Momathon Blog

Lovely Links from the Garden

Sunny and warm here today, so I'm outside on my deck thinking about gardens and backyard parties. The hydrangea above is in a container on my deck—out of reach from the deer (and bears) that wander through my yard munching on everything. My neighborhood in the foothills of the Colorado Rockies has a "no fences" rule, so the only safe place for plants is container gardens on the decks. 

Here are a few of my favorite links for plants, backyards, and summer fun. 

• I am so ready for my first barbecue party of the summer after seeing Nicole's party plans. How about you?

• A true garden party needs a few retro aprons. I adore the dottie angel aprons, striped straws in lemonade, and cupcakes Melanie features in her post from Seattle today.

• You scream, I scream, we all scream for homemade ice cream!  Gotta try the yummy recipe via Erin and Bi-Rite Creamery.

• An upside-down tomato planter is on my to do list for June.

• One of my puppies will eat nearly every thing... So I love this handy Pet Poison Help app to determine which plants I should keep out of reach.

• For more gardening ideas, check out my garden posts and photos here, on Pinterest and Facebook.

Photo illustration above by me, Chris Olson and features plants in my garden—Instagram Valencia filter— and a lovely fence photographed by D Sharon Pruitt.

 

Daily doodle: baby bird

A bird does not sing because it has an answer.
It sings because it has a song.  

~Chinese Proverb

You can see more of my doodles at Momathon doodles. Illustration by me, Chris Olson.

Signs of new life in winter

When life gets tough, consider the hardy plants outside. Somehow, defying all the odds, the magical rebirth of plants continues even on the coldest days...

Photographer Tracey Clark says it so well: "Mother Nature works miracles during every part of the year. It's merely a matter of remembering that what is going on beyond what meets the eye is sometimes even more wonderful than what we can actually see. This intangibility might be a challenge today. But sometimes, the challenge is half the fun."

 

Photo taken for an assignment in BigPictureClasses.com, Chris Olson © 2011

Photo essay: Winter blues

Are you feeling the winter blues? Grab your camera and head outdoors. As my photography instructor Tracey Clark says, "Winter has its challenges as the cold weather has a tendency to keep us cooped up, counting down the days until things warm up. But with our cameras, we are still free to explore and discover, even if it's from the comfort of home."

 

The light in winter is amazing. The pristine snow turns blue in the afternoon light. A blue bird morning in January makes the winter white Aspens look like statues.

Photos: Chris Olson © 2011

 

Frosting on the trees

I woke up this morning to a winter wonderland.

It's barely 7 a.m. and I know the frosting on the branches will melt as soon as the sun comes out.

I adore the sparkle of fresh snow in the sunshine almost as much as the winter landscape before the clouds lift.

 Photos: Chris Olson © 2010.

What to do if you find a deer tick

 

 

What to do if you find a deer tick 

The sooner you can remove a deer tick the better. To prevent lyme disease do DAILY tick checks because you want the deer tick to embed your skin for less than 24-48 hours.

• If you find a tick on you or your pets, use a thin-bladed pair of tweezers. 
• Grab the tick by the head or the mouth as close to the skin as possible and remove attached tick slowly and gently. 
• Do NOT use the ineffective remedies like petroleum jelly, nail polishes, or burning matches.
• Save the tick for testing/diagnosis: Put tick in a small jar to give your health practitioner as soon as possible. 
• An effective history of exposure is helpful for treatment. You can take a photo of the tick or the rash and email it to your doctor for clarification. 
• You can't effectively wash ticks out of clothing, but you can get rid of them by putting clothing in the dryer for a cycle. 

Diagnosis
Because the disease has symptoms that mimic other diseases, diagnosis is often difficult. If you suspect you have been bitten, go to a doctor immediately. A physical exam and blood test may be done. But a blood test is not always conclusive. Early recognition of signs and an awareness of history of possible exposure areas is critical. Fortunately, the disease can be treated with anitbiotics. However, the earlier the diagnosis is made the better the recovery. 

To reduce deer tick population near your house: Keep lawn mowed, brush trimmed, and leaf litter away from home. Clear vegetation on paths and trails. 

Early symptoms
Symptoms that appear 3 to 30 days after the bite according to the deer tick study by the Minnesota Dept. of Health. A person may have all or just some of these symptoms. The symptoms can resemble the flu. 

• Red rash resembling a bulls-eye may be present in some case. This rash is present in 60 to 80 percent of the Lyme disease cases. 
• Fever 
• Chills 
• Headache 
• Muscle and joint pain 
• Fatigue 

Symptoms that can appear later
Symptoms days to weeks after the bite according to the Minnesota Dept. of Health. A person may have all or just some of these symptoms.

• Multiple rashes 
• Facial paralysis 
• Fever - Stiff neck 
• Headache 
• Weakness, numbness, pain in arms 
• Irregular heart beat 
• Weakness or fatigue Long-term symptoms of untreated Lyme disease include arthritis, problems with the nervous system, weakness, fatigue. 

(Photo above of a female deer tick by jkirkhart35 on Flickr)

Baby Magpie birds

Baby Magpie birds are bold even when they are very young. This summer the chicks are trying to "herd" my dogs in the backyard. 

(Sketch above created using ArtStudio app on my iPad. Post created using BlogPress from my iPad.)

Plants + Friends = Community Gardens

Today is earth day. Seasoned gardeners and newbies across the U.S. are starting community gardens with the help of American Community Gardening Association. If you are interested in how to set up a community garden this association has plenty of tips. On the website you can download PDF files on organizing a garden committee, how to choose a site, preparing a site, insurance, and managing the garden.

 

 

Kids naturally like to dig in the dirt. And they like creepy crawly things like the garden slugs in the photo above. Gardening is a great family activity. Give a kid some ownership of the project and you will be amazed at how much kids love to plant, water, and even weed their own garden. The Community Gardening Assoc. offers great ideas in Ten tips for gardening with kids.

(Photos: Monica R: Boy with garden hose; D Sharon Pruitt, Child With Handful of Garden Slugs)

Will e-books save the planet?

 

(image by cote)

I'm not worried about too many hardcover and paperback books filling up our landfills. I hope we keep them on our bookshelves instead. Even if e-books don't save the planet, this greener publishing alternative is a healthier option for many. Do you like to read books on your laptop or e-reader? I still like the feel of turning paper pages, but I am gradually becoming a convert. I love the convenience of digial downloads and the fact e-books are greener because they cut down on paper use.

Now more and more libraries are offering free digital downloads that reside on your laptop for a couple of weeks--the length of the paper version of a library book check-out. Digital library downloads are not currently available in all formats. 

According to a recent NYTimes.com article, e-books "cannot be read on Amazon’s Kindle, the best-selling electronic reader, or on Apple’s iPhone, which has rapidly become a popular device for reading e-books. Most library editions are compatible with the Sony Reader, computers and a handful of other mobile devices." Apple will be introducing a new e-reader tablet with a touchscreen next year. Perhaps the Apple tablet format that allows an impressive range of graphics to be displayed will change the way many of us view e-readers. This tablet sounds like a perfect fit for digital textbooks too. 

E-books could be a healthier choice for your body too. Considering how heavy a student backpack can get with bulky textbooks, consolidating all the books in a slim e-reader is really good news for keeping backs happier also. 

The cost of an e-book is often lower for customers and technically they never wear out. (With a puppy at home that chews anything made of paper or even resembling paper, this is really good news.) The average e-book sells for about $10 because online retailers subsidize their price. Unfortunately libraries can't buy a digital book for the same discounted price. 

The concept of e-books in libraries is not popular with all authors and their publishers including Stephen King and Bob Woodward. Simon & Schuster has refrained from distributing e-books to libraries. 

I am hoping more authors and readers will support e-books as the book hybrid for a healthier planet.

For more information on libraries that offer e-books check out this link on NYTimes.com.

Lake Ness Monster?

 

Peek between the trees on the east shore of Lake Harriet in Minneapolis and you just might catch a glimpse of a mysterious lake creature. Her search for the perfect home of her own brought this elusive creature to the Twin Cities this summer. You can read more about the friendly monster at LakeCreature.com

Sidewalk Art

 

Often nature creates the most magical artwork. 

All we need to do is slow down and look around us. 

Sleeping Baby Bluebirds

I opened the side panel and peeked into the bluebird house today.

Bluebirds build their nests in holes in dead trees or in bluebird houses built just for them. The chicks are fed several times a day by their parents. Gradually the chicks develop feathers and can see. The chicks stay in their house until they are old enough to fly.

Love and Romance in Colorado

I love Colorado. It's my home partly because the Rockies are also home to some amazing animals. This time of year the majestic elk are looking for love in Estes Park, Colorado.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Why Should We Love Our Bees?

If you like flowers and fruit and veggies, then you need to thank our busy bees for all the hard work they do. A third of the food we eat depends on bees for pollination, but the honeybees are disappearing fast. Why are they disappearing? The cause is still unknown, but scientists call this environmental issue Colony Collapse Disorder (CDC). Without the honeybees for pollination, the fruits, vegetables and flowers will disappear too. 

Burt's Bees recently made it a priority to educate the public about CCD. According to Burt's Bees:  "CCD is a mysterious disorder causing the disappearance of millions of honeybees that if left unsolved, could affect the availability of the food we eat." Häagen-Dazs - Help the Honey Bees also wants to "keep these little heroes buzzing" and get the word out.

The good news is you and your kids can work together to help save the bees too:

• Support your local organic farmer.
• Plant a seed a create a bee-friendly garden in your backyard, deck, or a neighborhood park.
• Make a donation to programs that support research into CCD. Pennsylvania State University and University of California at Davis have two of the world´s leading honey bee research facilities.  

Donate to the Penn State Entomology - AG Science Haagen Dazs Honey Bee Project

Donate to the UC Davis Honeybee Research Fund

Hidden Knife in the Yard: Update on the Dangers of Metal Lawn Edging

Spring is here and many of us are planting flowers and fixing up our lawns. One home improvement project that is well worth the money is replacing dangerous metal lawn edging that can seriously cut children or pets playing in your yard. As you might remember, about a year ago my dog was seriously injured on a walk when she sliced the tendons on her right front leg on metal lawn edging in a neighbor's yard.

It's been 11 months since I first wrote about the dangers of metal lawn edging in my blog. Since my last post on this topic my dog has had a second surgery to repair the damage from the sharp metal edging in a neighbor's yard that severed her tendons above her front right foot. 

Now I notice the the hidden knife in grassy areas everywhere: in the park, family yards, and school playgrounds. That's why I tell practically everyone I meet while I bike or walk about the hazards of this type of landscaping. To keep your yard and neighborhood safe, remove metal lawn edging or at least apply the protective plastic covers on the edging.

Metal lawn edging was once the only option for edging. Fortunately now we have many safer alternatives because the metal edging poses a great risk to children (and adults) and pets. If you doubt the how quickly the edging can slice open a hand (or paw), a leg, or a knee consider what happened to my dog. It took only a second. She was on leash and had ventured less than 2 feet from the sidewalk. We were enjoying a long walk when my dog sliced open her lower leg to the bone on exposed metal lawn edging. The cut happened in an instant and it was so deep the all tendons in her lower leg were severed. The metal lawn/garden edging in that yard stands at least 4 inches tall out of the ground--a hidden knife in a lawn. My dog is too big for me to carry and I knew I had to get her to the vet quickly. Leg and foot injuries can have a great deal of bleeding and finding a way to stop the bleeding wasn't easy. She was bleeding profusely so I took off my coat and my gloves trying to find anything that would work as a bandage to stop the bleeding. I was near panic because practically everything I wore was nylon and the bleeding wouldn't stop. I was ready to rip off my cotton shirt, but fortunately neighbors driving by stopped to help us and one kind soul gave me a blanket to wrap her leg and stop the bleeding. One sweet girl sat beside my pup and calmed her down while I applied pressure to stop the bleeding. Thanks to the help of many kind dog lovers nearby, within less than 15 minutes my husband arrived and we took her to the vet for emergency surgery.  

I am writing about my dog's injuries because I am hoping by getting the word out we can prevent this from happening to other dogs and children. I am grateful my dog is alive. I am grateful my daughter or another child didn't fall on that edging. My dog has had two major surgeries to repair the damage to her leg. Her leg was so weak and vulnerable she had a second surgery to fuse the joint above her foot. She has a slight limp when she tries to run.

To find out more about safer lawn edging alternatives, please read my earlier blog post on the topic. Two landscaping options out of the many safer alternatives you might want consider are

Guard-N-Edge (protective cover for metal landscape edging) and A Better Edge.

Digital Kid Syndrome: Are Your Kids Couch Potatoes?

I dream about a world--or maybe just a weekend--without a Wii, Xbox, or iPod. My kids would talk to me and other real people in real time. Their eyes would enjoy looking at real things like books, bicycles, broccoli, and basketball courts. Their arms and legs would move with real things like the vacuum cleaner!

Okay, it's just a dream. But what if you could convince your kids to step away from their digital worlds and go outside. Taking a class with their friends or with siblings is one way to develop new hobbies and talents that can last a lifetime. Imagine a teen who makes dinner. Or an 8-year-old who creates all your greeting cards. According to the clever editors at Oprah.com you have many wonderful choices including these ideas:

• Cooking classes (or teach them to cook at home with Recipes Your Kids Will Enjoy Making and Eating!)
• Music classes
• Photography class with mom or dad (check out these Photography Tips)
• Fitness class
• Sewing, knitting, or other craft classes
• Language class
• Dance class
• Magic lessons
• Volunteer (check out these tips on the Art of Giving Back)

In my personal experience, some affordable (and even free) classes that last a day or an afternoon can be great fun too. Group lessons are usually more affordable. Here are some to try:

• Horseback riding lessons (More affordable lessons might be offered to a group such as Girl Scouts, etc.)
• Writing or journaling classes (Some classes are offered for free at the library)
• Tennis lessons
• Golf Lessons 
• Scuba diving lessons
• Pottery or ceramics classes
• Mommy and kids craft classes at your library 
• Or create a co-op with your friends. Each mom (or dad) can sign up to teach a class in a hobby they enjoy

Have fun! I might sneak into one of the classes too!

After a Crazy Week

My father sent me the link to the "What a Wonderful World" video. So sweet. Not sure how the deer and cat in this video met each other, but it goes to show how we all just need to be friends.

I see trees of green, red roses too.
I see them bloom, for me and you. 
And I think to myself... what a wonderful world. 
I see skies of blue, and clouds of white. 
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night 
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world...

--Louis Armstrong, What a Wonderful Life Lyrics

Could Autism Be Linked to Rainfall?

A new study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine suggests autism could be linked to rainfall. According to the study, children living in rainy regions in California, Oregon, and Washington were more likely to develop autism. 

Before parents put for sale signs up if they live in rainy areas, the researchers at Cornell University warn that the study only suggests a link. The link between autism and rain has not been clinically proved. More research is needed.

Michael Waldman of Cornell University and colleagues searched for a possible environmental link with autism. Researchers are not sure if the rainfall link means the children are getting less of something healthy from the outdoor environment or if the rain means the children are getting too much of something in the indoor environment that is harmful.

According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, "Bad weather could lead to more television and video viewing, which in very young children has been linked to language development problems...Or staying indoors could cause a deficit in vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin."

According to the Seattle Post Intelligencer the study found that "school-age autism prevalence rates are positively associated with a county's average annual precipitation. The analysis also showed that within a county, autism prevalence was higher for age groups that were exposed to more precipitation prior to the age of 3."

Let's hope that with each new study on autism we are closer to a cure. Autism has risen dramatically in the past three decades from affecting 1 in 2,500 to now affecting 1 in 150 children in the U.S.

Me and the Wallabies

Can't tell you exactly why I love these little guys except you gotta admit they are so adorable. And they seem to like me. 

Me and the Bennetts Wallabies at the zoo.

 

 This cute guy tries to kiss my camera.

Sitting in my Garden

This post is going to be short today. It's a perfect 82 and sunny outside. Not many days left this summer like this. You can find me in the garden savoring the colors in the last showy blossoms of the season.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

No Child Left Inside

Kids love being outside. This summer and all year long, I encourage you to make going outside part of your daily schedule. Why? Going outside and exploring the environment is one way kids learn important lessons on how we can help our planet survive and thrive. In a few years our kids will be the adults making the choices that influence how we preserve the natural world.

Taking a walk and visiting a nearby park is one of the best ways I know to mix learning and playing. When kids explore, observe, touch, and even taste the great outdoors, they learn about the environment in a way you will never match in a classroom with textbooks. Unfortunately in today's hectic world, kids and parents often find too many excuses to stay inside. Recent research estimates children 6 to 11 spend 30 hours a week looking at a TV or a computer monitor, according to the No Child Left Inside Coalition

The NCLI Coalition is one of many back-to-nature movements emerging in the US. This program strives to reconnect children with the environment so they become healthier kids and engaged learners by studying nature.

In my family, going hiking, biking, or exploring a field opens the door to discussions about plants and animals These discussions can be more meaningful than when they just read a book or watch a video on the topic. 

When kids stay inside all day, it's too easy to miss seeing the birds building a nest in a nearby tree, or the tiny purple flowers growing in a crack in the sidewalk, or the clouds changing from an elephant shape to an alligator right above our heads.

"A study found that young people could identify 1000 corporate logos but fewer than 10 plants or animals native to their backyards," according to the NCLI Coalition.

Check out the 5-minute video below by the The NCLI Coalition.

More and more programs for kids are joining the outdoor movement. Here's a few other outdoor programs according to USATODAY.com:

• Junior Ranger program: kids earn badges by completing activities in national parks
• National Wildlife Federation: The Green Hour website offers outdoor activity tips 
• National Audubon Society: operates nature centers
• Wonderful Outdoor World: offers funding for outdoor programs for disadvantaged urban children