Although it is not yet officially summer, it would be hard to convince most plants, animals and people that it is not, except for the kids who are still in school.   I saw my first firefly last night, ripe strawberries in a school garden today, and then there are warmer-than-usual temperatures. Regardless of how you feel about it, we are bound to see more summer-like days in the coming weeks, even before the summer solstice on June 20, which happens to be the last day of school for most Alexandria City Public School students. So, as you head out to the garden, coast along the bike trail, bask…

Last fall, I completed training to become a master naturalist through the Arlington Regional Master Naturalist program. Throughout the course we studied trees, native and invasive plants and animals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and so much more. Every week our studies included a lecture followed by field work where we would visit various parks, nature centers, streams and relevant locations to experience first-hand the topic of the week. Throughout the fall and winter, I became conscious of shifts in the way that I was experiencing nature and shifts have become more dramatic and powerful for …

Not only does May bring us flowers, but it also brings a bounty of fun and family friendly events, activities and observances.  International Compost Awareness WeekMay 6 - 12 Join composting advocates from across the United States and Canada in celebrating this year's theme: "Compost! … Replenish the Earth for Generations." Learn more about composting and help spread the word!   Inaugural National Bike to School DayWednesday, May 9 Join in on the first ever National Bike to School Day. Plan an event or register for one in your neighborhood. Get details.  Rock Creek Garlic Mustard …

Would you be more likely to: eat at a restaurant that goes out of its way to  compost its own waste, stay at a hotel because it engages in sustainable practices, or patronize a business because it is green certified?  Alexandria green-certified restaurants and businesses and the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association (ACVA) believe that many of us would and they are making it easier for us to find out about such businesses.  And, if you are a business owner or organization in the city of Alexandria, the ACVA is making it easier for you to get certified and to let prospective customers…

If you read my New Year’s column, you know that I am not big on resolutions, though I do believe in setting intentions for the year ahead. Just as the start of a new year offers an opportunity for a fresh start and new and renewed commitments, Earth Day offers an opportunity to focus our attention and energy on ways that we can have a more positive planetary impact. Each year, in honor of Earth Day, we adopt a new habit, make a new commitment, or develop a new routine that helps us to reduce our negative environmental impact. In years past, we have pitched paper towels and paper napkins in …

I have been on a quest to have our family spend more time in nature, both through structured activities, like hikes and visits to nature centers, and more casual activities, like keeping a nature journal or observing clouds and weather. We have also gotten involved in soccer, which made me wonder … does time spent on the soccer field count as time connecting with nature? In February, with just minutes to spare until the impending deadline, we signed up all three kids for soccer through the Alexandria Soccer Association. It was a big leap for our family … our first foray into organized team …

In addition to April showers, this month also brings us Earth Day and a number of other eco-friendly events for your enjoyment! Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments section.  Alexandria Spring Clean-Up*Saturdays, April 14 – May 5 (see web ite to determine the date for your zone)Here is your big chance to put all of that miscellaneous waste to the curb! Eligible items include: Reusable items (including furniture) Metal items (hangers, small appliances, pots and pans) Electronics (televisions, stereos, computers) Refuse Not accepted: concrete, hazardous waste, unbundled brush, loose …

Rumors abound that local families who are on top of their game have their summer plans locked and loaded by the end of February. If you are like me and have not yet solidified your plans, here is a great green summer camp worth exploring: Arcadia Farm Camp. In the southern expanse of Alexandria that is part of Fairfax County, lies Woodlawn estate, a 126-acre property that was originally part of George Washington’s Mount Vernon. Offering a reprieve from the collage of shopping centers, gas stations and office buildings that define the Route 1 landscape, the stately grounds, stables, buildings…

A few weeks ago, I had the very unoriginal idea of going to Mt. Vernon Estate on Presidents Day. Although we arrived shortly after opening time at 10 a.m., traffic drew to a slow crawl as we came within a quarter mile; not surprising, given that it was a free admission day. The parking lots were already overflowing so we headed back up the parkway toward home.  As we approached Belle Haven Park and Marina, I asked my husband, who was driving, to pull in so we could check out Dyke Marsh Wildlife Habitat. We have lived in Alexandria for more than 15 years and although we have had more picnics …

Attention deficit disorder has garnered considerable attention over the years, but have you heard about nature deficit disorder? It is a term coined by best-selling author Richard Louv to describe “the human costs of alienation from nature.” With the publication of “The Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder” in 2005, Louv incited a movement to reconnect kids with nature. The book sparked the Children and Nature Network. In 2011, he published “The Nature Principle: Human Restoration and the End of Nature-Deficit Disorder,” describing people's reactions when …

St. Patrick’s Day is not the only thing that is green about March. Here are a host of great green events and observances taking place. Know of any I missed? Please add them in the comments section. National Agriculture Week March 4 - 10 and National Ag Day March 8Celebrate the millions of farmers and ranchers who work hard so that we can eat. This week: thank a farmer; shop at a farmer’s market; or sign up for a CSA program (check out this option from Mindful Hands).Learn more.   Tuesday, March 13 Richard Louv at the National CathedralJournalist and author of eight books about the connections…

Is your so garden carefullly manicured with the most beautiful (invasive) plants that, once in full bloom, it will be ready for a magazine cover? Is your yard so much of a hodge podge that you're not really sure what's growing out there? Are your trees and shrubs so overrun with English ivy or other invaders that you can hardly see the trunk? Fear not, help is out there! It is, after all, National Invasive Species Awareness Week. Prior to becoming a master naturalist, I hardly knew a thing about invasive species. I had learned somewhere along the way that English ivy and bamboo were not good …

I'm not one for sappy, giggly, feel-good movies, but as a mom of three preschool and elementary school-age kids, I've learned to tolerate, and even appreciate some of them, as is the case with Big Miracle. Recently, a teacher professional development day meant no school for Alexandria students. With my husband and son headed to my in-laws in Pennsylvania for a boys weekend, the girls and I headed to the movies -- a rare treat. As we soon learned, while taking advantage of the matinee discount, several other families from the girls' elementary school had the same idea! When it comes to kid's …

When thinking about Valentine’s Day, one can hardly escape the indelible image of bulbous, bliss-filled hearts. Shortly after the new year dawns, pink and red embellishments start cropping up in store fronts and in-store displays, shocking shoppers into the new year long before our brains have adjusted to writing 2012.  For me, thinking of hearts brings to mind a local artist I met five years ago, whose work is all about hearts, and his incredible eye for them. A geologist by training and a jewelry maker by trade, Rick Ruggles is now an artist based in Washington, D.C., who has a special …

Our five-year-old son is quite the techie. Our household is generally plugged in. We like technology, but we are not all that high on the technophile scale. During periods of free time at home, our son will almost always go for the iMac, a laptop or some other electronic device. Once upon a time, he was content playing games on the PBSKids or National Geographic websites. These days, we will find him capturing images with the computer’s built-in camera and using filters to modify the images. He will then bring the images into iMovie where he will string them together and add a little music. …

Construction projects have always fascinated me, especially large-scale projects, like the National Harbor project or the Woodrow Wilson bridge project. I marvel at how a plan evolves, one step at a time, one day at a time, into a finished project. How are so many individuals, machines, and materials brought together in such a way that a slab of raw earth or body of water takes shape as a construction site and eventually into a building (or bridge), series of buildings or whole community before our eyes? Over the past few years, there has been a lot of deconstruction and new construction on …

Although we are already a few weeks into the new year, I am just getting around to setting my intentions for 2012.   For me, the year starts to unravel in November, so I don’t even begin plotting about the new year until we are actually in it. I’ve discovered that with two elementary school-age kids, November tends to be the least friendly month for working parents.  September and October can be bumpy as new schedules and routines are established and kids come down off the summer high. But, we know this and expect it. December has the long winter break, but since it is tucked between holidays…

As I was driving the kids to school one morning this week, we got to talking about Martin Luther King Jr. Day. As we got spun up in plans, I paused and asked, "Do you know why you have no school and many people have the day off from work on Monday?" Silence.  "Have you been talking about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at school?" My second grader responded, "Yes, we have!" After drawing her out with a few questions, she went on to describe how Martin Luther King Jr. was "a man who was admired by a lot of people because he wanted people to all be treated the same." Take a simple moment to reflect …

During the winter months, I tend to become a bit of a hermit. Although I grew up in eastern Massachusetts and survived the Blizzard of '78, the megastorm of my childhood, I am a cold-weather wimp. In celebration of the new year, I'm adopting a new attitude concerning the cold. Rather than hunkering down and avoiding the outdoors unless absolutely necessary, my quest is to embrace the winter, as I do all other seasons, and take advantage of what nature offers during the winter months. If you are like me, I offer the following suggestions for connecting with nature and generally getting out and…

With 2012 just a few days away, now is a great time to set your green intentions for the year ahead. While going green can seem overwhelming, there is no right way to do it. Over the course of a few days, be mindful of your daily habits and look for opportunities to add a green spin to them. Small shifts – like turning off the water while you brush your teeth, or larger shifts, like starting a compost pile or growing a garden, or even grand shifts, like buying a hybrid car – are all good for the environment.  Here are eight great green ideas to get you started: Along with the usual three R’s…