Smell Like Dirt
In Spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.” Margaret AtwoodArchive for outside
Manatee, Otters and Bats, Oh My!
Well, with the longer days and warmer temps, we couldn’t stand it so we loaded up and headed back down to the Ichetucknee Springs State Park in north Florida for some paddling. And once again we saw some awesome stuff. No rattlesnakes this time, but the recent rainfall has the river up high enough for the manatee to make it over the shoals at the mouth of the Itch, so we got to paddle with them one day. Osprey, eagles, otters and bats added to the excitement for the four days we were there. Hope you enjoy!
New Comet Now Visible to Naked Eye
A new comet was spotted recently and has brightened to the point where it can now be seen with the naked eye. Check out this article from Sky & Telescope on the tracking of this comet and how this comet caught astronomers by surprise. So, if the skies are clear tonight, get outside and check out Comet Holmes. Here’s a sky map of where you can see it.
The shuttle Discovery landed safely yesterday but you can still see the International Space Station orbiting the earth. Click here to see when the ISS will be visible in your area.
Getting Kids into Nature
There’s a great article in the Charlotte Observer today highlighting the need to get our kids outside and exploring nature. Friends of Smell Like Dirt, Mark and Patti Weber, are featured due to their commitment to teaching an appreciation of nature and encouraging Alex and Matthew to Smell Like Dirt! (Alex and Matthew can be seen briefly in our “Mister” video – running through the sprinklers! Check it out in the VodPod listing on the far right of your screen) I’m counting on the Weber kids to lead the environmental stewardship movement when they get older. They’ve already got a healthy appreciation of all things outdoors and love animals of all kinds. They have lots of birdfeeders in their yard and Alex and Matthew can identify the birds that visit.
The Weber’s have been good friends for over 14 years and we congratulate them on doing such a great job raising conservation-minded kids. We hope that others will take their lead! If you want to get in touch with the Webers, leave a comment here for them and we’ll make sure they get it.
You can order the book mentioned in the article <a href=”Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder
