Tag Archives: backyard

Foiled Abduction

My husband and I watched the summer finale of Burn Notice the other night. Who picked up the silver case holding the Bible and left Michael clinging to life by the totalled black Cadillac Escalade? I didn’t think to rewind to see what Jesse was wearing before I deleted the episode. I wonder if I can re-watch it online at USA or Hulu. I probably can. Thank goodness the show will return in November. I won’t get to find out what happens on Royal Pains or White Collar as soon. But I digress. On the Burn Notice summer finale Michael … Continue reading →

Gardening As A Whole Curriculum

Now that spring is here, most states are starting to thaw out and warm up. This an excellent time to begin a garden, no matter how small, and teach the kids about botany, art, vocabulary, water conservation, nutrition, and so much more. I’m a firm believer in getting the most bang for my buck and most use out of every moment. Each lesson you teach your kids can incorporate many subjects, not just the most obvious one at hand. Gardening is no different. The house we live in now has a nice back and front yard, but even when we … Continue reading →

Square Foot Field Trip – Backyard Exploring

Home schooling is, in my opinion, the best type of schooling there is. You can be certain your children are learning skills that are important for life such as filling out job applications, balancing checkbooks, cooking, frugal spending, and more. This is in addition to the typical education of Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic. But staying at home all the time can get boring for kids and parents. Field trips are excellent ways to get out of the house for awhile and incorporate fun with learning. But what if you’re simply too tired to drag the kids to a museum, library, … Continue reading →

How to Have a Campfire in the Backyard

Having a cozy campfire in the backyard is a great way to have a low-cost and fun activity that can be adapted for kids or adults. Have a campfire as a family activity, or invite the neighbors and friends for a nice social gathering. The first thing you need to do when planning to have a campfire in the backyard is to know what the rules are for open burning and campfires in your town. Some areas allow free open burning of organic material (including wood), while others limit the time of year, time of day, the size of the … Continue reading →

Introducing Babies to Birds

Perhaps it is the fact that my mother used to call me a Butterball turkey (I was a fat baby) or the many references to feathering one’s nest in preparation for a child or having a nesting instinct, but I have always seen an association between babies and birds. Both are delicate creatures that are tiny, cute and can make a lot of noise. Introducing your baby to birds can be a fun and educational experience for you both. Through birds, you can introduce the following concepts: Colors from a bright red cardinal to a dull brown mourning dove, brilliant … Continue reading →

The Skull in the Backyard

We seem to find some pretty interesting things in and around our home. There was the 1960 metal yo-yo, for example, or the weird and really old bottle opener that was discovered only when we replaced the dishwasher. There were the numerous golf balls in the backyard, and the old flannel shirt stuck so long in the hollow of a tree that the tree had started to grow around it. This is the case with older homes. There are lots of things to discover. Of course, none of them compare to our latest find in the backyard, a bleached white … Continue reading →

Attracting Butterflies to Your Yard

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Butterflies can be a beautiful, fascinating, colorful addition to your backyard habitat! Sadly, many butterflies have lost their favorite feeding spots and breeding grounds to human development. Areas that have not been built up may instead be poisoned with deadly pesticides. By inviting butterflies into your yard, you can help them feed, breed, and flourish. It can be very easy to attract butterflies to your yard. Here’s what you’ll need: Food for caterpillars — after all, that’s where butterflies come from! Caterpillars have chewing mouths and like to eat leaves and stems. Food for butterflies. Butterflies have sucking mouths and … Continue reading →

Attracting Bats to Your Yard

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When creating your backyard wildlife habitat, you may want to think about bats! Bats are a great way to control night-flying insects in and around your yard and garden. Not only do bats gobble up flying bugs — many insects will simply avoid areas where they hear bats. Do you live in a good area for bats? Here are some qualities bats look for in a home: Lots of insects to eat — one bat can eat as many as one thousand bugs each night. You’ll often find bats near water because insects tend to favor moist places. Caves or … Continue reading →

Attracting Birds to Your Yard

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It doesn’t take a ton of effort to attract feathered visitors to your yard or patio. All you need to offer is food, water, and shelter. Providing food for your visiting birds doesn’t have to mean a bird feeder and a constant supply of seed. Flowering and fruit-bearing plants provide sustenance, as do plants that attract insects. Bugs are a good source of protein! When it comes to water, a traditional birdbath isn’t necessary, but can be an attractive addition to your outdoor space. A shallow dish filled with water (like a large plant saucer or even a snow disc) … Continue reading →

Attracting Toads to Your Yard

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When thinking about wildlife you’d like to welcome to your yard, you might not be thinking about toads. But here’s one very good reason to make things toad-friendly: just one toad can eat more than a hundred beetles, slugs, moths, and other bugs per day. That adds up to more than three thousand insects per month! It’s hard to beat a toad for natural pest control. Unless you’re very vigilant, you won’t see much of your toad friends during the day. Toads are most active at night, hunting slugs and cutworms. During the day, toads need a dark, cool place … Continue reading →