Well, my rugrats are back home and back in routine. Aside from being a little tired and very cuddly, they seemed to have fared very well at Gramma and Grandpa’s house!

But on a totally different note: a little insight into what makes Sugar and Spice tick.

If there is one thing my kids are crazy about… it’s animals. The are avid naturalists, and love nothing more than to draw, read, watch or play out animal behaviors. Now, this mostly comes from Jrock and I (the whole nature / nurture thing takes another layer of meaning here.) We both are nature nuts – he is interested in animal behaviors and groups, as well as zoology. I’m more into ecology and interactions, as well as connecting with nature. He really likes mammals – I really like birds and other small beasties. It’s obvious we have passed these passions onto the girls. Jrock’s family were cattle farmers; whereas my family is the outdoorsy side. My dad’s a biologist and we all grew up hunting, fishing and exploring the great outdoors.

The fascinating thing is how the girls’ have got involved in our family interest but made it their own. spice is very creative and dramatic. So she loves playing out big elaborate stories and animal family scenes with her stuffies or small animal figurines. Spice is quite the little artist, and loves drawing pictures of animals and nature. She’s also very happy going for walks to watch ducks, or putter about in nature and the garden. Currently, she is growing some of her own pea plants in my kitchen.

Spice likes to examine bugs and other twigs and things in her microscope, always careful not to harm them. She also likes to call Grandpa on the phone and ask a specific question about something she’s been pondering… like why bighorn sheep’s horns keep growing.

Sugar, our ball of energy, is quite different. She acts out scenes directed by her sister, but her real passion is reading and learning about animals. She memorizes infinite details about different species, their interactions and habitats. Definitely, she’s the academic amateur zoologist, along with the same kind of detachment of many researchers. It doesn’t trouble her much to swish a bug to look at it.

But forget bugs – Sugar is interested mainly in cute animals (puppies) and large flashy species like zebras. Just like her sister, she loves it when Daddy finds her a video online that shows an animal doing something (hunting, reproducing, whatever,) and enjoys not only understanding but being able to explain her findings to other people. If you want to know how climate change works, just ask Sugar. She’ll ‘splain it!

Anyway, here are some of our girl’s favorite animal / nature toys and resources:

Schleich figurines.. boy they LOVE these, especially when they have a family or group of them.  Favorites are horses, tigers/lions and the new zebra and giraffes they got for Christmas.

The girls are absolutely gaga for Calico critters – all those infinitely tiny parts and the super cute animals! It’s just so right for their age!

Their matching Falkmanis otter puppets (they also have a skunk and an owl)

Some of their favorite reading books:

And their favorite books overall:

 And their favorite tools:

Favorite Netflix movie:

Favorite Netflix TV show (Tales of the Riverbank):

Once Upon a Hamster!

Hi folks – did you know that it’s International WALK TO SCHOOL month?

In fact, in Kelowna this week is Walk to School week. Now, we walk to school every day… we only live two blocks from the girls’ school (on purpose.) But some people live a little further or just haven’t found the time to try it. Now’s the time. I have to say what I like as much as spending 10 quiet minutes of the day with my kids is the 10 quiet minutes walking back alone from the school. I often read when I walk, so that’s 10 minutes a day to chip at a novel, too.

Purposeful bliss, I say. But if that doesn’t tempt you, here are some other reasons to try walking to school!

International Walk to School is more than just getting together with children and going for a walk to school as a special event. This is certainly important, but the event’s greater aim is to bring forth permanent change in communities across the globe. Below are just a few of its goals:

Encourage physical activity by teaching children the skills to walk safely, how to identify safe routes to school, and the benefits of walking

Raise awareness of how walkable a community is and where improvements can be made

Raise concern for the environment

Reduce crime and take back neighborhoods for people on foot

Reduce traffic congestion, pollution, and speed near schools

Share valuable time with local community leaders, parents, and children

I was supposed to be at a conference with Wangari Maathai in a couple of weeks. I was so saddened that she passed away today and I didn’t get a chance to meet her. But like ripples in a pond, one person’s ideas can spread and she will be remembered for her unflagging committment to the health and sustainability of Africa.

For all of us trying to make a difference in some small way, here’s a lovely video to remember her by, and to keep inspired:

It is completely shocking to me! How can our parlimentarians work and rework and pass Bill C311 – the Climate Change Accountability Act – and then the senate wipes it out?

From the David Suzuki Foundation:

Over the five years that this piece of modest legislation has been going through the parliamentary process, the science behind global warming has become far more certain. The Bill would have committed Canada to an 80 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and a 25 per cent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2020. We now know that these reductions are the very least that we should be achieving if we are to avoid the devastating consequences that go along with uncontrolled climate change.

These unelected senators killed the Climate Change Accountability Act just as the United Nations climate change conference is set to open in Cancun, Mexico, on November 29. Once more, it appears our government plans to show up to talk to the world with nothing but empty rhetoric, unfulfilled promises, and the hopes of Canadians firmly cast aside. It’s time to let the government know that this is unacceptable and that Canadians will not be silenced. We can all make a difference. And we will. Please call or write the Prime Minister and your government representatives to let them know that we expect them to live up to their promise and responsibility to be accountable to all Canadians. Read more…

No notice – no debate. Just a snap decision that will haunt us from generations to come.  I am personally appalled.

And there isn’t one darn thing we can do about it. They’ll have to start all over again. It could take YEARS to get a bill that far again.

Before we became parents, Jrock and I talked about what values and experiences we wanted our children to be exposed to. One of the things that is very important to me is that the girls have chances, every day, to interact with the natural world around them, and value nature. In other words, I want my girls to cultivate their naturalist intelligence.

Of course, we live in the city, and you can’t take your kids alpine hiking every weekend! So we find urban ways to incorporate animals, plants, wind and worms into our daily life.

One important experience is our garden, and the girls have actively been a part of planting, tending, harvesting and preparing our home grown food.

Another way we get our nature fix is by walking to school every day, along the creek near our house. There are ducks, that the girls have seen grow since ducklings, and turtles… and of course, our friends Minny and Mickey the muskrats.

And then we do quite a few nature crafts to cultivate an appreciation for the beauty of nature… such as the leaf mobiles curently hanging above their beds. The girls have creative journals that they often paste things into, or draw in, or collage.

The last way that we approach appreciating nature is by cultivating empathy and compassion, which are some values that Jrock and I have purposefully focused on. From the beginning, we’ve taught the girls to relate to and empathize with the animals in our house, as well as the humans. They take care of the dogs and have learned to read their expressions and body posture as well. And there is no play activity they like better, than to play “animals…” including giving their stuffies (and the real dogs) their shots! as seen in the picture above.

If you are interested in cultivating the natural intelligence in your kids, I highly recommend “Last Child in the Woods” as an amazing books, and a lovely website with a bunch of family nature activities is Outdoor Nature Child.

Naturalist Intelligence is one of the eight multiple intelligences that we all have, more or less of. For example, I like to joke that I’m a kinesthetic idiot, but I’m pretty darn linguistically and spacially adept. You can learn more about Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligences here, and even do a little questionnaire to see which multiple intelligences might be your strengths.

The girls and I went on a whirlwind trip down to Vistoria this weekend. We didn’t have much time, but we did what we set out to do: we joined First Nations chiefs and elders, farmers and environmental advocates from across BC to protest the proposed Site C dam.

I’ll share some pictures when I get organized, but for now, here is some of the media coverage for the event. Unfortunately, our headline speaker, David Suzuki, was fogged out and they couldn’t land his float plane. Still, I hope our message got through.

• Site C dam critics rally support at legislature
• Northeast natives rally against dam
• Assembly of First Nations and Treaty 8 First Nations call for Full Panel Review on Site C Hydroelectric Dam and fulfillment of Duty to Consult with First Nations

If you have been following my blog for a while, you will know that I’ve attended paddles (canoe rallys) to protest the building of the Site C dam in Northeastern BC. This unnecessary dam will destroy valuable wildlife habitat on the Peace River Valley, break wildlife corridors, flood some of the best agricultural land in BC, and erradicate the way of life for many farmers, ranchers, and First Nation residents.

The Wilderness Committee and the Sierra Club, and Daid Suzuki himself, have joined forces with the communities in the north to bring this to the attention of the provincial government in Victoria.

And my girls and I will be there.. right beside Suzuki. Jokin! (But only sort of…..)

If you are in the area… please consider attending the rally and showing your support!

If you are not near Victoria, please write an email to the Premier here.

On Sunday, September 19th, join the Wilderness Committee, the Peace Valley Environment Association, Sierra Club BC and the Treaty 8 First Nations to say No to the Site C Dam.

The rally will begin at 10:00am on the front steps of the legislative assembly building in Victoria. Speakers include David Suzuki, Treaty 8 First Nations leadership, and more!

Then join us for a 1.5 hour paddle up the beautiful Gorge Waterway. This family friendly outdoor event is the perfect place to get your kayaks and canoe in the water, and support an important cause.

To register for the paddle please email khalilah@Wildernesscommittee.org.

Hmmm… what will I do with the lights off tonight at 8:30pm?  Well, my hubbie is out working and my kids will be in bed.  So I think I will:

1. look at the stars and enjoy them in a way I usually can’t in the middle of the city, and

2. read a book by candlelight and sip some Grand Marnier!

What will you do tonight for an hour with no lights?

On Saturday we are going to join the Bike Rally in Kelowna to support international action against climate change.  There are events happening across Canada, if you would like to get involved… check it out!

What are you doing this Saturday?
In three days, millions of people around the world will gather in support of protecting our planet. How will you be involved?

Join the party…. So far, 4,000 events are planned for the Oct. 24th international day of action on climate change – including hundreds in Canada. From St. John’s, Newfoundland to Tofino, B.C., people are organizing street parties, concerts and pumpkin carving festivals to celebrate a better future for all. Find an event in your neighbourhood.

Make your voice heard…Join thousands of Canadians who have sent a message to Canada’s Prime Minister and leaders of the opposition in support of a fair, ambitious and binding agreement at the UN climate summit this December.

all these books are available in “My Bookstore“, as well as in your local library!

My Father’s Daughter
Pool

My friend T lend me this book, and I ate it up in 2 hours.  It’s the (true) story of a British woman, adopted from Eritrea, who finds her birth family and goes back to Eritrea to meet them.  Fascinating to read about so many commonalities with Ethiopian culture – but more fascinating to imagine similar pilgrimages our kids might go on one day…  

. 

We Generation: Raising Socially Responsible Kids
M. Ungar

This book is all about raining your children so that they interact with and contribute to their community.  It’s also about combating helicopter-parent syndrome, and helping kids to see there are bigger things in the world than themselves.  I especially like the parts that talk about building a village of safe and caring adults for your kids to have as mentors.

. 

David Suzuki’s Green Guide
Suzuki and Boyd

This is the most comprehensive, SHORTEST! and most readable guide to making environmentally-friendly decisions in your home that I have read, and I highly recommend it.  Why not do some reading and make up a little list of changes and/or projects with your kids to do over the summer?

. 

The Connected Child
Purvis, Cross and Sunshine

My mom had this book recommended to her, and I picked it up while I was up north.  Bascially it’s about dealing with adoption-specific issues your kids may have, such as fears, attachment issues, etc.  But what I really like about this book is it’s the first one I’ve read that has suggestions for discipline that promote attachment and work for kids who have been left/hurt/starved… some really great ideas, and even examples of what to say and some coaching on what may be going on with your kids.  My new most recommended book for people adopting older kids or who have kids at home.

This whole “no pesticides no herbicides” thing has been a big deal for my farmer-raised-in-Saskatchewan husband… but he is getting into it and having some real fun gardening these days.

We’ve found a few aphids on the cherry tree and one of the rose bushes (Jrock’s prized roses!!) and he has been diligently soap-straying them.  But yesterday we found out that a local garden store was carrying lady bugs! So we bought 250 of the little buggers (ha ha) and released them in the cherry tree, the rose bush, and my broccoli/cabbage patch last night.  (Last year the aphids overwhelmed the broccoli, kale and cabbages so we couldn’t even eat them. Whoops.)

You keep the barely-moving ladybugs in the fridge until you are ready for them, but when you set them out in the warm evening air – wow! they just wake up and go on an aphid hunt tout-suite! Today, there isn’t an aphid to be found on the cherry tree. And they are pretty cute, too.

If you want to get some yourself, here is the company our “voracious predators” came from: thebuglady.ca She has lots of other bugs and natural pest control stuff on her website… worth checking out!