by Stephanie Green - I grew up in Chicago, where the highest elevation was a 50-foot freeway overpass. When I moved to California, I fell in love with the mountains and their commanding height. I also loved exploring the variety of natural areas from the ocean to the desert. After twenty years, I am still in awe of the abundance and diversity of ecosystems. My recreation of … [Read more...]
My Outdoor Family: Nature, Sustainability, and Conscious Choices
by Cheryl Magyar - One was born in a town of Romania, another was brought to life in the suburbs of America, and the third arrived quietly on a homestead in Hungary, with animals waiting patiently, in complete silence, just outside the door. Our births were given dates and exact locations, to be institutionalized and stamped on a certificate of existence, yet it remains that … [Read more...]
My Outdoor Family: Meet a caterpillar named “Fuzzy”
by Eliana Osborn My son's rain jacket is laid across the back of the sofa. In the split second before calling, Come hang this up, I notice something yellow on the sleeve. Closer up, something fuzzy, perhaps a flower bud knocked off while running by. I lift the yellow cylinder with a piece of paper from the computer. A caterpillar, braving a stormy wet Fairbanks, Alaska … [Read more...]
My Outdoor Family: Meet the Sages
Editor's note: The Sages- Clark, Kelly, Clark (8), Sophie (5) - are a homeschooling family who believes in "learning by living" with nature as their classroom. This month's "My Outdoor Family" column features Kelly's perspectives on a variety of outdoor-related topics, and readers can learn more about the entire Sage family on Kelly's blog, SageTribe: Adventures from our … [Read more...]
My Outdoor Family: Meet the Yearouts
by Annie Yearout It's July in New England and my kids are running around a Vermont field at dusk, chasing the fireflies twinkling all over a pinkish sky and creating a magical, warm, summer night light show. Sleepy birds are chirping their final songs for the day, and multiple generations of my extended family are building an evening campfire to roast sausages and fresh corn … [Read more...]
My Outdoor Family: “The good about bad camping”
by Clint Tustison "This is camping?" I thought to myself, lying in my tent, shivering, trying to get dry from the downpour happening just outside. I had been a member of the local community Boy Scout troop for a few months when I finally had the chance to go on a real campout. I was ecstatic. This is what Boy Scouts lived for, right? Heading to the outdoors, building a … [Read more...]
