Imagine Childhood : Magic & Memories That Last a Lifetime

... wild bird bingo

We've all been there.  When you just can't be inside any longer so you pack everyone up, somehow manage to find each matching shoe you need and even grab some snacks.  You've done it!...  you've made it out without a tantrum and without forgetting your house keys... and then it hits you... you have no idea what you’re going to do now that you’re standing outside the front door.  That’s exactly when a couple fundanas really come in handy. They're wonderful for inspiring impromptu adventures, holding found treasures or simply protecting your neck from the sun, and we just love them. Keeping a few in your outdoor pack can be a great idea too (you know... the bag that’s always by the front door often with sandy kid socks and wayward mini pretzels rumbling around at the bottom...) because they don’t take up any space and that way you know you’ve always got a life line even when you don’t have a plan.


We had a lot of fun playing wild bird bingo, especially when we tried to mimic their calls... which of course meant quite a few funny performances and a serious bout of laughter!  Not exactly the best birding behavior...  but still a lot of fun.

... nature walk: eagle river, alaska

This Week's lovely nature walk comes to us from the Eagle River Nature Center in Chugach State Park, near Eagle River, Alaska.  There, Christine and her husband Gary took a stroll with their son through the gorgeous forests and hills.  And just in case there might be black bears or grizzly near by, they wore bells to alert them of their presence!  Thank you so much Christine for sharing!

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 for sharing this adventure!

 

... campfires

Sitting next to a campfire... there's just something about that smell... the warmth and the flickering light... the cool clean air and a sky full of stars... it's the best place to be.

It's a place where the world is as small as the area the firelight touches, and as vast as the galaxies that hover over head.  A place where all the worries of the week, of busy school schedules and hectic work days melt away and are replaced by epic tales, giggles and...

... sticky marshmallow fingers.  Campfires are magical things.

Fire Tips for Grown-Ups:

Campfire safety

How to start a fire with a flint and steel

Making char cloth

Making a tinder bundle or "bird's nest"

... giveaway forum: ADC ™ Summit™ pocket weather station

With Father's Day coming up this month, we thought we'd celebrate by hosting an ADC giveaway! Small and compact this little Atmospheric Data Center can be a real life saver when you're on the top of a mountain wondering if that storm will pass or if you should head back down.  Features include: Current temperature Current wind speed Maximum wind speed Wind speed alarm Wind Chill Minimum wind chill Wind chill alarm Current water speed 12/24 hour clock tells you the time, day and date Chronograph Race/countdown timer Current barometric pressure Past 24 hour pressure graph Prediction icon for the next 12 hour's weather Storm alarm Current altitude Maximum/minimum altitude Altitude alarm Ski run counter Manual and automatic data logging IR data communication with PC AND it's waterproof/submersible! To enter the giveaway, simply respond to the forum topic in the comments for this post. Forum topic: What do you love about fatherhood, your dad, or the dads in your life? The giveaway will close next Wednesday June 10th at 11:59pm MST and the winner (picked by a random number generator) will be announced Thursday June 11th! Good Luck!

... barn stories: iggy update

Here is Iggy on his first outing with mom.  We built a new corral for this adventure, their first step before they head on to greener pastures and fresh grass.


Abby and Iggy mirrored Mistletoe and his mom's first outing, I wonder if all little ones and their moms share the same experience.


Abby showing Iggy around...


Abby checking on him to see if he is OK...


Iggy trying to be just like mom...


It's the trying to be just like mom part that makes motherhood such a hard job... because little ones have big eyes and mirror how mom approaches the world.