April 2012 Blog Posts (16)

From the blog: www.YourOutdoorFamily.com

I became a fan of Dr. Edward O. Wilson in the late 1990s while I was working at the Chattanooga Arboretum & Nature Center, an environmental education center and arboretum in Southeast…

Every spring, I pass by yards full of daffodils and wish my yard was full of daffodils too. I especially like the way these bright spring flowers look scattered throughout a lawn or field.

Last fall I decided to buy and plant bulbs: daffodils, tulips, and crocuses. (…

Did you know Carlsbad Art Farm is a supporter of local schools and organizations through donations to silent auctions. Every year, we donate 10 certificates good for one-week at Art Farm summer camp.

This year we have donated certificates to Rancho Santa Fe Community Center, St. Patrick’s School in [...]

Did you know Carlsbad Art Farm is a supporter of…

A quick scan of today’s online New York Times reveals the usual plethora of stories. Among them: News Corporation chief Rupert Murdoch seeks to deflect allegations that he bribed British officials; Pakistan test-fires a nuclear-capable missile; ethnic biases are now shifting in South Los Angeles; and a Dartmouth frat receives a 3-term probation punishment for hazing.

Why do hundreds of millions of people each day follow the news, read fiction, watch television, and line up to…

published on Sunflower Creative Arts blog April 25, 2012

I walk with my puppy, Violet the vizsla–a five-month-old spring of sniffing curiosity and play and tireless energy–along the sidewalks and trails in my neighborhood. She noses through licorice-scented ferns just beside the sidewalk and strains to see the squirrels and birds in the trees. We reach the edge…

One of the best ways to celebrate National Parks Week is to introduce kids to our National Parks and Monuments. 

Many families are not aware of the Jr. Ranger programs offered at more than 200 of the National Parks and Monuments.  These programs offer kids the opportunity to explore the parks and do hands-on activities.  In addition to in-park programs, kids can also become…

The Lyrid meteor shower, expected to peak late Saturday night and into Sunday morning over North America, promises one of its best shows in years, astronomers say. Especially beneficial is Saturday's near-moonless night. The Lyrids are set to peak after midnight, early April…

Want the kids to get outdoors more often, but not sure how to make that happen?

We've got 8 ideas for taking everyday 'indoor activities' outside.

Making these small changes on a daily basis can easily increase your time outdoors without feeling like you need to "make time" to do it!

In just the past couple of weeks, the children-in-nature crisis has been featured in the New York Times, the LA Times, and on the BBC wireservice. Driven by the heroic work of Richard Louv, the Children & Nature Network, and many others, high profile media coverage is getting the word out. Childhood in this country is dysfunctional, even broken—and so too is our society. Rampant obesity, attention deficit disorder, and diabetes; depression, skyrocketing school dropout, and…

Nature is vast in its beauty as it is diverse in its wildlife! I am passionate about Mother Nature and love to promote conservation through my efforts to connect youth to the outdoors. I developed my roots early on by reading National Geographic magazines and following the stories of my childhood hero, Dr. Jane Goodall. This week I have entered a challenge through Disneynature, which is promoting their new movie Chimpanzee, opening on Earth Day!

Share in my excitement as I post facts…

8th Annual Free Create-With-Nature Earth Day Celebration



Saturday April 21, 2012, 11am - 3pm, south end of Stinson Beach, Marin County, California



For full information, including photos from past years, carpooling info, etc., see the event page:



http://homepage.mac.com/zpine/ed/ed.html



You can also RSVP and spread the news via the Facebook Event:…

During a recent class hike to Berry Berry Island, I found an owl pellet on the side of the trail. I know a little bit about owl pellets and have heard stories of people finding owl pellets, but I had never seen one. What I saw on the ground was a dark gray felty-looking oval-shaped lump speckled with white shapes.

Ben, a boy in my class, was with me when I found the pellet. I…

RCI RADA GREEN AWARD 2011

Following the recent visit of Professor Peter Burns to your resort and his subsequent report back to RCI, I am

delighted to announce that you have been selected as one of three resorts in Europe who have demonstrated

exceptional sustainable practices and are therefore the recipients of a RADA RCI Green Award.

An extract from the report submitted by Professor Burns stated that “Resort based hotels have…