Nature Journal – History of Holiday Greenery

Editor’s Note: Good Afternoon. If you missed out on Esther Kane’s morning post about how to beat Seasonal Affective Disorder, you can read it HERE.  Now, naturalist Jocie Ingram is here giving us the scoop on some lovely holiday greenery that you’ll be able to find in the woods, around your neighborhood or even in the [...]

Nature Journal – Sensational Slug Sightings

Editor’s Note: Good morning. Today we have nature lover Jocie Ingram giving us the scoop on slugs. It’s interesting and educational, and may have you looking at those slimy creatures differently! Here she is:
I went to the forest for a specific purpose this week – to find some slugs. It had just rained, and a yellowish, dark blotched [...]

Nature Journal – Leaf Watching 101

Editor’s Note: This morning we have naturalist Jocie Ingram on site, giving us the low-down on identifying leaves. Jocie is new to the OBE team and will be sharing her knowledge with us monthly. Here she is:
My toddler son is keen to collect fallen leaves, clutching fistfuls in each hand and sorting them by shape [...]

Retro Saturday – Natural Nature Journals

OK, I concede. I’m EX-HAUSTED. There’s this great delusion in my head that if I just keep going my energy won’t realize that it has been non-existant since July of 2005:)
Anyway, I logged 13 hours of sleep last night (about 3 times my normal) and the price was no e-mails answered, no posts written, no [...]

Nature Journal – Family Listening Walks

Good morning. Between sickness (mostly mine), insane amounts of snow and the general hibernation-like blah blahs this Winter, it’s been a tough sell to get us out the door every day and into the fresh air lately.
It’s not that we don’t want to (in fact, we all well know how squirrely each of us gets [...]

Nature Journal – Winter Tracks

Up earlier than anyone in the house this morning, the tiny person sprinted to the window, wrenched on the blinds and gasped that stunning “Oh my goodness” moment when she realized that yesterday’s snow hadn’t washed away.
Nearly impossible since we got nearly a foot – with a bit more on the way I’m told – [...]

Nature Journal – Mushroom Magic

It’s a story up for hot debate in our house right now, “Do fairies ACTUALLY live under mushrooms in the forest?”
Our daughter is adamantly against the whole theory. They may use these cool weather blooms to escape from the rain, stay out of the sun or hide from odd creatures (like humans, according to her). [...]

Nature Journal – Nutty Buddies

So, I’m crashed out in bed here after a huge day of walking (Mother Nature loves the NeighbourWoodies, holding back on the rain until we were on our way home) totally chilling out to the Ray LaMontagne CD my lovely pal Karen McKinnon gifted me with recently (oh how I love the Ray, Karen).
I’m totally [...]

Nature Journal – Gone Batty

It’s actually a bit true, our house has turned into a bat festival this year. It seems the tiny person can’t get enough of those creatures of the night. She has a million questions – do they bite? Will the drink your blood? Are there nice bats? Why do bats sleep upside down? Doesn’t it [...]

Salmon Journals

Editor’s note: Most of my memories from childhood – at least the ones that truly stick – live outside. The explorations, the learning, the absolutely amazing discoveries made in the woods or even just the park down the street shaped me, made me want to do one thing – get back outside for more.
Giving your [...]

The Northeast Woods & Hand Trees

This is the second in our 4-part series of Spring walks that include insider details and activities to pair with some of our favourite trails around the region
Check back in every Sunday in April for a new walk and some fun tips to get the family outside enjoying the season together.

Wow, it’s gorgeous outside, [...]

Nature Crafts – Make Your Own Nature Journal

I cannot even begin to count the number of science, language and history lessons that went in one ear and out the other for me in my life.
Book learning has never been my forte.
I appreciate having a book in hand – field guides take up some prominent real estate in our day pack – but [...]