Sunday Morning Walks – Winter Museum Walking

You have to admit that, some days this time of year, heading outside for an adventure in the perpetual downpour is not on the list of things to do. But, needing to get out of the house is going to be the one thing that keeps everyone from going off of their rockers in the [...]

A Peek Inside A Celebration of Comox Valley Spirit

The day didn’t necessary start off on the brightest foot. Rain, rain, rain – that was the forecast for Sunday. But, with a 40X40 heated tent, happy spirits and a sense of creative flexibility we headed out for a day of celebrating our heritage.

Thankfully, the sunshine made an appearance just about the time we got [...]

Heritage Crafts – “Stained Glass” & Decoupage Lanterns

All of our Heritage good times out at The Filberg last Sunday made me get all nostalgic for projects that induce that cozy feeling, are not so frustrating and generally keep a kid’s attention for more than a milisecond. Two that we did over the weekend were super fun and easy – stained glass and [...]

Gather for a Family Heritage Experience

Editor’s Note: If you missed this morning’s AMAZING nature journal, you’ve got to go check out Jocie’s fantastic post on identifying slugs HERE. It’s fantastic. This afternoon, we’d like to extend an invitation to families of all ages to join Our Big Earth and The Filberg Heritage Lodge and Park for the Family Heritage Experience. [...]

Holiday Craft Tutorial – Cookie Cutter Gift Tags

The last couple of years, as I spend more time with folks like the David Suzuki Foundation and learn from folks like the Comox Valley Regional District, I find myself a wee bit overwhelmed at the things that AREN’T recyclable during the holidays.
One thing that I never even thought about was gift tags. In fact, [...]

Homemade Holiday Treats – Baklava

It was my childhood Winter wonderland – this magical place where all things flour and powdered sugar, pecan tart and almond brittle converged and I knew I had caught a glimpse of perfection.
To the average person, that place looked like my grandmother’s basement. But, to me, with it packed – literally – from floor to [...]

A Home Museum with Shadow Boxes

Zoology, Botany and Forestry aren’t exactly in the vocabulary of the under-5 set.
Yet, every time we hit the beach, the garden or the trail, science is following us around.
Each pine cone or shell tucked in a tiny pocket reveals something significant about a place we’ve explored. (Yes, OK, I am total science nerd.)
And I’m pretty [...]

Remember

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To [...]

Starting Family Holiday Traditions

It’s Thanksgiving Eve around these parts and alongside the onset of the holiday season comes the nearly compulsive desire by practically everyone I know to pull out some utterly fantastic family tradition that is yet to have been test driven.
I sooooo love the day dreams in my head of cozy holidays during which the family [...]

Top 10 North Vancouver Island Family Movie Adventures

Gray and me have a cozy relationship. When it’s really gray out, like this weekend, I want to wrap up in a big fuzzy blanket, get all warm and cozy, and throw in a great family movie.
Family TV watching is one of those things that has become a bit of a taboo topic in parenting [...]

Summer School – Apparently, Museums Rule

I am, indeed, so incredibly shocked to learn over the last two weeks what a 2-, 5- and 7-year old mutually love.
Not much, let me tell you…except for, believe it or not, museums.
One of the greatest challenges of keeping divergent age groups plugged in is how to manage everybody when the at-home standards like books, [...]

Seasonal Outdoor Tours on North Vancouver Island

There are several excellent spots around North Vancouver Island to check out working farms and heritage sites. Here are a few of our favourites:
- Seaview Game Farm petting farm tours run from late Spring to mid-Fall each year. Calling ahead to make arrangements is highly recommended for this experience on a working farm that is [...]