nature
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Cozy Survival: Making a Home in the Wilds
Lately, I’ve been running across books that instruct by example how to eke out survival while making a comfortable home. Cozy survival, if you will. In January, my apartment had a gas leak that caused a lapse in hot water and heating. Winter suddenly became very wintry. Luckily, I felt more prepared to weather the… Continue reading
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Growing Wild!
We recently took our son to visit his grandparents in rural Oregon. Surrounded by acreage and farms, he got to visit goats, sheep, a llama, chickens, and a handful of dogs and cats. He was delighted! On top of that there was running down rolling hills barefoot, digging in dirt, and climbing rock piles. Each… Continue reading
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Rest and Retreat
I know solitude seems like the opposite of what you want to do right now, but solitude with a purpose, such as rest, could be highly beneficial especially after this difficult year. There are also many forms of rest. Resting the mind for better sleep, retreating to rest and recharge, and finding solitude to create… Continue reading
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#BookBingoNW2020: Nature
Today we unveil yet another Book Bingo category: nature. As someone who loves the outdoors as much as I love reading, I’m very excited for this square! Whether you’re a nature lover or not, here are some different ways to find a book that best suits your reading interests: Think Local: If you’re taking daily… Continue reading
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Cultivating a Love of Nature with Children
The clouds are disappearing and the temperatures are warming, which means the summer months are just within reach in the Pacific Northwest! Take a book or two along as you and your kiddos head to the park or the beach. You’ll satisfy the curiosity of those little scientists and enhance your family’s appreciation for our… Continue reading
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Art Books in Nature
West Seattle’s Camp Long will be hosting another fabulous event Aug 20-21. Visit the park to walk in the woods, witness musical performances across diverse genres, or participate in art activities, writing workshops and open mics, juggling, costumed hikes through the forest, and naturalist events. The festival also features the “Museum of Sound” where artists… Continue reading
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Extreme outdoors
Although I’m fairly wimpy in “real life,” I enjoy the vicarious experience of reading about other peoples’ travails in harsh climates. Here are some favorite tales of true adventure and survival (with a bit of history thrown in): The Cruelest Miles by Gay Salisbury When isolated Nome, Alaska, was struck by a diphtheria epidemic in… Continue reading
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Mushroom Mania
Autumn in Seattle means rain and lots of it. While many Seattle residents are indoors moaning about the miserable weather, a few of us are rubbing our hands with glee as the drops fall. We are the wild mushroom hunters, and this is our favorite time of year. On any given fall day after it rains,… Continue reading
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Walkabout
Taking a walk is such a mundane activity, but there is still something mysterious and wonderful about it, even if it only takes us around the neighborhood. One notices a relaxation of pace and shortening of perspective, perhaps — objects often seem farther away in a car or the bus, bracketed, as it were, by… Continue reading
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(Reading About) The Great Outdoors
One of the things I love about living in Seattle is our proximity to the ocean and mountains and old-growth forests. Hey, occasionally you can even see the mountains (when it’s not overcast). Alas, I don’t seem to get out into the great outdoors as often as I would like, but the next best thing… Continue reading