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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 …

Every child is a scientist in the making. Your young one may not grow up to pursue a career in biology or zoology, but scientific discovery and learning are accomplished daily as your child plays in and interacts with all of nature and the great outdoors.  Through tactile exploration, new information is acquired and tested. …

Today is the first day of autumn! Wondering what to do to enjoy the season? Here are 45 ideas to help get you started:  1. Carve a pumpkin and roast the seeds. 2. Go on a hayride. 3. Have a cookout and grill fall vegetables.  4. Make a Thankful Tree.  5. Go camping or campout …

During the spring and summer, the population of a wasp colony continues to grow. It reaches it’s height in late summer and early fall. It’s no wonder we often see more of them. Here are a few things to know about the wasps you may come across:  1. Wasps are actually very beneficial. They are …

Every fall, North America’s monarch butterflies travel hundreds of miles to migrate to warmer areas.  Making the migration even more amazing, the butterflies return in the spring. They are the only butterfly species known to make this two-way migration like birds do.  Where Do They Go? Some butterflies go through the winter as larvae, pupa, …

To me, one of the most interesting mammals in the entire world is the naked mole-rat. The animal gets its name because of its hairless appearance and large incisors. The naked mole-rat makes its home under the ground within burrows found in East Africa. With its pink skin and teeth, the naked mole-rat reminds me …

I think one of nature’s finest art pieces are spider webs. When I’m outdoors, I’ve made it a habit to go on a scavenger hunt to see how many webs I can spot in a day. Until recently, I thought all webs had the same pattern; they actually vary depending on the spider spinning the …

It’s that time of year! Here are some ways to help get your school year off to a good start!  1. Let the sun wake you up. Read why you should consider it. 2. After the first week of school, bike around your block to relax. 3. In the morning, spend one minute doing jumping …

There are lots of fun activities to do with kids, and some of them are even good for the earth by reducing and reusing. Try one of these ideas next time you have some free time together:        1. Go on a clean-up hike. As you walk along your favorite trail, pick up …

Starting a new school year is a great time to reprioritize through establishing routines.  Here are some suggestions for incorporating outdoor time into your semester. 1. Walk or ride your bike to class as much as possible. You’ll get some quality time outdoors, while creating space to process and digest your day. 2. Grab some …

Here in the southeastern United States, we know it’s summer when the cicadas start to hum. Hot humid evenings with the loud buzzing take many people back to childhood summers swimming at the pool and evening dog walks. In my own life, I never realized that the sounds of cicadas meant summer to me until …

In August, many families are getting in their last vacation trips of the season and starting to think about shopping for school supplies. Fresh garden produce and ice-cold watermelons still grace many a picnic. But have you ever wondered what wildlife is up to this month? For many animals, spring and summer are times to …

When I was in elementary school, I read the book Rascal and fell in love with raccoons. These clever animals are not only at home in the woods, but they are so adaptable they often take up residence in neighborhoods and cities too.  Raccoons are medium-sized mammals that are easily recognized by their black masks …

We have a small terrier mix that we adopted from our local humane society about seven years ago. “Max” loves to be outdoors and often follows my son around the backyard or through a nearby field. Several times my son has commented how Max has actually made a trail through the yard, where the grass …

Why wake to the blaring of an alarm clock when you can ease into the morning to the sounds of birds and natural light streaming in your window? Summer’s early sunrise offers me the opportunity to wake up with the sun almost every morning. Before I even open my eyes, I am serenaded by robins, …

Summer is the perfect time to enjoy super moons and meteor showers. Below is a list of some spectacular shows that you don’t want to miss between July and August. Southern Delta Aquariids Radiating from the constellation Aquarius, the Southern Delta Aquariids are visible between July 12 and August 23. The meteor shower was named …