Let me just start by sending out a big, warm hug to all of the wonderful folks who braved the cold to hit the Today Party yesterday! More than 200 kiddos dropped by to decorate cupcakes, colour like crazy and meet some friends over at Karen’s studio.

I loved it – getting to meet so many of you in person, share some time together and just have fun! We definitely plan on making this an annual event. So, mark it on your mental calendar for April 2009.

Meanwhile, it’s Sunday morning and time for a walk.

A quick glimpse at the weather tells me that today is really our best bet for outside good times (12, no rain).

Since the tiny person is currently seriously into the blooming schedule of Spring flowers, it’s time to head out to Kitty Coleman Woodland Gardens

Even with the remarkably chilly weather, this time of year wandering through 24 acres of groomed trails is a peaceful, wonderful way to spend a morning checking out the new blooms of all kinds.

Start out your day by packing a picnic lunch. You’ll want to make the most out of this day for a couple of reasons: 1. There is an admission charge to get into the gardens (adults $6, kids 5-12 $2, kids under 5 are free). 2. It’s a bit of a drive up the Old Island Highway off of Coleman Road. 3. There are several side trips that make for a great, well-rounded day outside.

The first question running through my head reading this would be “Why would I ever pay for the family to take a walk?”

Kitty Coleman, particularly in the Spring, is one of those places that can turn a walk into a serious bit of learning, exploration and adventure. If you call a day ahead, you can arrange a guided tour. Or you can use this amazing spot to take out your Nature Journals and find a great spot in one of the rustic gazebos or benches that dot the path to do some drawing, study the flowers a bit or write a story about the forest.

It’s definitely a different kind of experience than being out on the trail as while the gardens have been designed with the forest around them intact, they are groomed, with man-made lakes, bridges and art creating the atmosphere.

I love this walk during Spring especially because that’s when the gardens are at their prime. In May, the rhodos will burst with colour, filling the paths with butterflies and blooms. Other gorgeous flowers such as foxgloves and thimble berries start to peek out and there are just times when I appreciate the near-guarantee of finding what we are looking for.

While the paths don’t make for a long walk (about an hour tops if you walk the whole thing), they are stroller- and wheel chair-friendly, with plenty of places to stop off and hang out.

As you round the bend back up to the main building, head across the path into the large open-space park area where the kiddos can have a good, safe run and you can set up for a picnic, enjoying the afternoon. This is a picnic blanket sort of location.

TIP: If you’d prefer a spot on the ocean with picnic tables, several short nature trails and one heck of a view, you can take a bit of a walk or hop in the car for the short drive to the end of Whitaker Road where you will end up at Kitty Coleman Provincial Park.

You get to Kitty Coleman Gardens from Courtenay by taking the Old Island Highway north to Coleman Road where you make a right, then make a left on Left Road and a right onto Whitaker. The signs will guide you in.

Taking a walk through one giant flower garden brought on a whole new wave of tiny-person curiosity about when certain blooms pop up. Being the gardening neophyte that I am, my answer to her unending line of questioning is “Ummmmmmmm…”

She has this thing right now about waking up every morning and, first thing, wandering out into the garden to see what has bloomed. So, I thought why not let us both learn something and walk around the garden in our jammies and bare feet. So, we set off to press some flowers.

This is one of those projects that is fun to set up, has a giant lull while waiting for the process to complete itself, and then has some cool rewards in the form of pressed flowers that you can paste into a nature journal or make into crafts.

Here’s what you need:

- A flower press or, a makeshift one(which is what we did) with 2 heavy boards and some bungie cords.
- White paper and newsprint
- A dry, warm place with good airflow to set up
- Flowers

An important point to make before getting started is that picking flowers along trails is generally prohibited by law and generally frowned upon. So, don’t plan on doing your collecting out at Kitty Coleman or other forest locales. Your yard is your best bet

Directions:

1. So, head out into the yard and collect some of the cool blooms busting out right now. We have tulips, heather and grape hyacinth. We also picked some herbs like fennel and thyme just for fun.

2. Take one board and set it up on a flat surface. We used an old table base. But, you could use saw horses or a picnic table, even set it up inside if you have the space.

3. Put a piece of newsprint on the board. Then, set down white paper on top of it.

4. Arrange your flowers and other things to press on the white paper. Lay a sheet of white paper over it, then put a piece of newspaper over that. The newspaper should be changed every day or so.

5. Put the top board down onto the paper and flowers. Strap it down with a bungie cord.

6. In a week or two, you’ll have specimens for putting into your nature journal or making crafts with.

If you want to remember what you picked, you can slip a label in with each flower.

I really like this project, and so did the tiny person as she got to pick flowers out of the garden at will and she thought the smushing part was super cool.

Now, if only Mother Nature would stop trying to freeze us out.

Have a great Sunday!