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It’s the first day of fall! Below are some ideas for celebrating the season!  Invite some outdoorsy friends to enjoy free National Park admission on Veteran’s Day, November 11th. Pick a pumpkin off the vine. Find pumpkin patches and more. Replace your tired summer annuals with a salad garden: arugula, radishes, carrots and baby lettuce …

Summer is not my favorite season. Sure, there’s a lot to love (long daylight hours, cold, refreshing treats, beautiful summer blooms), but when we’re reaching the upper 90’s every day, I’ve had enough. But another great thing about summer is that the next season is fall. And I love fall. It’s not just that it’s …

This year, the Perseid meteor shower is observable from July 17 to August 24. But this weekend, it’s set to reach its peak. The best time to see it: around 4:00 am EST on Sunday, August 13.  The name “Perseids” comes from the apparent trajectory of these meteors. They appear to streak from the direction …

In the middle of Massachusetts rests the cozy little village of Shelburne Falls. At first a major salmon-fishing site when the colonists first came to America, Shelburne Falls later becoming a source of waterpower because of the Deerfield River that bisects it. I have a personal connection to the town, as my great-grandparents lived there …

Sometimes life can feel like one hectic schedule after another, and you are always on the go. But if you have a quiet day at home, an afternoon off, or even just an hour of free time, take advantage of the break in your day. Try one of these ideas below — you’ll be able …

One of North Carolina’s greatest attractions in the high country is Grandfather Mountain, the highest peak on the eastern portion of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Standing at nearly 6000 feet, it is located at the confluence of three counties: Avery, Caldwell and Watauga. This impressive site boasts many attractions, such as its mile-high swinging bridge, …

For Americans, the 4th of July is a time to remember, respect, and celebrate the freedoms we as continue to enjoy. One of the main symbols of those freedoms is the bald eagle, which was named America’s national bird in 1782. Bald eagles were given this title due to their majestic appearance, ferocity, and independence—qualities …

In Chatham County, North Carolina, lies a nearly 14,000-acre reservoir known as B. Everett Jordan Lake. It is loved by campers, hikers, boaters, fishermen, and general admirers of nature alike. Built as a flood control effort and completed in 1974, it now serves as a main water source for multiple surrounding towns and cities, and …

We are right at summer’s doorstep! Here are some fun ways to welcome the season, get the kids outside, and enjoy nature together.  1. Hiking – Take the day to walk some trails! This can be a good bonding experience between parents/caregivers and children and keeps everyone active. It can also yield some amazing views …

As a recent college graduate in a busy internship and someone who has both generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder, being proactive in taking care of myself is crucial. I’m not always the best at it—especially when life is busy and I don’t have a lot of spare time or energy. However, there’s one …

Today is Earth Day, a day set aside each year to help raise awareness of the need to protect our natural resources.  Wondering how to celebrate the day? Here are three easy ideas to get you started:  1. Start a Nature Journal: Sometimes it’s hard to care about something when you don’t know much about …

It’s the first day of spring, and there’s plenty to celebrate this season! Check out the list of special days this spring, then head outside and enjoy!  March 30 is National Take a Walk in the Park day. Spend an hour enjoying a lovely stroll in your favorite park! April 5 is National Walking Day. …

What happens when a dedication to the natural world is right in your own backyard? For my family, we didn’t have to look any further than Wing Haven Garden and Bird Sanctuary in Charlotte, N.C. Education, stewardship, sharing, and opportunities for getting together as a community are steeped in Wing Haven’s roots. Back in 1927, …

For many of us, a new year means a little bit more than simply breaking out a new calendar.  It provides an alluring opportunity for a “fresh start” and often stirs within us a surge of motivation to become a better version of ourselves than we were in the year before.  Admittedly, I am a …

It’s the first day of winter! Here are some fun ways you can celebrate the season:  1. Make your own centerpieces from natural materials: pine boughs, cinnamon sticks, pinecones, sprigs of rosemary, or floating cranberries.  2. Take advantage of the abundance of citrus fruits. 3. Go snow-tubing.  4. Take a high-definition photo or use a …

This time of year I find myself playing a scavenger hunt of sorts when I’m in the car, searching for bright tufts of green in otherwise bare trees of winter. For some strange reason it brings me great joy to find our favorite holiday parasite boldly displaying itself high in the trees for all to …

Never underestimate the mysterious wonders of outdoor surprises steps away from home. We live a few miles from Asheville, North Carolina, in a house with frequent wildlife passersby visitors. There are so many roaming deer, wandering tortoises, slithering snakes, and  frequent flier birds and insects that they no longer make it into our phone photo …

I sometimes teach creative writing classes, and one of my students included chipmunks in his descriptive paragraph about the woods. I was a little surprised, though, as his chipmunks were climbing trees. I made a note on his paper that they didn’t really do that, but he assured me that they did. It was time …

Pumpkin picking, leaf peeping, getting lost in corn mazes — fall is a season full of outdoor activity. But people aren’t the only ones on the go. Squirrels are busy in the fall, bulking up for the winter with extra food and storing nuts, acorns, and seeds for later. Some of these squirrels appear grey …

When my children were younger, we spent an afternoon building forts in the woods. My oldest daughter, who was about eight years old, suddenly shouted that she saw a cobra! I was fairly confident she had seen something else, but I rushed over anyway and saw a black snake on the ground nearby. It wasn’t …