Six Great Ways to Celebrate the Season

November is here. The leaves are changing color and falling down. Frost is starting to appear. While we are moving quickly into winter, here are some late fall gems to keep you going for the rest of the season. 1) Multi-color Leaf Creations If you live anywhere near trees as they are losing their leaves, you are probably overwhelmed at this time by the magnitude of leaves accumulating in the street, on the sidewalk, and in yards everywhere. While you might not be thinking of these leaves as anything special, take a second to really observe. Their colors, from deep red to pale green and everywhere in between, are really beautiful. For your kids or for the child inside, consider celebrating the colors of the leaves by making a piece of art. While a leaf crown, wreath, or bouquet may only last a few days, the joy it will bring is definitely worth it. First, pick leaves towards the top of the piles, meaning they are fresher and are less likely to have been stepped on or gotten dirty. Rinse and dry the leaves gently, then go for it! Try sewing or tying the leaves together with thread at their stalks. The results will be stunning. 2) Autumn is for Vegetables After having binged on the extra candy and while still picking up the spider webs, streamers, and ghoulish decorations that made our houses so scarily festive just a week ago, we all know that Halloween has come and gone. While the pumpkin, a Halloween decorative classic, is clearly in season, there are many other autumnal vegetables can really be special this time of year. Jerusalem artichokes, glorious varieties of mushrooms, red cabbage, cauliflower, and members of the kale family are particularly delicious right now. Check out your local farmer’s market or websites such as the World Community Cookbooks, which has a comprehensive “simply in season” section including recipes of the week. 3) Fall is for Fruit November is also a great time to enjoy certain fruits. Beautifully fresh pomegranates, apples, and figs have begun making their appearances, and though they are available all year round, autumn is also the best season for grapes. Whether as a snack or incorporated into a recipe, these fruits are a delicious way to enjoy the end of fall. 4) A Party this Season What could be more fun then an autumnal celebration? Whether it is celebrating a birthday, a relationship milestone, or just because, having a party in fall is a great way to pay homage to this wonderful season. For decorating, there are many gorgeous flowers that are most abundant at this time of year, such as dahlias, hydrangeas, and chrysanthemums. Even the fruits or vegetables mentioned previously could be worked into a beautiful decorative piece. 5) Seasonal Ice Cream While the weather might be turning colder, that doesn’t mean that ice cream is off the menu as flavors such as pumpkin spice, apple cider, and ginger fig start popping up at homemade ice cream shops everywhere. Even the flavors with less of a natural approach, such as candy corn and salted caramel can still be a special seasonal treat. Additionally, most of the more adventurous ice cream shops are locally owned and operated, ensuring that your scoop wasn’t shipped all the way across the country. A quick online search of “ice cream shops” and your location will likely yield a multitude of options. When I searched for “ice cream shops Pittsburgh” I came across a very helpful site that listed and gave background on many of the local ice cream options. 6) Take a Picture November is a great time to take out the camera, as the colors and the clarity that comes with the cold make for ideal conditions. Taking walks with your camera before it is too cold will yield an opportunity for some strikingly beautiful nature photographs. One idea is to find a tree that still has some leaves, preferably one near your home or that you would pass by frequently. Once you have a tree in mind, pick an angle that you find particularly beautiful. Then, take a picture everyday from the same angle to watch the development and change taking place with this tree. Once all the leaves have dropped, there likely will not be not too much change in the winter months. Once spring returns, however, you can pick up this project and document the re-growth. If art is really a part of your life, you could even choose your favorite fall shots and use them as inspiration to paint during the dead of winter when this wonderful transitional period is over. So, great joy can be found in even the simplest elements of nature and I hope that these tips can help you enjoy what’s left of fall. Image Credits: Wikimedia, Mother Earth News, Healthy Eating Made Easy, Wedding Flowers Guide, Diana’s Desserts, IFOH Designs

The Next Generation of Green Connoisseurs

For parents raising children in this day and age, the challenges are incredibly new and different from those just a generation ago. No generation in history has experienced as much technological growth or the increased availability of products that can be purchased to keep our children busy. From video games to television, cell phones to the internet, the children of today are growing up in a world less connected to nature than ever before. As wildlife artist Robert Bateman said, "how can we expect to preserve and protect biodiversity if we don't even know the names of the plants and animals that share our neighbourhood?" With that in mind, many eco-conscious parents are taking on the personal mission of instilling a love of nature onto their children. This is no longer something which will happen inevitably but an active goal for many parents. Earth Easy, a lifestyle magazine, has developed many valuable ideas to help you bring a love of nature to your children.

From the Beginning Even babies can enjoy nature! By introducing the wonderful mysteries of nature, a baby's fascinated gaze can reflect the sky or an animal in a new and exiting way. By going with children on walks outside, you can encourage them to explore their imaginations and experience the joy that is the outdoors.

A Little Older

As your children grow, encourage them to go outdoors to play. You can equip them with tools of observation such as binoculars, wildlife books, or journals to record what they see and what they think. Another great idea is to give your child the responsibility of being an environmental steward for a particular area of land. It could be as small as a yard or a median strip near your house, or as large as a whole neighborhood. The steward duty could be just to observe what happens to that plot of land as the seasons change, or to actually maintain the area by picking up any trash that might accumulate or planting seeds in the area to be an active part of nature. I hope these tips can help you to keep the love of nature alive for the next generation. For more ideas on getting your children engaged outdoors, check out the Children in Nature Collaborative. The next generation of green connoisseurs are growing up in a different world, but with a little energy, a love of nature will not be left behind.

Image Credit: Children in Nature Collaborative, Organic Baby Boom, Earth Easy

Eco-Friendly Fun with the Kids: How to Create a Recycled Bird Feeder

School is already out in some parts of the country and in others, it won’t be long! It’s a perfect time to impress upon your children the importance of recycling and being environmentally responsible. This recycled bird feeder project is a great way to do just that. It only takes a few minutes to create, but your kids will enjoy it for a long time! You’ll Need:

• A Recycled 2 Liter Soda Bottle
• A Recycled Disposable Plastic Plate, Preferably with Raised Sides
• A Bag of Wild Bird Seed
• Hot Glue Gun
• A Small Amount of Wire or String
• Scissors

Step 1 First, remove any paper from the 2 liter bottle and clean it with soap and warm water. Then, cut the bottom half of the 2 liter bottle off using a sharp knife. It’s best to handle this yourself unless your children are old enough to do this step without injuring themselves. You can plug in the hot glue gun so it will be ready when you need it too. Cut a small, dome shaped area from the bottom of the cut bottle. This will be the opening where the bird seed comes out. Step 2 Get your plastic plate ready and using the hot glue gun, run a line of glue around the bottom of the 2 liter bottle, skipping the dome shaped section only. If you’re using a low heat glue gun, kids should be able to help with this part. Be careful though – you don’t want to ruin the day with a burn! Firmly affix the bottle to the ‘eating surface’ of the plate, directly in the middle. Hold the bottle down for a few minutes to ensure that the glue has dried and cooled. Step 3 Poke 2 holes through the top of the 2 liter bottle with the scissors. Then, thread your wire or string through the holes and tie it so you have something to hang the bird feeder with. Now, you can remove the top for the bird feeder, fill it with seed and then replace the top. Voila – an easy, eco-friendly project your kids will love! They’ll also be really proud to see their birdfeeder attracting birds in the backyard. For more information on teaching your kids about environmental responsibility, check out the tips and advice at Nature Moms!