Our week in review | July 11 pt1

This week was all about bugs for us as we are joining along in the Mud Puddles Summer Nature Camp! The camp is spread over a month and each week there is a different focus. This first week was all about bugs! It’s always fun to hit the outdoors and see what we can find!

IMG_6462IMG_6467IMG_6465IMG_6480IMG_6469The boys really got into drawing and labeling bug parts after reading about bug anatomy in the Summer Camp pdf.
IMG_6501IMG_6504IMG_6506Later in the we learned about making a bug hotel! There were some great ideas posted onto the Mud Puddles Pinterest board. The boys had a great time hunting around for bit of bark, twigs, pine bundles and dead leaves.IMG_6526IMG_6527IMG_6528We had a great time with the first week of the Nature Camp and the boys were excitedly asking what we would be doing for the next week!

Other goings-on: I have had a pile of my husband’s old t-shirts laying around waiting to be repurposed into a rug. This was one of my tasks for this week and the boys helped me with the prep. Well, they kind of helped! Ha! I cut up strips of t-shirt and they pulled on the strips until they curled in on themselves and then rolled them into a ball – or onto each other. Fun!IMG_6531 I wish I had counted how many t’s I had before cutting them up. It would have been nice to be able to gauge how many t-shirts it takes to make a certain size rug. I’m guessing there were about 12-15. IMG_6546 And so it begins! I will post the final rug next week. Xman was interested in learning to crochet as he sat next to me watching. He caught on quickly and will be helping me finish the rug. 🙂IMG_6549 While mowing the lawn this week I happened upon some little mushrooms as we have a lot of shade in our yard. I decided to pick a couple and make some mushroom prints. I wasn’t sure which colour of spores these wee ones would have so I used a sheet of black and a sheet of white paper.IMG_6560

IMG_6565 IMG_6568 IMG_6567We also spotted these love bugs…on our hike yesterday. Amazing colours! Wow! IMG_6558

To see more from our hike go to part 2!

Happy week everyone!

Our week in review | July 11 pt2

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.

11Jul2015_Salt Marsh_01 11Jul2015_Salt Marsh_02 This part of the trail consisted of mostly wooded areas so we super sprayed on the diy bug deterrent. 11Jul2015_Salt Marsh_03X-man loves the ferns and so do I so I needed to take a quick pic of them all gathered together. So pretty.
11Jul2015_Salt Marsh_04 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.11Jul2015_Salt Marsh_05 11Jul2015_Salt Marsh_08 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. 11Jul2015_Salt Marsh_09 11Jul2015_Salt Marsh_10 11Jul2015_Salt Marsh_11 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!11Jul2015_Salt Marsh_12 11Jul2015_Salt Marsh_13 11Jul2015_Salt Marsh_14Love spotting the wild irises!

11Jul2015_Salt Marsh_16It 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? 🙂

Our week in review | July 4

Stephen was waiting for his new Merrill running shoes. He got a hole in the sole early on and Merrill helped him into a new pair – awesome customer service! He was like a child waiting for Christmas day:  he kept checking the tracking on the package and when the day came for them to arrive he was looking out the window more often than not in hopes of seeing Joyce, our postal deliverer (she’s awesome!). When Joyce did arrive she joked with him saying she expected to see him in a moment running in his shoes on the next street over!

IMG_6339 IMG_6341Arriving a Cleveland Beach with some friends. The best sunscreen. 😉
IMG_6342 Okay, so Xman and I found this mushroom and it’s for sure the best find in a long time! Look how big it is! On returning home I found it in our mushroom book as being a fly agaric, it’s poisonous/hallucinogenic. How ironic since I had commented on it being a very Alice in Wonderland ‘shroom that the caterpillar would love! 😉 Seriously, the coolest!IMG_6345 I love the rocks, the seaweed, the coral, the shells and more. Always good finds at Cleveland Beach.IMG_6350 …and good friends make it even better! 🙂 <3IMG_6351 Dawn and L found this awesome jellyfish on the beach. They are called comb jellies or Sea Gooseberries. I found an interesting article here about them hereIMG_6353 When we first made our way to the beach we all had on sweaters or hoodies but once there the sky opened and the weather was beautiful.IMG_6358 F found a crab with eggs. Geez she find the coolest things!IMG_6366Fun in the water!
IMG_6367 Saying goodbye to the mushroom. It was like a beacon along the path. Thank you, Mushroom! IMG_6368 IMG_6372 Another morning, making the most of the weather: enjoying a bit of breakfast with my basket of things and my bullet journal while listening to the birds sing. IMG_6374 At one point I got up to survey the garden and saw a spider’s web alight in a neighbour’s tree. At another angle I wouldn’t have seen it!

01Jul2015_spider sm 01Jul2015_spider-2

Car wash!IMG_6380Fun with Dixie Cups!

The boys are getting used to their new bikes and the best place near us (since we live on a narrow street with rushing cars!) is the nearby parking lot. The day went from sun to rain quickly but the boys were having too much fun to stop and the rain was warm. The pavement had been hot from the day’s sun so when the rain came it started to condensate on contact. Very cool!IMG_6383 IMG_6387 My witchy Willow ordered from the local comic book store. The boys love Lumberjanes so we are in there on a regular basis. If you haven’t heard of this comic book series you should check it out. It’s great for kids (I laugh my head off!) and all about the girls!IMG_6398 We visited a friend at work and the boys got to test out a demo toy to see how well they could understand the directions and construct it before it went out to stores. Very cool stuff! Plus, she showed us their cool 3-D printer!IMG_6400 A relaxing evening at home. Love.IMG_6401 Happy Canada Day fireworks! It’s hard to see but just to the left of the fireworks is a white dot in the sky – that’s Jupiter. Venus is hiding behind it all. IMG_6450 Some hopscotch fun at the local ToysRUs…IMG_6455 …a little Pikachu drawing…

IMG_6456 …and more hopscotch.

IMG_6458We had a great week and we hope you did too! Again, if you’d like to share post your link in the comments!

Here’s to the week ahead! 🙂

 

Forest Friday – Oakfield Park

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.
IMG_6288 Lady Slippers! I love Nova Scotia for its abundance of this beautiful orchid – you just have to know where to look…IMG_6289 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!IMG_6291 British Soldier lichenIMG_6293 Irises – I just love wildflowers!IMG_6294 IMG_6295 Spiders are the coolest. IMG_6297 IMG_6299 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.  IMG_6300 IMG_6303 I enjoyed this so much that I wore my ‘bracelets’ into the grocery store and Tim Horton’s afterward!IMG_6304Lightening bugs mating! Summer is the season of love…! 😉
IMG_6306 This guy was hanging around the lovers. I dare say he was quite the voyer!IMG_6308 IMG_6309 IMG_6310 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. 🙂IMG_6313 A wee little daddy longlegs.IMG_6317 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…).IMG_6321 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…IMG_6322 …and the webbing across the top…IMG_6323 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.IMG_6326 Beautiful life. IMG_6328If 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!

 

Conrad’s Beach

One of THE BEST things about living in Nova Scotia is that you do not have to go far at all to find yourself in a natural surrounding. Yesterday morning we went with friends to our usual park and trails and this afternoon to a beach.

Oh, what a great day! I’m pooped! But it was worth it because the weather was amazing and we were in the company of good friends. What could be better?

IMG_6075 The water was freezing but that certainly didn’t stop these boys!IMG_6076 IMG_6077 IMG_6078 IMG_6088 Digging, digging, digging! I love that they still become so enthralled with sand and all of the things you can create.IMG_6095I found this amazing shell with some coral anchored into the top. Nova Scotia coral is often white and very small.

IMG_6082 IMG_6084 After taking a good look I had to bring it home to draw. It reminds me so much of a heart with all of its veins and arteries. Goodness, it’s just the coolest.IMG_6083And then there was this guy making the most of an amazing day. Totally.IMG_6100

Everyday Nature

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!

IMG_6010 IMG_6018A bug walking on lichen on a tree must be like us walking barefoot on gravel.IMG_6019 I recently planted grass seed and it’s begun to sprout!IMG_6020 Moss everywhere! I love moss!IMG_6022 Samaras are just beautiful.IMG_6024 After the rain…IMG_6025 The bark was peeled off a downed tree and this was what was underneath. It looks like skin to me.IMG_6028 The beginnings of moss or lichen in the medicine wheel garden. I think it’s lichen…we shall see…IMG_6031 Love those dandelion seeds!IMG_6033 This sowbug looks like it’s traveling in a dense rain forest! So, so cool!IMG_6037 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!IMG_6040 A fern frond with…eggs?IMG_6042 A columbine bud. Such rich colour and all those hairs!IMG_6044 This wee little guy was in our herb garden walking on legs that look very translucent (and a bit hairy).IMG_6047 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?IMG_6048 I had to see up close how our Virginia Creeper holds onto our maple tree. Amazing!IMG_6056 Prickly raspberry buds!IMG_6059 Our first ladybug larvae of the season! Yay! IMG_6063A busy ant. I love how cute it looks..and that fuzzy body!IMG_6071 Soil still clinging to the new grass. IMG_6074

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!

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.09May2015_Bird Count_01 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.09May2015_Bird Count_30There were also many signs of beavers…
09May2015_Bird Count_38 09May2015_Bird Count_81

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!

09May2015_Bird Day_63 There also just happened to be a geocache in the area so why not find it?!09May2015_Bird Count_83 And of course a wooly-bear caterpillar!09May2015_Bird Count_85 I am not sure what tree this was as there were yet to be any leaves but it reminded me of an oak.09May2015_Bird Count_88

 

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…

09May2015_Bird Count_161As 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.09May2015_Bird Count_18209May2015_Bird Day_218Of 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.

09May2015_Bird Count_189 09May2015_Bird Count_19009May2015_Bird Count_191 09May2015_Bird Count_195 09May2015_Bird Count_196The 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.09May2015_Bird Day_187A Common Grackle. Part of the Crow family but with this beautiful blue/purple neck.

09May2015_Bird Day_110A Yellow-rumped Warbler (twice), a Downy Woodpecker and a pair of Goldfinches.

09May2015_Bird Day_12709May2015_Bird Day_264 09May2015_Bird Day_134 09May2015_Bird Count_137We 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!

09May2015_Bird Count_163

Double-crested Cormorant with a fish!
09May2015_Bird Count_177We really just couldn’t get enough of that osprey. Look at those wings!

09May2015_Bird Day_228 09May2015_Bird Day_260 09May2015_Bird Day_261

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!

09May2015_Bird Count_144My 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! 😉09May2015_Bird Count_155 Haha!09May2015_Bird Count_150

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!

Airmail

Airmail

 

 

 

Emerald Falls

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!

03Jun2015_Emerald Waterfalls_6803Jun2015_Emerald Waterfalls_06Xman was enjoying poking at the soapy froth – it was pretty cool, I have to say.
03Jun2015_Emerald Waterfalls_09Here 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. 🙂03Jun2015_Emerald Waterfalls_4403Jun2015_Emerald Waterfalls_17 03Jun2015_Emerald Waterfalls_18 03Jun2015_Emerald Waterfalls_26 03Jun2015_Emerald Waterfalls_31

A miniature first filled with a life of its own!03Jun2015_Emerald Waterfalls_33 The boys love seeing the evidence of beetles.03Jun2015_Emerald Waterfalls_46 It’s not often I get a photo of myself with my boys! Thanks, Dawn! 😉03Jun2015_Emerald Waterfalls_62 The walk down was somewhat tricky in spots but hand-holding made it that much easier.03Jun2015_Emerald Waterfalls_7103Jun2015_Emerald Waterfalls_84 I just love the little fiddleheads!03Jun2015_Emerald Waterfalls_91 03Jun2015_Emerald Waterfalls_93 Dawn spotted this spotted gall – she has an eye for them – and the oaks. 😉03Jun2015_Emerald Waterfalls_96 …and this wing…from a June beetle. Poor dude.03Jun2015_Emerald Waterfalls_99 03Jun2015_Emerald Waterfalls_104 Love the droplets!03Jun2015_Emerald Waterfalls_109 This guy was superbusy and supertiny! and just would not take the time to pose for a portrait.03Jun2015_Emerald Waterfalls_112 03Jun2015_Emerald Waterfalls_119 Puddles do not ever go unnoticed – so fun!03Jun2015_Emerald Waterfalls_138 03Jun2015_Emerald Waterfalls_14403Jun2015_Emerald Waterfalls_146It’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!

gathering moss book

 

 

Earth Day

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!

IMG_5634 IMG_5635

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

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.

12Apr2015_Shubie Melt_01 Our favourite spot – the brook! It was so lovely to see water rushing loudly over the rocks as the snow melted in the sunshine.12Apr2015_Shubie Melt_02Looking for squirrels…12Apr2015_Shubie Melt_03 There is still plenty of snow and slushy ice on the lakes but it made for some good fun. 12Apr2015_Shubie Melt_04 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. 12Apr2015_Shubie Melt_0712Apr2015_Shubie Melt_09 12Apr2015_Shubie Melt_11And to wear only a hat and a hoodie? Awesomeness!12Apr2015_Shubie Melt_10 The ducks were busily foraging for food with their mates. 12Apr2015_Shubie Melt_12Bottoms up!12Apr2015_Shubie Melt_14 Love love love the moss!12Apr2015_Shubie Melt_15

Gotta love nature!