For the Birds

Did you know that February is National Bird-Feeding Month?

It was established in 1994 as way to publicize the importance and benefits of helping out our feathered friends.

Why February?  This is traditionally the hardest month for wild birds to find food sources as well as water and shelter. 

I can't think of a better month to show our love for the birds that are so important to our gardens and environment!  If you would like to celebrate with us and help keep our little friends fed throughout the month, we will be posting a simple DIY bird feeder each week that you can do with your children and hang outside.

To kick it off, here's a simple hanging feeder:

source: intimateweddings.com

Ingredients:

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup water

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

3 Tbsp corn syrup

4 cups bird seed

Combine flour, water, gelatin, and corn syrup in a large bowl.  
Add bird seed and mix well.
Spray the inside of a cookie cutter with cooking spray  (we found a 2-4" size worked best)
Fill the cookie cutter with the bird seed mixture and press down firmly (the firmer it is, the better it will stay together)
Make a hole near the top (but not too close)
Carefully remove cookie cutter 
Let dry for 6-8 hours
Loop a 10" length of jute through the hole and hang outside for birds to enjoy!

Let us know how yours turned out...

Nature Crafts

As I look at the calendar and think about the upcoming holidays, I'm also starting to think of snow.  It'll be here soon.  But I still want to hold on to the beauty that the fall season has to offer.  I'm not quite ready to slip into winter.

If you are feeling the same, here are some wonderful nature crafts that would put all those pressed leaves, collected acorns and pinecones, and miscellaneous treasures from nature to creative use:



Fall Leaves Window Display



Magical Nature Creatures



Fairy Tea

Leaf People





Nature Mandalas


Be sure to also check out the fall leaf and seed activities in the children's area during your next visit to the library.

ENJOY!!!

Seeds of Fall

Autumn is such a beautiful season here in New England and a great time to enjoy nature's wonders.  

Upon first glance, our gardens may already seem to be starting their winter slumber.  There just doesn't seem to be much going on.  But, take a closer look...

Plants are hoping to send off their seeds before their long rest.  Explore the library garden and you'll find all sorts of interesting seeds: parachutes, exploders, hitchhikers, and winged-seeds.  There are even seed pods that sound like a rattle!

Here are some great books about seeds that you and your child can read together:  

A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston
Seeds, by Ken Robbins
Flip, float, fly : seeds on the move, by JoAnn Early Macken

And The Field Studies Council has a simple and informative page with a helpful graphic.  


If you would like to do a study of seeds with your children, here are some activity printables:

seed dispersal
animals & seeds
types of seeds

Now get outside and explore!  

We'd love to hear about your experience exploring our garden and learning about fall's seeds.

Did you miss it?

If you weren't able to join us for the Nature Journaling workshop for adults or if you are interested in learning more about nature journaling, check out the slide presentation from the workshop.  And you'll definitely want to also check out these great resources:

Nature Journaling Resources

Books:

• Keeping a Nature Journal, Clare Walker Leslie
• The Nature Connection: An Outdoor Workbook ..., Clare Walker Leslie
• Nature Journaling: Learning to Observe and Connect With the World Around You,  Charles E. Roth
• Hands-On Nature, Jenepher Lingelbach

Websites/Blogs:

• Simple Home Made: Nature Journaling
• Handbook of Nature Study
• Make-a-Nature-Journal
• Donna Long: Nature Journal
• Blue Yonder Ranch

Drawing Resources

Books:

• Illustrating Nature: Right-Brain Art in a Left-Brain World, Irene Brady
• (The New) Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, Betty Edwards
• The Zen of Seeing, Frederick Franck

Happy journaling!

Anyone can...

If you enjoy being outside, if you appreciate the beauty of nature, if you would like to gain a deeper understanding of the natural world, then please join us at the Topsham Public Library for our very first Nature Journaling workshop for adults.

If you would like to make time to slow down; if you want to enjoy the present moment; if you would like to explore an outlet to fulfill your creative energies, you will want to come to the library Saturday the 29th at 1:00pm.

There are no prerequisites for attending.  There are no special talents or skills needed.  You are only asked to come with an open mind and the desire to see the wonder.

Nature Journaling Workshop for Adults

Please join us at the Topsham Public Library for our first nature journaling workshop for adults:

During this workshop you will learn:

source

What a nature journal is, what to include, 

and the various styles;

source

The benefits of keeping a nature journal;

the "art of observation", and more.

Intrigued?  Join us to discover the joy of nature journaling!  

We hope to see you then...

I just read an article called "What Makes a Successful Place" on the Project for Public Spaces website. You can find the article here: http://www.pps.org/reference/grplacefeat/. Their PlaceMaking blog is listed on our blog list.

The article has a good graphic that can be used to evaluate public spaces.

Something to aim at. The article made me feel that we're pointed in the right direction and had pointers on how to adjust our aim.