Imagine Childhood : Magic & Memories That Last a Lifetime

... bird watching fort

Sometimes bird watching can be more like bird chasing, especially when they fly away faster than you can focus your camera or binoculars.  That's why we love bird hides. Whether made out of old refrigerator boxes, a sheet tied to a couple of sticks, or more permenant materials, bird hides (also known as bird blinds) are a great way to get a closer look at some of your feathered neighbors without having to chase them down.

At the end of a hike the other day, we came across the perfect birding spot already put together like it was made just for us.

There's just something about being in a fort in the woods that is completely fascinating and exciting no matter how old you are...

...especially when you are waiting for something amazing to appear at any second...

A few great birding supplies:

Binoculars

Bird Songs

Audubon Bird Call

Field Journals

Happy Birdwatching!

... nature walk: san francisco, california

This week's lovely nature walk comes to us from San Francisco, California.  There Amida and her family went on a walk at Lands End, a great place to hike with access to green forests and sandy beaches.  They saw lots of wonderful plants and animals and even came across a labyrinth made out of stones!  Thank you so much Amida for sharing this fun adventure.

If you would like to contribute to our weekly Nature Walk series, you can learn more about submitting photos here, or you can also visit our new Nature Walk Group Pool on Flickr to add your adventures to the collection.

Thanks again Amida for sharing!

 

... papa, daddy, dad, pops

Peggy sent in this wonderful photo of her husband and her son at Frontenac Park in Ontario, Canada and we couldn't think of a better image to wish everyone a very happy Father's Day with!  Thank you Peggy for sharing such a beautiful moment.

Just one day each a year to celebrate Moms and Dads hardly seems like enough with all the amazing things they do for their families and the people in their lives, but at least it's a great reminder to stop and let them know how much we appreciate them. Father's Day is a wonderful excuse to talk about all of those things we love about our dads.  The big things that we may have already acknowledged but wouldn't hurt to notice again.  The everyday things that we might not think about until we take a moment to.  And all the little things... from the nod of assurance just when we needed it... to his willingness to read the same story  - with funny voices - a million times. . .


. . . the countless little things that add up to one of the biggest gestures of them all... being a dad. Father's Day is the perfect time to tell him we see everything and we love him for it, but so is every other day of the year. Tell him with a hug, a smile, or even a hidden note in his wallet or coat pocket... let him know in your own little way that you love him, not just once a year... but each and every day.

Happy Father's Day!

 

 

... drifting

Spring is winding down and the official start of summer is just around the corner, a season filled with activities and adventures.  The weather is great for camping and hiking, for games outdoors, for hours spent building forts... and for drifting. Drifting in and out of daydreams while watching clouds form and move across the sky... feeling the warm breeze as it pushes through the grass in the field... and imagining all the places you'll explore and the things you will see.  Sometimes staying right where you are can be an amazing expedition all on its own.
Where do your daydreams take you?

... barn stories: indecisive weather

This spring has broken a long winters drought with more precipitation than we have had in some time! It is mid June and our high for the month is 81 degrees, for just one day, yesterday.


We have had tornado threats almost every day, along with hail, lots of wind, rainbows and sun circles peaking through the clouds.


We even woke one morning to fog which, within minutes, overtook the barn and the house.  We never have fog here. I love all of the moisture but it can be hard on some of the animals.  We have to wait until the grass dries and the earth hardens a bit before everyone can graze all day, and the Western Boreal Toad still has not shown up, except for a lone greeting one evening in front of the barn door (too cold for him still). But the hawks are loving the overcast sky. It makes hunting easier for them.  The sage crop is going to be wonderful, and the wildflowers will also be good.


All in all, it has made for many trips down to the barn to let animals in or out always wondering if I will need to go back down in a few minutes...


... when the weather changes again.