Surprise! Spring is On Her Way!!!!!

Snowdrops

More Snowdrops

Daffodils

More Daffodils

Bluebells

I went outside yesterday and walked all over my property. The first place I went was, of course, to check and see if any of our snowdrops were peeking out yet. Not only were they peeking out they were starting to BLOOM. The Daffodils and Bluebells were also visible. How exciting! We all know it is still cold and capable of snowing with two inches on the ground this morning. But as I said to my brother today, when he was returning from an amazing birdwatching trip (64 species) in Cape May, Old Man Winter is on his way out. Let these sweet little snowdrops bring us hope for the lovely days ahead when nature comes to life. The anticipation is wonderful.

Happy Valentine's Day

There are hearts everywhere in nature. You just have to look closely!

Look! It's a Stranger in the MY Woods

Look who is my first visitor! It's a Chickadee! She is taking a seed from the stranger's hat.

She found the bird seed in the pipe too! Not long after that, a Tufted-tit Mouse found it too!

I put bird seed in his cap and pipe to attract the birds.

This is my snowman before I decorated him.

Backyard Birds in the Winter

Yellow-bellied sapsucker

The sapsucker is drilling holes for sap.The icicle on the side of the branch is actually sap that has dripped and frozen.

In this picture you can see the sap dripping from the drill holes.

Creating a Nature Shelf

Before

After

My daugther adds her first treasure, a concrete chipmunk. She will add natural items as she finds them.

After viewing my blog while away at college, my daughter posted that she would love to have her own nature shelf in her dorm room. One day not long after her request, I was digging around an antique shop on the Eastside of Providence and I came across one buried under a heap of other treasures. It looked like something she would enjoy. So I purchased it that day and gave it to her for a Christmas gift. She decided to paint it to match her own summer porch.

Happy Holiday Nature Goddess!

This is definitely one of my favorite things!

Just before the holidays I went on an annual trip to The Book Barn in Niantic, CT. I hit the jackpot! I found a book I've been looking for, I'd say, 20 years, easy. We decided to stop at this funky antique shop right near the book store. I was ecstatic when we discovered this wonderful collection of local beetles and butterflies. I'm always looking for a collection like this to put in my nature studio and share with my students. The glass in the frame had to be replaced because, according to the shop owner, a clumsy customer knocked it over and broke the glass in the frame. Fortunately there was very little damage done to the specimens and I was able to walk away with a treasure.

Seasonal Birthday Celebrations

What was happening on the day you were born? Put a new twist on your birthday celebrations by bringing your loved ones or students closer to nature. This will be the greatest gift they receive and remember(economical and green too).

What better way to bring the children you know closer to nature than to have a special area set up with items and objects that represent the time of the year they were born. Each birthday celebration can be as unique as the individual you are celebrating.

Changes occur as the season unfolds. Think about it! Is the beginning of autumn the same as the end of autumn here in New England? NO! The leaves are green at the beginning, then gradually change color and eventually fall off. This is an important lesson to a child who is learning and gathering information about their environment and natural world.

Regardless of where you live though, there are always natural objects and changes that occur. This is what should be focused on and then you create something wonderful for individual you are celebrating.

So, start gathering and collecting and remember, you are on the road to starting something unforgettable. If you need guidance, just write me and I can help you get started. The most important thing is to have fun!

Winter Birthday
This picture includes fresh assorted greens, Winterberry, Poinsettias (poisonous, don't use with little ones), pinecones, birds seen at the feeder and in the woods this may include Chickadees, Cardinals, Tufted Titmice, Blue Jays and a Great Horned Owl.

Spring Birthday

This picture includes Pussywillows, Daffodils, Forsythia, Johnny Jump-Ups, Pansy, a Robin, a nest, a baby rabbit, a lamb and a spring fairy.

Autumn Birthday

This picture includes Chrysanthemum, Aster, colored Maple leaves, gourds, apples, mini pumpkins, acorns and an autumn fairy.