous speaker and drink free beer from Steel String Brewery. The community gathers, gains inspiration, and then chats for a bit before parting ways.
Last week’s message was about the therapeutic nature of the outdoors. How nature heals us, makes us happier, and healthier humans. That was actually the main focus of my July Crafting Ritual and Cultivating Mindfulness Retreat. I was excited to go and learn from these ladies and to share my own experiences. When I arrived, I was delighted to see that the event was being held on the back deck of the shop instead of inside. This simple shift caused the whole crew of 20-30 people to spend two hours outside that otherwise would have been spent inside. I even came home with a few simple tips for spending even more time outside.
These ideas may seem simple and yet how often do we act on them? Just yesterday, I decided to make some calls while sitting out on my stoop. Normally, I would dread calling AAA and the mechanic and my cell phone company, but as I sat outside I was able to hear the bugs and the birds, watch a silly squirrel shoving way too many nuts in its mouth, and meet a new neighbor and dog. All of which wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t pop out to make the calls. Think of all the magical little moments you’re missing when you’re doing the mundane inside? Take it outdoors!
A couple of weeks ago during a string of snow days, we came up with the sweetest afternoon routine, and it centered around something we’re calling “Quiet as a Mouse Tea Time”. Continue reading
When I was an undergrad, my university had a vibrant life-long learning program. Do you know what I’m talking about? It was geared towards older individuals that wanted to take classes, but we’re in a degree program. Maybe they’d take a History of Jazz class one semester and then a paleontology class the next.
Every time I saw an life-long learning student/senior citizens on campus, I was JEALOUS. College was stressful, but I loved learning, and I would daydream about how much fun it would be to take classes without the heavy workload or the stress of grades.
Well, I just realized this summer, that my time has come! Continue reading
We spend a LOT of time outside between hikes, playground visits, and nature play sessions. The one thing that I always notice at this time of year, is the drop-off in kids at these different events.
I totally get it. It can be hard to motivate to get outside once winter weather arrives. BUT, after playing through the seasons for the past few years, I’ve come to rely on a few specific brands and types of gear.
Here are our favorite laying options for winter adventures.
I didn’t include a hat or gloves on this list. For hats, we’re always wearing something that I knit. When it comes to gloves, I feel like I’m still on the hunt for a perfect pair for small hands. My boys don’t love mittens because of the limited dexterity, but I haven’t found the perfect gloves yet.
Fortunately, we have our winter layers so dialed in that we can head out the door with minimal effort, but I’d love to hear from you – anything that you consider essential that didn’t make my list?
If you’re looking for an amazing autumn getaway near Seattle and you’ve already visited the beautiful crystal clear Blue Lake, head to Colchuck Lake as it is just as gorgeous! Another alpine lake, Colchuck Lake is surrounded by mountains and lined with plenty of boulders to sit on and snack the afternoon away. Take a dip if you dare, but remember your quick-dry towel and warm puffy jacket because Colchuck Lake sits at an elevation of 5,570 feet. We hiked Colchuck during the final weekend of September when the undergrowth was popping with color, the air was crisp, the sun was hiding, and the breeze encouraged a quick pace to the top.
If you want to read about more of our hiking and camping adventures, you can find them here. And if you want more Colorado hikes, they’re here.
Last weekend I went on my first big hike in years, and it felt amazing. Click on to read about my little day hike across the continental divide from one Colorado ski-town to another. Continue reading
There’s no denying that I’m on a non-fiction kick! It started with The Beast in the Garden, continued with The Soul of an Octopus, and there’s no end in sight as the two books I’m working on now are both non-fiction.
The Soul of an Octopus takes us into the intimate relationship that the author and other employees at the Boston Aquarium develop with the resident octopuses. In researching this book, Ms. Montgomery begins to make weekly trips from her home to the aquarium to visit the octopuses.
As you learn, the specific octopuses she visits change throughout the book due to a number of different circumstances. And through her writing, we learn about the unique personalities of these octopuses and of many others as she passes along stories told to her by scientists, divers, and other octopus enthusiasts.
It becomes clear early on in the book that octopuses are amazing creatures, and that we still have a lot to learn about them.
I thought that this was a particularly great book for readers that enjoy learning about animals, but may not want the density of a typical scientific article. I think of it as the Discovery Channel version of book, and that’s definitely not a bad thing. This is non-fiction beach reading at its finest!
Sy Montgomery also has an octopus book for kids! Inky’s Amazing Escape is the true story about an octopus’ amazing escape from an aquarium in New Zealand.
The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs by Tristan Gooley
The Day the Earth Caved In by Joan Quigley
Winter World by Bernd Heinrich
The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen 83 1/4 Years Old by Hendrik Groen
The Beast in the Garden by David Baron
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery
If you’ve been following along, Kate and I are hittin’ the books hard this year. Our Read With Me series is growing each month and as we close out April, earth month, we wanted to share our favorite nature reads with you. It was hard for me to pick only a handful, but these are the first ones that came to mind and they’re all quite different at that.
We love good books. Who doesn’t?
Below you’ll find a running list of our favorite nature books for kids. Have something to recommend? Let us know in the comments!
If you’d like to learn more about some of the books on this list? Check out this post. And we wrote about our favorite kids’ beach reads here. And a tree focused post here.
Finally, you’ll find our full archive of book-related posts here.
