Deep Thoughts From Noah #73

Noah: Mom, have you ever had any adventures?
Me: Sure!
Nat (interjects): Noah, she used to work in the Caribbean.
Noah: Like with pirates?!
Me: Um, no.

Meet Me Outdoors in St. Louis

The National Park Service turns 100 in 2016.  To honor this milestone, Meet Me Outdoors in St. Louis serves to celebrate the many everyday ways to discover, experience and conserve nature and the great outdoors. On April 2nd, the Missouri Botanical Gardens kicked off the Meet Me Outdoors  initiative with the re-opening of the Doris I. Schnuck Children's Garden and Tower Grove House along with the debut of the new PlantLab and renovated Brookings Exploration Center. During the event more than a dozen community partners including Audubon Center at Riverlands, Earthdance Organic Farm School and St. Louis Master Gardeners were on hand to share their enthusiasm and knowledge about the outdoors.

The kids and I took part in a "build a bee home" workshop --one of the many hands-on activities available throughout the grounds. 

If you would like to be a part of this movement - simply take the pledge:
Together, I/we pledge to:
* Look under more rocks for squirmy things
* Picnic in a local park
* Camp out under the stars
* Nap, read, or sketch under the shade of a tree
* Bike a new stretch of nature trail or greenway
* Build a for
* Conduct a neighborhood nature census
* Participate in or organize a community planting or clean-up day
* and/or pursue other outdoor adventures throughout the year, including as many as we can from this list

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Looking for worms and learning about composting

Nat made a pea necklace...and later planted it.

Bug Hotels

Hard at work

Musings From Natalie #125

Natalie: "Mom, when I grow up I'm going to be a hippie!"
Me: "You are?...What does it mean to be a hippie?"
Natalie: "Well...you give the peace sign a lot.  Wear tie dye clothes and save the world by not letting others cut down trees and stuff."
(Right, on!)