Everyday Nature for Families

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Everyday Nature for Families Collage

I am super excited to announce my new workshop

Everyday Nature for Families!

In these times with all of the digital distractions vying for our kids attention, kids need a deeper connection with nature more than ever! They need help finding the balance between the practical and entertaining use of technology, and the absolutely necessary engagement with our natural world.

Parents know this is true, and they realize they need to lead the way, but many parents just don’t know where to begin and would love some help to jumpstart the process of unplugging their kids, and themselves, to foster a relationship with our natural world and strengthen their relationship with each other along the way. 

caterpillar lichen 1 copy

I have been working to help families get outside and engaged with nature for years now and I am really happy about being able to offer that help to parents in a more direct way.

Please pop on over to the workshop page to learn more about the workshop and how it can benefit you and other parents you know!

Happy Exploring!

~ Dawn

Finding

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The other day I made a quick stop at a local trail to see if I could find the beginnings of pink lady slipper or blue-bead lily greens. I know where they grow in this particular area but in the past I have only spotted them after they are in flower. Since learning more about wildflowers is one of my current nature goals, I want to try to track their growth from the first shoot all the way to flower and beyond.

I did not find the greens I was looking for but I found things I did not set out to find.

I spotted the first sign of the false lily-of-the-valley flower.

False lily of the valley 1-1 False lily of the valley 2-1

Then while practically laying on the ground to get a picture of those i saw a little growth coming from a cutting. I am still in need of time to investigate this one but the colors and shape were fascinating.

mystery bud 2-1

As I walked I found myself looking down, in search of those particular greens I set out to find, but instead found a whole host of other growth and development; sure signs of spring I may have missed otherwise.

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moss water-1Pond skaters 1-1fern fiddleheads-1

As I was crawling around the woods I thought of a quote I shared recently on Instagram:

“I never go out knowing what I am going to find. The interest is in finding what I didn’t know I was going to find.”

                        ~ Henry David Thoreau

Sometimes it is not about finding what you are looking for, but just finding what you find!

~ Dawn

Hello

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snow on spruce-1

Welcome to my new site. It has been a long time coming and I am super excited about it. There are quite a few little details to develop and bring to life here, but mostly the future holds posts about: nature, homeschooling, news about workshops I have been developing and books I am writing, and a few sprinkles of our family life and travels along the way.

As many of you know, I also co-author Mud Puddles to Meteors with my good friend, Annie. It is an absolutely wonderful spot and I love posting over there. That being said, I have missed having my own little personal landing pad  on the internet. I am ready, again, for a place to put the jumble of things I would like to share, but that don’t quite fit into the mission of Mud Puddles. Well, now I have it! My own little space again. Yay!

Thanks for popping in to check out my new internet home.

xx

Dawn