Our week in review | July 11 pt2

July 12, 2015 by tam

Yesterday we decided to take a morning hike along the Salt Marsh Trail. The trail extends for many kilometres and there are many parking areas along the trail depending on where you want to hike. We decided to make it a short walk as we ended up getting out just before noon and it was already hot.

It was a beautiful walk and I am glad that I brought my DSLR to take some photographs. The quality far, far outweighs my handy phone or even point and shoot. I get lazy though, some days and want to travel light. The camera backpack made the walk that much hotter but it was worth it.

This part of the trail consisted of mostly wooded areas so we super sprayed on the diy bug deterrent. X-man loves the ferns and so do I so I needed to take a quick pic of them all gathered together. So pretty.
At one point in the trail the woods open up and you see Cole Harbour. What a beautiful site. I asked the boys to hold back so I could take this shot. I love all of the wildflowers in our area, from the buttercups and horse vetch to the lupins (now fading) and daisies. Plus, the little islands that are scattered about our province as so lovely. We happened upon these hug dandelions – at least that what I figure they were but the seed pods were as big as the one of the boys’ fists! Love spotting the wild irises!

It was a great week that ended nicely with our walk. We were happy to head back, though, to the coolness of our home because the heat and bugs were getting to be too much. The rest of the day was spent tending to the garden, drawing and watching a movie.

What was your week like? 🙂

Forest Friday – Oakfield Park

June 27, 2015 by tam

We had a wonderful day today at Oakfield park as part of Dawn’s Forest Friday group where we get together and learn about nature while going on a walk through the woods. It’s always a lot of fun for the boys and myself – I always have my trusty iPhone and rubber band macro handy (so much easier than my DSLR for these kinds of things!).

Warning: I took many photos and most of them are included! So fun!

Since reading Gathering Moss I find I am more in love with mosses if that’s possible.
Lady Slippers! I love Nova Scotia for its abundance of this beautiful orchid – you just have to know where to look… I am a big rock lover and in turning one over I found some busy ants. I think I made them busy by exposing them! They hurriedly carried all the babes into their underground home. Mama was a big one and was the first to disappear down the hole! British Soldier lichen Irises – I just love wildflowers! Spiders are the coolest. Dawn created this super fun exercise where we place masking tape (or duct tape) on our wrist or onto a sheet of paper sticky side out. Then we find flowers, acorns, whatever strikes our fancy and stick them on. I enjoyed this so much that I wore my ‘bracelets’ into the grocery store and Tim Horton’s afterward!Lightening bugs mating! Summer is the season of love…! 😉
This guy was hanging around the lovers. I dare say he was quite the voyer! I bought a bird/nature journal a couple of weeks ago. I could have used a basic journal but this one has some great quotes and nest illustrations in it so I couldn’t help myself. I think I will use it for a flower press too and then write down what happened on that specific day. 🙂 A wee little daddy longlegs. I love this guy. He hung out on my thumb for a long time. We played together: I would gently raise his leg and he would hold it there. I’d raise it a little further and he’d still hold it there. I’d lower it down and he’d again hold it there. I think he was humouring me (simple human…). Mushrooms! Love mushrooms! I haven’t checked the type of this one yet but had to show a couple of photos for details of the gills… …and the webbing across the top… The kids became completely absorbed in playing in the woods and surrounding field – as kids should and it makes me sooo happy! Xman was in the woods and found this dragonfly just coming out of its nymph skin. I have never seen this before. It was THE COOLEST thing I’ve seen in a while. I’m sure I will see something just as cool tomorrow because Nature is that way but for today, this was THE BESTEST. Beautiful life. If you aren’t familiar with Dawn’s Forest Friday and are in the Halifax, Nova Scotia region you can find out all about it here.

She also has a workshop coming up on her and Annie’s Mud Puddles to Meteors site that I am so excited about called Mud Puddles Summer Nature Camp. It’s an online workshop so you can be anywhere in the world and still participate. It’s gonna be awesome! Hope to see you there!

Everyday Nature

June 11, 2015 by tam

The boys and I are having a great time participating in Dawn’s Everyday Nature for Families workshop! It’s a ten day workshop and every day we receive a pdf with different ways of connecting with nature, easy ways to connect in our busy world. Even though we are often outside I found that doing this workshop has me thinking about what we do and what we see in new ways.

Today Dawn encouraged us to take another perspective and imagine what it must be like to be a bug out there in the world. Life is completely different from their point of view. So, tonight we all went outside and got down low to the ground or up close to the plants and trees and we found some very cool things!

Forget Me Nots have hair on their buds!

A bug walking on lichen on a tree must be like us walking barefoot on gravel. I recently planted grass seed and it’s begun to sprout! Moss everywhere! I love moss! Samaras are just beautiful. After the rain… The bark was peeled off a downed tree and this was what was underneath. It looks like skin to me. The beginnings of moss or lichen in the medicine wheel garden. I think it’s lichen…we shall see… Love those dandelion seeds! This sowbug looks like it’s traveling in a dense rain forest! So, so cool! I found this as well in the medicine wheel garden. It was attached to a downed twig and when I moved it it release some spores into the air and on me! A fern frond with…eggs? A columbine bud. Such rich colour and all those hairs! This wee little guy was in our herb garden walking on legs that look very translucent (and a bit hairy). I was surprised to see dew from this morning still hanging on the Lady’s Mantle by dinnertime. Can you imagine being an aphid trudging through those hairs? I had to see up close how our Virginia Creeper holds onto our maple tree. Amazing! Prickly raspberry buds! Our first ladybug larvae of the season! Yay! A busy ant. I love how cute it looks..and that fuzzy body! Soil still clinging to the new grass.

If you would like to learn more about getting outside yourself or with your kids you can visit Dawn’s website as well as Mud Puddles to Meteors, run by both Dawn and Annie, where you can sign up for newsletters and join their Facebook group.

Global Big Day – the bird count!

June 7, 2015 by tam

On May 9 (yes, I’m a little behind in my posts because I greatly detest editing photos!) we had an amazing time outdoors counting birds for Global Big Day.

Global Big Day happens once a year as part of Cornell Lab of Ornithology events. The goal is to find and record as many bird species possible worldwide. The boys had the binoculars and their phones for the app and I had my camera while Stephen took note of species spotted and how many.

The first place we went was Porter’s Lakes Trail just across the street from our library. There are so many trails in Nova Scotia you don’t have to drive too far at all to find one – many are in the city!

I think this nest belonged to the American Goldfinch that we heard and spotted nearby. We had seen this osprey nest from a distance many times on our way to the library for years but never went on this trail. We were excited to get so close to both the mother and father! They were clearly used to all of the people walking on the trail – they just ignored us all.There were also many signs of beavers…

The Merlin Bird ID app was extremely useful in not only identifying bird species but also in matching certain bird calls to the bird before we saw it! At our first location I heard a bird call I did not recognize and the boys used their app to find that it was the Red-winged Blackbird. I was so excited because when I lived in Wisconsin as a child they were my favourite bird. I had heard that they spent time in Nova Scotia but I had yet to see one so I was very excited to know that the bird call was indeed a Red-winged Blackbird. This picture is the bird reacting to the call on the app!

There also just happened to be a geocache in the area so why not find it?! And of course a wooly-bear caterpillar! I am not sure what tree this was as there were yet to be any leaves but it reminded me of an oak.

From here we went to another location about 20 minutes away. We were totally psyched after seeing the blackbird and osprey, plus a Yellow-rumped Warbler whose was camera shy. I was told of a place where there was a blue heron and osprey so we crossed our fingers…

As we walked onto the trail there above us hovered an osprey searching for fish in the waters below. It was quite an experience to watch and were awed by its ability to just float in one spot in the air, catching the currents.Of the times I caught the osprey with my camera diving for fish, I’d say 85-90% of the time it came out with a fish.

The tree swallows were so fast that it was very challenging to get a decent picture. They were also hanging around the osprey as you can see in the photos above.A Common Grackle. Part of the Crow family but with this beautiful blue/purple neck.

A Yellow-rumped Warbler (twice), a Downy Woodpecker and a pair of Goldfinches.

We saw the Blue Heron but it was on the other side of the marsh and my lens just wasn’t long enough to take a decent photo. Boo. 🙁

I cannot go to any trail without a picture of some moss these days!

Double-crested Cormorant with a fish!
We really just couldn’t get enough of that osprey. Look at those wings!

We did a lot walking that day and all got a bit tired. A huge overturned tree is a great place to take a rest!

My silly boys! Those binoculars were just purchased last Christmas and they are amazing! Bushnell Bone Collector Trophy 10×42’s in case you are wondering. Water and fog proof. Just right for Nova Scotia! 😉 Haha!

It’s hard to believe we saw all these amazing birds so close to home – you can see an apartment complex in the background above.

Below are our findings for the day. Can’t wait for next year!

Emerald Falls

June 4, 2015 by tam

Yesterday we got a chance to visit a trail we have heard about from a friend many times and seen some pretty cool photos as well. The weather has always been the kicker so myself and the boys were excited to get a chance to explore here.

I have posted a lot of pictures because I had a hard time choosing what with such wonderful new life on the forest floor and other places!

It was quite a steep trek up but the sound of the rushing water made us want to make it to the top!

Xman was enjoying poking at the soapy froth – it was pretty cool, I have to say.
Here is a bit of it dried up on a stick overhanging the water. So glad that I brought my macro lens along! My camera bag was heavy but it was worth it – and a good workout up the hill. 🙂

A miniature first filled with a life of its own! The boys love seeing the evidence of beetles. It’s not often I get a photo of myself with my boys! Thanks, Dawn! 😉 The walk down was somewhat tricky in spots but hand-holding made it that much easier. I just love the little fiddleheads! Dawn spotted this spotted gall – she has an eye for them – and the oaks. 😉 …and this wing…from a June beetle. Poor dude. Love the droplets! This guy was superbusy and supertiny! and just would not take the time to pose for a portrait. Puddles do not ever go unnoticed – so fun! It’s a whole other world out there that amazes me in so, so many ways. Great beauty and wonder.

I just recently checked out this book from the library. I love love love moss. Can’t wait to read it!

A little science and some bowling

April 29, 2015 by tam

I love it when we can fit in a science experiment using everyday items. We do need to get to the hobby shop to buy some supplies but for now it’s nice to be able to make do with what we have. So yesterday we sliced ice. It was fun to watch the wire cut through the ice and then the ice patch itself back up once the wire had passed through. Love this stuff. I always wonder why I didn’t when I went to school, though…I get to relive it now!Just recently a Home school Tween group was started on FB and so every week or other week this is something planned like bowling or going to an indoor play place to meet and get some good fun physical activity going. Hopefully once the weather here is a bit friendlier we can start something outside too! There is also going to be a regular meet-up to play Magic: The Gathering!

Today we went bowling and the boys had a great time!Spare!These fast moving kids are no match for my phone in a dark bowling alley! Why are they so dark, anyway. I felt blinded when we went outside! Good times!!

Earth Day

April 24, 2015 by tam

For Earth Day we were planning on collecting bits and pieces of stuff to make some nesting balls for the birdies but the rainy weather and a cold coming on for myself and Xman nixed that idea. We do still plan on making the balls but perhaps instead filling them with suet!

Instead the boys decided to make a spider’s web in the living room. Apparently, a spider starts with a ‘y’ shape and moves on from there. It took some shoo-ing of Gypsy, our curious and string-eating cat before she realized her teeth were not welcome in this scenario! The boys were well aware that the web would have to be dismantled before bed or we would end up with a very belly-achey kitty the next day!

Gee, imagine making another web the next day and the next? I don’t know how spiders do it!

Hope you had a good Earth Day! What did you do to celebrate?

Seeing green

April 20, 2015 by tam

We have finally experienced some mild weather here in the maritimes! I can still look out my window and see snow but it is far less than it was a couple of weeks ago. We are still getting a bit of below zero temps at night but I can see the grass and that is a good sign. The birds are not depending solely on bird feeder food any longer after a really rough winter with many birds not surviving. 🙁

We recently went to our local park for a good walk. Yay! 10 degrees! Oh how it makes you feel full of renewed energy as the earth wakes up and comes alive once more.

As you can see there is still some snow. The boys loved that they could still easily sit on top of this bench.

Our favourite spot – the brook! It was so lovely to see water rushing loudly over the rocks as the snow melted in the sunshine.Looking for squirrels… There is still plenty of snow and slushy ice on the lakes but it made for some good fun. The boys and I threw chunks of ice into the water and watched the slush catch the chunks. I couldn’t help but take some pictures of the ice chunks. And to wear only a hat and a hoodie? Awesomeness! The ducks were busily foraging for food with their mates. Bottoms up! Love love love the moss!

Gotta love nature!

Mild days, birthdays and Easter

April 5, 2015 by tam

This past week has been filled with milder weather to the extent that we were outside in t-shirts shovelling snow off of the back porch and sweating a bit! It was very welcome weather. That being said there is still a ton of snow around and some of the banks are very high like the one pictured here after my birthday breakfast at Cora’s (the best breakfasts ever!). Wow! That’s a lot of snow. My birthday consisted of a greek salad and suishi. I didn’t want a cake. Gee, I must be getting old! 😉

Just yesterday, L finished his first knitted hat! He was very excited and wanted to try it out so he decided to continue the clearing of the back deck. It’s just ice left so it was hard work to crack. Our shovel broke a couple weeks back and the stores only carry spring items now so he used the car window scraper. Tough job but he got some ice free and loves his hat!

The boys were so excited for Easter and although we don’t do a lot of treats, just a good quality chocolate bar each and a bag of chips, the boys love it. I also made them each a Totoro (Amanda has a great Totoro tutorial here) as he is after all, a forest spirit, so a good welcoming for Spring! The boys love them!

If you are interested in how this season was originally celebrated check out these links below. Both are a great read and to me, make this holiday even more meaningful. So enjoy the sun, the season and the treats! xx

http://www.thesacredscience.com/blog1/the-pagan-roots-of-easter

http://worldtruth.tv/pagan-origin-of-easter/

Happy Spring Easter!

Mamma’s Hike – February

February 27, 2015 by tam

This past Saturday was our second Mamma’s Hike! The first hike I posted over on my art blog. I may just cross post every time but we shall see.

It was no warmer than the first but again the sky was clear and it was beautiful. This time we went along the green route that took us past Hobson’s Lake, Big Pine, Coyote Bog and back to the parking lot. It was about 3 ¼ hours total and I had been tracking it on my phone but yet again, my phone died from the cold. According to the map we went almost 4 kilometres doing the Hobson’s Lake Loop.I brought along my point and shoot camera and set it on a friend’s backpack, thus the shadow at the bottom. I decided not to bring my DSLR due to the weight I already had in my own backpack. At least my camera didn’t die like my phone! We took this pic on a lake.

Earlier snowshoers made a decent trail ahead of us but there was a good part of the trek where the snow went up to my knees and it became more of a trudge, trudge (I think of the Backyardigan’s song!). Bunny tracks were the only sign of wildlife that day. Love the fungus! Huge icicles make for photo op time!I love the way the water ran along this branch and froze.
Moss! I was so super pooped after this trek but it was worth it. A beautiful day with a great group of women! 🙂