Tag Archives: nature

Walk a Mile in Their Little Shoes

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For most youngsters, and in all likelihood a fair number of adults, taking a walk may not be the most pleasing of activities. A proclamation such as “Hey kids, forgo those cartoons this morning and lets go for a walk in the park!” made after breakfast on a Saturday is not usually met with a enthusiastic response nor is the suggestion to put away the Nintendo DS after dinner for a stroll around the neighborhood. But as my family’s recent 2 ½ hour saunter along the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia proves – a walk can indeed be a fun time … Continue reading →

Ranger Rick Magazine

The National Wildlife Foundation puts out Ranger Rick Magazine for children ages 7 and older to continue the tradition began with Your Big Backyard, designed for children younger. When you subscribe to Ranger Rick, you get twelve issues, one a month for a year, for the price of $19.95, and right now, when your subscription is paid in full, you get a free camera as a thank-you gift. You can also receive a junior membership in the National Wildlife Federation. Using the September 2006 issue, let’s take a closer look at this magazine. Right inside, we see a picture of … Continue reading →

Your Big Backyard

“Your Big Backyard” is a children’s magazine produced by the National Wildlife Federation. Geared toward readers ages 3-7, it’s a companion magazine to “Ranger Rick,” which is written for ages 7+. You can subscribe to “Your Big Backyard” for a year, at $17.95 for twelve issues. This is a savings of $2.00. And what do you get for your money? Each issue has a theme which is carried through from page to page. For instance, the June 2005 issue revolved around “Piggyback Riders.” Using this issue as a model, I’ll now show you what you can expect from future volumes … Continue reading →

The Sea, the Storm, and the Mangrove Tangle – Lynne Cherry

This is a non-fiction nature book for children, written with the intent of educating children and their parents about an endangered form of plant life, the mangrove tree. As we proceed through the pages, we see how many animal species are dependent on the tree for their own survival. We begin with a flock of pelicans landing on a mangrove island. As they settle in the branches, they knock off one of the seeds, known as a propagule, and it falls into the sea and is swept away until it reaches a lagoon. There it takes root and begins to … Continue reading →

The Fox and the Hound (1981)

Another installment in the Disney Masterpiece Collection, “The Fox and the Hound” is the story of Tod, a little orphaned fox kit who is discovered by Big Mama (voiced by Pearl Bailey), an oversized maternal owl. She helps Tod attract the attention of Widow Tweed,a kindly woman who takes an immediate shine to him and bottle feeds him to full health. Once he’s back on his feet, he begins to explore, to stumble upon Copper, the new hound dog pup brought home by Amos Slade, the grumpy and trigger-happy hunter next door. Tod and Copper form a fast friendship and … Continue reading →

Washington State’s Hidden Treasure

The title of this blog may be a bit deceiving. Perhaps, it should read: “ONE of Washington State’s Hidden Treasures.” The Evergreen State is filled with natural wonders, many of which are tucked away in the hills and valleys that line the area. This particular “treasure,” which I am sharing with you today, was discovered during a recent family vacation. My aunt and uncle live in Milton, Washington (located south of Seattle and just east of Tacoma) and have graciously hosted us during a number of our family vacations. The first couple of times we visited we took in the … Continue reading →

Bambi (1942)

I know I say this about nearly every Disney movie, but “Bambi” is one of Walt’s masterpieces. It’s easy to repeat myself so many times because Disney put out more masterpieces than any other animator we’ve had yet, and as near as I can tell, the company isn’t running out of steam. Bambi is a sweet little fawn, newly arrived in the world. All the forest animals are excited to greet him, and they gather in the thicket to welcome him. He’s shy at first, but the animals are friendly to him, and before long he’s made fast friends with … Continue reading →

Pocahontas (1995)

We’ve all heard the legend of Pocahontas in school, how she guided John Smith around the new world when he first arrived and worked toward smoothing relations between the Native Americans and the Colonists. Disney turned this into a major motion picture in 1995, putting their own spin on the story and incorporating some mischievous animals, a Disney trademark. Pocahontas is supposed to be preparing for her marriage to Kocoum, but she feels discontent with her life. Something keeps calling to her, telling her that destiny has another purpose for her. Very in tune with nature and the forces that … Continue reading →

Children’s Picture Books by Nancy Luenn

When I pick up these books by author Nancy Luenn, I immediately feel that I have been transported to a faraway place. Her imagery is rich, her descriptions are masterful, and I appreciate the glimpse she gives me into another world. As the location for each book changes, so does the tone of the narrative, allowing you to taste the language patterns in the different regions. The first Luenn book I would like to share is called “Otter Play.” A child and his family are getting ready to go fishing for the day in the wilderness of Canada. The father … Continue reading →

In Search of the Elusive White Deer

We moved to Nashville in September of 2005 from Jacksonville, Florida. Among the top priorities when we moved was to find a place for Murphy and me to walk like we had with the beach. Somewhere that let us commune with nature. To my delight, Nashville is more than home to country music and honky tonks. Who knew there were a plethora of parks within the city? Ones with paths and trails galore. The Percy Warner Parks system is the largest and has many hiking trails. It’s one of my favorites. But it’s a little bit of a drive from … Continue reading →