I just came across these great fundraising events being offered through the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). They are not offering an event here in California, but I wanted to let the rest of you know about it, just in case there’s one located near you! Hike and Seek: This is a 1-2 mile hike andContinue reading “Hike and Seek! National Wildlife Federation”
John Muir National Historic Site, Martinez
I’ve always loved this quote, and it’s one I experience each and every time I head out into nature. For anyone who knows me, it should come as no surprise that John Muir, one of the greatest conservationists in history, is one of my heroes. What is surprising, however, is that I’ve never visited theContinue reading “John Muir National Historic Site, Martinez”
Update… Backyard Squirrel
It’s been a few months since I last posted about the squirrel who visits our backyard. He has not been successful at raiding the bird feeders since I last wrote, but he’s still thinking about it! Here’s my post from May … Backyard Wildlife… The Squirrel
Create With Nature Zone, Blake Garden, Kensington
Take a child out into nature, and what are they naturally drawn to play with? It’s pretty universal… sticks and rocks. So this is the perfect playground for a child… an area filled with sticks and rocks, inviting the child to stack, build, and create. Imaginations went wild this day. In additional to the simpleContinue reading “Create With Nature Zone, Blake Garden, Kensington”
Tunnel Play, Blake Garden, Kensington
We visited the Blake Garden in Kensington (near Berkeley) this week with a group of friends. This garden is not only lovely for adults, but is kid-heaven! The children had a blast playing in this tunnel! My next post will be about the “Create with Nature Zone” at these gardens… awesome!
Swim in a Lake!
The weather is heating up here in the San Francisco East Bay. Take a break from the local swimming pool, and cool off in a nearby lake instead. Del Valle Regional Park in Livermore has two swimming areas, East Beach and West Beach. Swimming is free, but there is a $6.00/vehicle park entry fee. IsContinue reading “Swim in a Lake!”
Flowers, Blake Garden, Kensington
Photos from visit to Blake Garden, Kensington, August 1st, 2012
Simple Outdoor Play: Take an Indoor Toy Outside
My son has a new favorite toy… an adorable stuffed animal he has named Foxy. Not only has my son slept with this plush every night since receiving it last week (a first for my child… he’s never shown interest in sleeping with a stuffed animal before), but the little guy has been traveling withContinue reading “Simple Outdoor Play: Take an Indoor Toy Outside”
Fun Kid Hike: Kule Loklo Trail, Point Reyes
One of our goals this summer was to take our son to see a lighthouse. There are a few in the Bay Area, but my favorite has always been the Point Reyes Lighthouse (see my post from yesterday: “Point Reyes Lighthouse“). My husband and I wanted to slip in a short hike during theContinue reading “Fun Kid Hike: Kule Loklo Trail, Point Reyes”
Point Reyes Lighthouse
A highlight of any visit to Point Reyes National Seashore, on the California coast, thirty miles north of San Francisco, is the Point Reyes Lighthouse. Growing up, my family would visit here every January to watch the migrating gray whales. Assuming a clear day, the views from here are incredible! The lighthouse is located onContinue reading “Point Reyes Lighthouse”
Simple Outdoor Play: Frisbee!
Frisbee… such an inexpensive, simple game, and so easy to play anywhere! Fun!! Photos taken at Drakes Beach, July 26th, 2012, Point Reyes National Seashore
Flowers in the Sand, Drakes Beach, Point Reyes
Flowers, Drakes Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore…
Black and White Striped Beetle
Check out this insect we saw on Thursday while walking on the Kule Loklo Trail in Point Reyes. Anyone know what it is?
Butterfly Walk, Botanical Garden at UC Berkeley
I couldn’t resist this! Butterfly walks are offered by Sally Levinson, aka Caterpillar Lady, the 4th Tuesday of each month at the Botanical Garden at UC Berkeley, March through October. The website said children were welcome, so we decided to check it out this month with friends from my Nature Time! playgroup. This was aContinue reading “Butterfly Walk, Botanical Garden at UC Berkeley”
Flowers!
Yesterday… a hummingbird. Today… flowers. Tomorrow? Butterflies! Taken at the Botanical Gardens at UC Berkeley, July 24th, 2012.
Hummingbird!
Taken July 24th, 2012, at the Botanical Garden at UC Berkeley
Craft: Egg Carton Rock Collection
A couple weeks ago, Let’s Go Chipper posted instructions about how to create a box for storing a rock collection from a recycled egg carton. Perfect! My son collects rocks everywhere we go. So we made the storage container this week… Interested in doing this with your child? You’ll find the instructions here… Chipper RecycleContinue reading “Craft: Egg Carton Rock Collection”
Simple Summer Fun: Swim!
I associate summer with water. My childhood summer days were spent mostly in the pool, splashing around with friends, jumping repeatedly from the diving board, or doing laps during swim team practice. Later, as an adult, my vision of summertime has continued to revolve around water, changing form depending upon where I was living atContinue reading “Simple Summer Fun: Swim!”
Plantosaurus Rex Exhibit, Conservatory of Flowers, San Francisco
A visit to the Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco has been on our to-do list for a couple months, ever since the Plantosaurus Rex: Prehistoric Plants exhibit opened a couple months ago. Our five-year-old son is still loving anything dinosaur-related, so a visit here was a must-do. We were warned that the roaring ofContinue reading “Plantosaurus Rex Exhibit, Conservatory of Flowers, San Francisco”
Conservatory of Flowers, San Francisco
What an incredible selection from the tropics. Beautiful gardens, worth a visit! Interested in going? The Conservatory of Flowers is located in Golden Gate Park, near other popular museums and destinations (California Academy of Sciences, de Young Museum). For current admission fee and hours, visit the website… http://www.conservatoryofflowers.org/visit/hours. This is an indoor museum, and, needContinue reading “Conservatory of Flowers, San Francisco”
Suburban Nature Explorations 