My son collects soooo many sticks, rocks, feathers, nuts, and other cool stuff during our outings that his “treasures” have become a bit overwhelming. In order to provide a space for his favorite discoveries, I gave him a basket. We call it his “nature basket”, and it’s where the best finds are kept. *** WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Treasure Continue reading Treasures: A Nature Basket
Winter or Summer? Dublin Hills Regional Park, California Photos taken January 23rd, 2014 Continue reading Silent Saturday: Winter or Summer?
I’ve been spending a lot of time at home lately with my son, who’s now sick with his third cold (flu?) in four weeks. Today we had to get out for some fresh air. At around lunchtime, we heard our local Great Horned Owl hoo-hooing. I know it isn’t a typical night-time owl walk, but we headed out in search of the owl anyways. We … Continue reading Birding: American Kestrel
Bishop Ranch Regional Preserve, San Ramon, California Photos taken January 17th, 2014 Continue reading Silent Saturday: Bishop Ranch Hike
My son has been home sick for several days. We’ve been looking out the window a lot. Here’s what we’ve been seeing (all photos taken from inside our home, through our back window)… Photos taken January 13th and 14th, 2014 WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Window Continue reading Window: A Room with a View
Photos taken January 4th, 2014 UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley Continue reading Silent Saturday: Happy Flowers
Photos taken January 4th, 2014 UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley Continue reading Floral Friday: Together and Alone
Photos taken January 4th, 2014 Mather Redwood Grove, UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley *** This post is part of the Mamatography 2014 Project with Diary of a First Child and Momma Jorje. We are taking (at least) a photo a day, a collage or a picture each week to keep a record of our year. Join us at any point during the year and start … Continue reading Mamatography: Play in the Redwoods
Photo taken January 4th, 2014 UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley *** WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning Continue reading Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning
Over the holidays, we made the trek down to Los Angeles to visit family. As soon as my son heard we were going to LA, he screamed excitedly, “can we go to the La Brea Tar Pits??” I thought for sure, his first interest would be Legoland, but, luckily for us, he didn’t bring it up, since that wasn’t part or our plans. Also lucky … Continue reading La Brea Tar Pits: Page Museum
Ah, the pursuit of happiness. Isn’t that an inherent right of all Americans? Yet the majority of Americans seem to be searching for happiness in all the wrong places… striving for that next promotion at work, purchasing a larger home, buying a nicer car, thinking that marriage will provide lasting happiness, or planning the perfect vacation. We seem to have it all backwards. Here are … Continue reading On Happiness: Myths Debunked
Sticky post
Within moments of beginning my walk around the grounds of the UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley this morning, I began to experience that wonderful feeling of peace and calmness that washes over me me when I’m out in nature. Whenever I begin to feel stressed, overwhelmed, quick to anger, or anxious, I’ve learned the best thing for me to do is head outside. It doesn’t … Continue reading Want to be Happier? Take a Walk in Nature
Columbian Mammoth * a hint of posts to come * Page Museum, La Brea Tar Pits, Los Angeles, California Photo taken December 28th, 2013 Continue reading Silent Saturday: Columbian Mammoth
As I enter 2014, I feel the need to answer the question, “Why do I blog?” When I created “A Nature Mom”, my vision was clear. My goal was to inspire other families to get outside and play. I already had created a real-life social Meetup group, Nature Time! The Bay Area Outdoor Playgroup, a parenting club I envisioned would bring families together, playing outside … Continue reading The Importance of Outdoor Time: Why I Blog
Welcome 2014! Sunset, Dublin Hills, Dublin, California Photo taken January 1st, 2014 *** WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Joy Continue reading Weekly Photo Challenge: Joy
Instead of writing about our outdoor activities this month, I’ve been focusing on simply being present to the moment, soaking up the warmth of the season, despite the cold we experienced earlier in the month. If you don’t hear from me much in the next few weeks, simply know I’m out there, enjoying nature and the outdoors with my family and friends. For now, I … Continue reading Happy Holidays!
I’ve noticed a funny thing here in California (at least in the Bay Area). When the temperature drops below 60F, kids disappear from the playgrounds. This morning before school, the thermostat was still hovering around the freezing point, yet the kids who arrived early had a blast running around on the playground. Really, parents, playing outside is healthy in all weather. If kids in Finland … Continue reading It’s cold in California! Now let’s go play outside…
Sunlight, Autumn Leaves Indian Joe Creek Trail, Sunol Regional Wilderness Photos taken November 30th, 2013 *** WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Let There Be Light! Continue reading Sunlight, Autumn Leaves: Let There Be Light!
Thanksgiving Photos taken November 28th, 2013 Continue reading Silent Saturday: Autumn Bliss
The Chaparral Loop Trail at Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in Antioch is a great trail to hike with kids. First, the trail starts at the Greathouse Visitor Center, which, alone would be a great destination for a family with kids. The visitor center is located within the mountain! After exploring the visitor center for a bit, head out onto the trail. The trail is … Continue reading Chaparral Loop Trail: Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve
Today was a beautiful day for a hike! Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve, California Photo taken November 23rd, 2013 Continue reading Silent Saturday: Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve
Thank you to guest writer, Ernie Allison, for sharing this article! *** Even though summer isn’t the peak season to witness a heavy migration, the bay area is still full of spots for birders to see some beautiful wild bird species. Whether you’re a local looking to quench your bird watching craving before the migration season, or a visitor looking to see what kind of … Continue reading 5 Best Places to Bird Watch in the Bay Area
DNA Sculpture, Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley Photos taken November 11th, 2013 *** WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Layers Continue reading Weekly Photo Challenge: Layers
The San Francisco Bay, from the Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley Photo taken November 11th, 2013 Continue reading Silent Saturday: Enjoying the Bay View
Photo taken November 7th, 2013 Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sausalito Continue reading Silent Saturday: Hummingbird
Photo taken November 7th, 2013 Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sausalito Continue reading Floral Friday: Purple
One of those crazy things you see when you walk around San Francisco… Photo taken November 2nd, 2013 In front of the Exploratorium, on the Embarcadero Continue reading Embarcadero: Flying Chimpanzee Carousel
“The Exploratorium is a twenty-first-century learning laboratory, an eye-opening, always-changing, playful place to explore and tinker. For more than forty years, we’ve built creative, thought-provoking exhibits, tools, programs, and experiences that ignite curiosity, encourage exploration, and lead to profound learning.” – From the Exploratorium website (www.exploratorium.edu) The Exploratorium is the ultimate playground for the mind, a must-visit for anyone who’s into building and creating with … Continue reading San Francisco: The Exploratorium
Playing at the Exploratorium, San Francisco, November 2nd, 2013 *** WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Eerie Continue reading Weekly Photo Challenge: Eerie
Saturday evening, we went on a fun “spooky night hike” at Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont. My son was looking forward to this event more than to trick-or-treating on Halloween night! Before sundown, we met with our hike leader (a naturalist / pirate), who gave the kids some safety tips before heading out. Then he led the families up into the hills. Along the … Continue reading Halloween Fun: Spooky Night Hike
