Tag: outdoors

Posted on August 28, 2009 in family fun, mind and body

Photo by tskdesign

Picture, for a moment, the perfect summer day: sunny, 80 degrees, low humidity, a cool breeze. Where I live, these days are unexpected gifts (My ruthless, curly hair can attest to that.) While the modern convenience of air conditioning serves its purpose, nothing beats opening up the windows and inviting in the fresh air.

In the Northeast, September may very well be one of the best months to enjoy the fresh air without breaking a sweat from a walk to the mailbox which, for me, is about ten feet. Below are some ideas for making the most of the outdoors with your children without changing your daily schedule, routines, or activities.

1. Dine al Fresco: Much of our food originates from the soil or from animals that graze in “open” spaces.  For me, it feels good to eat in the natural environment and connect to the earth, the source of good food.  So, change things up a bit and serve breakfast outside.  Call me a romantic, but fresh air stirs my blood and awakens my senses.  What a great way to start the day!  

2. Drive with the Windows Down: Whenever I roll down the car windows, my daughter instinctively waves her arms and legs and lets out this giggly, contagious laugh. “Weeee!” I exclaim from the front seat, for a little extra rollercoaster effect. As the wind whips in one window and out another, it ushers in an energy that invigorates the soul. In fact, I can’t not sing when I feel so alive.  And sometimes that’s just what you need when you’re running the same old errands, day after day.  

3. Snack with a Story: Many small children eat a mid-morning snack.  This is a great opportunity for storytime. Grab your favorite books, a snack, and a blanket and recline in the shade or the sun (for a little vitamin D).  Not only are you enjoying the fresh air, but you are teaching your child that reading is fun, relaxing, and worthy of a special time and space.  

4. Hang Your Laundry Under the Sun: Many moms do at least one load of laundry a day.  I will admit, I am not one of those moms.  I do, however, have a clothesline.  Bring your wet clothes outside and hang them on a clothesline, letting little ones help out with an otherwise tedious chore.  Breathe in clean, fresh air and smell the grass as your clothes soak up these good smells.  

5. Shop at an Outdoors Farmers’ Market: Support your local economy by buying fresh food from family farmers.  This sure beats another trip to an overcrowded supermarket, where fruits have traveled from Brazil. I love the idea of nourishing my body with food from my own “backyard.”  Indulge your senses in the fresh smells of ripe produce, grass-fed meats, local wines, cheeses, and more!  Visit LocalHarvest to find a farmers’ market near you.  

6. Play Outside: You have all winter to play indoors.  So step outside and let your creative juices flow! Grab some sidewalk chalk and reconnect with your inner artist.  Or if you have a swingset, swing high alongside your child and let your imagination soar: Remember swinging over alligator infested lagoons? As you feel the wind blow past, pretend that you’re flying free.  Let go of your obligations and breathe in sheer fun.   

7. Get Moving!: My daughter typically wakes up from her nap around 3:00, at which time I’m suffering from sleepiness (if I haven’t napped too).  This is my cue to get up and get out.  It’s hard to fit in exercise with kids. Grab the stroller, double stroller, or bikes (if the kids are older), and head outside for a nice brisk walk or jog.  Pay attention to your breath.  Notice colors and textures.  Feel yourself awaken and your soul open up to possibility.  

8. Turn Off the TV: Trade a televised sporting event for the real deal!  Again, go local!  On a Saturday afternoon, pile the kids in the minivan and support your local high school athletics program.  It’s cheap, fun, and gets everyone outdoors for some fresh air.  This is a great opportunity to expose small children to healthy competition, spirit, and team work.  Plus, there’s usually plenty of space for them to run around!

11. Choose the Farthest Spot: When most people enter a parking lot, they naturally look for a spot closest to their destination.  What if we parked farther away?  Would it hurt to walk the extra 50 yards? Parking lots are often spaces of tension.  Avoid the madness and enjoy the walk.  Breathe in peace, breathe out frustration.  

10. Fire Up the Grill: I love the smell of charcoal on a warm summer night.  I associate it with family barbecues, lightning bugs, citronella candles, and watermelon.  Why heat up the kitchen when the outside temperature is mild and only calls for a sweatshirt?  My feeling is this: Take advantage of the grill for as long as you can, and hold onto those memories of summer.  

Posted on July 21, 2009 in life lessons

In the past few years, I have developed a love of gardening.  Sometimes I feel like I’ve learned more from digging, pruning, and watering than I have from any schooling.  My garden is my teacher.  Learning to garden has deepened my understanding of how I wish to live.  Here are some lessons learned from spending time amidst the flowers and the weeds.  

Cultivate beauty and goodness.  When I taught sixth grade, I had a quote on my door that read: “To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.”  I was essentially saying this: Wherever you go, leave your imprint. Just like each flower bud or blossoming tree, there is no one else exactly like you.  We all have the power to leave this world better off than how we found it.  As I watch nature’s beauty abound, I am continually encouraged to share myself with the world.   

Nurture.  A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I attended our first cooking class together (What guy doesn’t love to learn all about grilling?)  We laughed a lot, over misinterpreted directions, and created a memory together.  When I feel overwhelmed by life, I tend to compromise my relationships.  But, just like plants, people need to be nurtured and fed with compassion, love, laughter, and fun.  Although I must say, a little sun and water doesn’t hurt!  

Life has disappointments and surprises.  Why is one of my hydrangeas barren this year?  I’m going to blame it on that rainy month of June.  Whatever the reason, disappointment is a part of life, and coping with it is an invaluable lesson for our children.  Last year, my stubborn Liatrus refused to bloom.  So naturally, I forgot about it. This summer, it’s flaunting purple blooms. Show off. Sometimes our initial disappointment is actually a gift in disguise- surprise! 

Don’t Obsess About the Negative. I tend to obsess over weeds.  My husband can attest to that. I’ll spend an entire afternoon weeding, and two weeks later, they’re back, snickering at me. Sigh. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that there will always be weeds (I think my blood pressure just rose.).  I can’t control them.  I’ve come to the conclusion that what I focus on will become my reality.  Lately, I’ve surrendered to the weeds and have redirected my attention to the abundant beauty.  

Create.  When I’m gardening, I am creating something beautiful.  I love digging my hands into the cool, wet soil and cultivating it into a gift of nature.  I find great satisfaction in designing and planning my garden and then watching my plans unfold, often with surprises.  What I’ve learned: Now is the time. Create the life you want for yourself.  Make a plan (and then be prepared to improvise).  

What you want isn’t always what you need.  What I want are those beautiful, vibrant flowers that like full sun, but I’ve resigned myself to the fact that these don’t fair well in a part-shade garden (Please don’t suggest another fern or hosta!).  I have since found some beautiful Geranium Roxanne and Shasta Daisies to color the area.  My advice: After stomping your feet, ask yourself what you really need.  Go with what is rather than what if.  

Make room for newness and possibility.  This may sound ridiculous: Give me a pair of pruning shears, and I’m a happy mama.  I could spend an afternoon (really just the length of nap-time) pruning a lilac or azalea bush.  I think this stems from my desire to de-clutter, to get rid of the old and make room for the new.  How many of us need to kick an old habit or sever a toxic relationship?  We’re afraid to cut it out of our lives.  But sometimes we have to clear out the old to make room for possibility.  When I prune back the stuff on top, it’s as if those little buds underneath are whispering thank you.  

Experiment.  Despite having a tag that says “part shade,” my Heuchera prefer full sun.  How do I know? I’ve moved them, more than once.  With my yard, I never know what works until I try.  Sometimes parenting, too, feels like a scientific experiment- hypothesis testing, to be exact.  I’ve experimented with food, sleep schedules, discipline tactics, etc.  Is it “right”? Who knows.  But just like my garden, it works for me.  

Do What You Love.  When I’m outside gardening, I’m at home.  I’m perfectly content.  Gardening serves my soul.  When I see people doing what they love, rather than chasing wealth, I think “Yes, now that’s courage.” Life is not a dress rehearsal- do what you love!  

Posted on July 9, 2009 in go green

Although we’re a nation of consumers, many Americans today are finding small ways to use less electricity. For instance, while we now enjoy the convenience of modern appliances like a clothes dryer, there seems to be a movement back to good ‘ol air drying.  Why?  Because we want to do our part.  It’s a result of our increased eco-consciousness and efforts to change our patterns of consumption.  We owe this to our children.  

I’ve heard people say: “You’re either part of the problem or part of the solution.”  Organizations such as Project Laundry List advocate for simple lifestyle modifications, such as using a clothesline or drying rack, to conserve energy.  See their Top Ten Reasons to Air Dry Your Clothes.  

Did you know that many Homeowners’ Associations have banned clotheslines? All houses should look just so- just the same.  That’s too bad, and frankly, un-American. (Believe it or not, you can petition the government about energy independence and your Right to Dry.) For me, clotheslines are inherently nostalgic and beautiful.  Bathing suits, tablecloths, whites wavering in the wind. They tell the story of who we are.  

So last week, I hung a clothesline across my backyard.  There is something meditative about taking care of household chores amidst the sights and sounds of nature.  While I wasn’t exactly singing “Just whistle while you work” with the bluejays, I felt like I was stepping back in time.  It connected me to my grandmother, and her mother, and her mother.  These women never knew of modern luxuries. Many hung their Sunday best on a shared clothesline between tenement buildings in NYC. Others pinned underwear (and you can bet they weren’t g-strings) to a line in their own backyard.  They had no other option; it was a way of life.  Yet, this spirit of resourcefulness and industriousness arguably brought neighbors together and fostered a sense of community. People were out and about, taking care of business, chatting through windows and over fences.  All this, thanks to the clothesline.  I’m a bit jealous.  

Perhaps it’s time to get back to basics.  It doesn’t seem like much, but it all adds up.  While I’m not dangling my bras out there, it feels good to be a part of the solution.

Posted on July 2, 2009 in life lessons, mind and body

The following guest post is written by author, performer, teacher, and inspirational speaker, Esther Adler.  

Water is amazing in its power, grace, and beauty, and kids are naturally drawn to it.  The closer children are to their birth, the more calming water is for them. That’s why sounds of the womb for a baby can help him/her fall asleep. That’s also why bath rituals before bedtime can help them to drift off as well.

While water can soothe and tire children, it can also energize them.  I love to watch my children play on the beach for hours, running in and out of the waves, digging in the sand and collecting seashells.  What’s amazing to me is that no toys are needed for hours of enjoyment; and yet in the house, they are helpless without the TV or computer, their “tools” or toys.

I believe kids are drawn to water, because they haven’t built up any barriers yet; they aren’t restricted by fear.  Fear, in part, comes from ideas, thoughts and beliefs communicated by the adults in our lives.  Fear is also brought upon by painful past experiences.  One definition of fear is: the anticipation of pain. Children don’t anticipate pain, and so they are more in tune with their true selves.  They are pure love energy, and they enter fully and freely into what they are doing.  Children trust, and thus can easily learn to adapt to their surroundings- in this case, water.

We innately want to be around water, but as we grow up, our life pulls us away from it.  Whenever I’m in the midst of a struggle, I turn to water and meditate. That’s how I find myself. But children are already there. They don’t need to turn it on, because it’s already on. 

I love to take my kids to various reservations, where they can hang out in natural streams, lakes, and ponds.  I love to take them to places where there might be waterfalls, ocean waves, or perhaps a bay for them to discover. We can create incredible learning experiences for our children by talking to them about different water environments, and about how although most of the earth is water, each body of water is different. We can also talk to them about the source of our drinking water and how we can preserve and protect this life-giving resource. 

I think the more we watch our kids’ relationship to water, the more we can learn to be in tune with ourselves, to trust ourselves and to connect to different parts of who we are, and the universe as a whole.

Sometimes I look out at the vastness of the ocean, and I’m awed by its endlessness. We are that ocean, and yet we often feel like we are only a drop in it.  Just as every water molecule in the ocean is interconnected, so are we. Each wave wouldn’t be a wave if it wasn’t part of the ocean. What’s one wave without the others following?  One leads into the other, supports the other.  If you took a cup of water from the ocean, that water would still be of the ocean. The further you separate from it, the less of a “wave” it will be, but it will always be of the ocean.  And so it is with us. 

Our children can play for hours, being supported by the water and in turn learning to trust themselves and each other. A beautiful relationship begins. We can try to reach into our inner child and release, to trust and let the universe guide us and hold us, and to ultimately find ways to hold each other.

Posted on June 25, 2009 in mind and body

There is an immense, dark cloud looming over northern Jersey, and it’s stubborn.  That’s putting it nicely. It has rained for days, and I’m starting to go a little nuts.  I’m craving the sun, like I crave chocolate.  It’s summer, a time to be outside.  I have waited all winter for this (well, not for this).  I can’t imagine living in Seattle or London.  

The sun cultivates an energy within me, like none other.  When that warm sun beats down on me, I feel alive.  It revs up my engine; it recharges my batteries. It tugs at me to come outside and linger, to play, to get moving, to tend my garden.

I think I might be solar-powered.  I feel depleted.  

Every Saturday morning, I stare out the dining room windows, feeling sorry for all of those June brides. People say rain is good luck.  Yeah, well so is stepping in sh-.  Neither one is my friend.  

Enough whining.  I am trying to find the silver lining.  There won’t be a drought this summer, that’s for sure.  And the plants are getting what they need to do that photosynthesizing thing. And I’m lucky enough to live in a place that hasn’t been victimized by hurricanes or tornados or destructive forces of nature.  And the French drains in the basement work.  

I am going to hunker down with a big ‘ol bowl of homemade mac and cheese (with bacon).  This, too, shall pass.

Posted on June 15, 2009 in family fun, food and nutrition, go green, small moments

Last Saturday, we hopped in the big bad Subaru and headed out to the “country” for some strawberry pickin’. It started out like this: Daddy lead the way to an untouched patch of ripe, juicy strawberries. Two little feet followed close behind.

Then, we parked ourselves in a section of one aisle (notice the overalls are blue and white). We squatted down and inspected the berries, plucking the bright juicy fruits from their vines and plopping them into our basket. Well, sort of.

Note to self: Ripe strawberries are unwrapped candies to a toddler. Delayed gratification has no place in a field of fresh fruit.

The brim of her hat says, “Life is Good.” I mean, really, does it get any better than this?

Click HERE for a pick-your-own farm near you! Some even follow organic farming methods.

Posted on May 15, 2009 in life lessons, mind and body

In college, I had a roommate from Wyoming. I loved her to pieces, but when it came to walking, she was Slow with a capital S. I was a “city” girl, destination-bound, with a quickness in my step. I walked with purpose, to get there fast. She, on the other hand, bounced her way down the sidewalk, in part I think, to irritate me. It worked.

My daughter is just at the age where she loves stepping out for a walk down our quiet little street. Together, we shuffle across the uneven pavement and explore nature’s toy box. Yesterday we watched the birds darting from tree to tree. We listened to water gurgling through the sewer. We pointed to big, fluffy clouds and cars passing by. We picked a few flowers (Don’t tell the neighbors.) and fingered the veins on leaves. We stomped across a patch of rocks and giggled as they crunched under our toes.

It was a grand buffet for the senses.

Maybe the tortoise is onto something. For years, I’d thought that slow was synonymous with purposeless. These days, I’d argue that the opposite is true. Because when you hurry about, you miss stuff. Stuff that stirs your blood and awakens your soul. You know, if we walked at the pace of a child, we’d see so much more of the world.

Okay, Miss Wyoming, you were right. Want to go for a walk? You lead.

Posted on April 28, 2009 in small moments

A couple of months ago, my brother-in-law’s mother, Nina, passed away.  I got the horrifying phone call late one evening.  They said she was dead.  They said it was a massive heart attack. They said she didn’t suffer.  I was shocked, numb to the bone.  She was way too young.  And although I didn’t have the privilege of knowing her for long, I miss her.  We had a simple, special bond; we are moms.  

Nina touched so many lives as a nurse, educator, and mentor at Rochester General Hospital. Today, on her birthday, the ViaHealth community gathered for a memorial service in her honor.  Although I couldn’t be present to celebrate her life, I chose to remember Nina in a way that honored who she was, her legacy as a loving, generous, whole-lotta-fun MOM.  

In a nutshell, Nina was the kind of mom who made snow angels in the winter and snuggled inside cardboard forts on rainy afternoons.  She was there, for everything.  So, on this brilliant April morning, with record-breaking temperatures, I knew exactly how to celebrate Nina’s life . . .at the park. 

Dear Nina, 

On this warm, gorgeous April morning, Liza and I went to the park.  We wanted to remember you.  That’s what you would have done.  I pushed Liza on the swings.  She flew high, a smile splayed across her face as if to say, “More, Mommy!” We giggled and reached for the sun.  We crawled through tunnels, and scooted our little tushies down the slide.  We strolled around the lake and quacked at the ducks, our voices leaping when they waddled closer.  We lingered and laughed.  We smiled.  We hugged.  We laughed some more.  We wanted to remember you. That’s what you would have done.  They say moms are angels in disguise.  But you, Nina, are an angel with wings.  Until we meet again, I’ll miss you.

Love, 

MJ

Posted on April 19, 2009 in family fun, food and nutrition, go green

Go Green.  Go Recycle.  Go sustainable.  Go solar powered.  Go this, go that.  It’s everywhere.  This weekend I checked out the Go Green Expo in NYC, and I’m back to share some of the highlights!  

Did you know that Alka Seltzer cleans toilets?  Or that lemon and hydrogen peroxide are natural alternatives to bleach?  Featured speaker, Julie Edelman of The Accidental Housewife, put an interesting spin on being green.  Here’s the good news:  It’s about “being green enough,” she said.  ”Light green.”  Okay, I can do that.  Edelman offered some practical, fun advice on greening your cleaning.  I particularly liked her Alka Seltzer jingle: “Plop, plop.  Fizz, fizz.  Away will go the poop and whizz.”  

LittleChickieWear had adorable 100% organic cotton onesies and tees:

IAGmedia displayed DVDs, CDs, books, and more that teach kids about caring for our environment.  Let’s Go Chipper: Into the Great Outdoors was an iParenting Media Award Winner!  

Good Food Gardens displayed a live outdoor garden system that supports healthy, eco-conscious living.  I WANT ONE!  These gardens promote family cooperation and interdependency.  And with access to their own fresh produce, children develop healthy habits for life . . .love it!  

SodaStream distributed free samples for soda and sparkling water lovers.  It was a delicious alternative to the bottles and cans “that are suffocating our planet.”  In fact, the average American consumes 600 cans or bottles of soda and sparkling water each year.  SodaStream boasts less sugar and sugar-free options . . .with fizz.  Santa, please add this to my list!  

Posted on March 30, 2009 in family fun, mind and body

Do you ever find yourself saying, “I need a vacation”? I do it all the time. But for many Americans, a vacation isn’t in the cards right now. We’re living in some topsy-turvy, scary economic times. Our 401k’s are worth half of what they were 2 years ago, the market wavers more than a moody teenage girl, and frankly, we don’t know who to trust.