The Binker Files

The Great Outdoor Challenge

We joined the Great Outdoor Challenge earlier this month and since starting, we've spent time outdoors every day, regardless of the weather or how busy we were.  We've all loved it and it seems it isn't going to end.  Silas, Levi and I were already thinking we'd keep up our daily outdoor streak and Lisa at 5 Orange Potatoes is going to continue on with the challenge by posting once a week, which I think is perfect.  It is fantastic to be outside everyday, but posting everyday is just too much computer time for me.

Silas has discovered fly fishing, so I don't think it will be difficult to convince him to go out every day!

This challenge has been pretty easy, the weather here has been nice and with all the vernal pool activity, there hasn't been any place we've wanted to be besides outdoors.  But, often life gets so hectic that we might not make it out, as much as we'd like to.  This challenge has helped me realize that I need to make outdoor time a priority for me and the boys.  I hope we can continue on with this (maybe a 365 day challenge?), I think it will be so great for all of us.  I'll keep you posted!

City hike

Last night, Mark flew in from the Black Hills, where he is doing some field work.  Today was filled with errands, but we did manage to squeeze in a hike at Baxter Woods.  It was so nice to get outdoors after spending much of the morning in the car, even though Portland is experiencing Winnemucca like winds today.

We love these tree signs and they inspired a great project idea - we're planning on making some for our little forest.

Growing up

I've never had to worry about Silas wandering off, he has pretty much always stuck right by my side - I sometimes jokingly refer to him as my velcro kid.  But, times are changing.  It started small, like in the grocery store where he'd suggest that I stay put while he went after a sample a couple aisles away.  Now, he is taking his new independent self outdoors.

Recently, with a rock hammer hanging over his shoulder like a cartoon character with a bindlestick, Silas announced "See you later Mom, I'm going into the forest to pound rocks".  It's not really a forest, just a patch of woodland around our house & completely safe, but it is away from me & he wanted to go alone.

Today, when we needed fresh water for our salamander eggs, Silas set out for the stream in a cold, heavy rain to retrieve some, again alone.  And the stream is across the road!  Yes, it is a dead-end road with almost no traffic, but still, it's across the road.  I knew he would be alright, but couldn't help checking on him after he was gone for awhile.  I called to him from the edge of the road to ask if he needed help and he kindly asked me to please go back inside the house, he was OK.  Wow, my little boy is growing up.  It makes me so happy and just a little bit sad all at the same time.

Wandering

We headed into the woods today without a plan, but with a backpack filled with essentials - bug spray, binoculars, a magnifying glass and some water.  We checked out snail shells, moss, unfurling ferns and wildflowers and did a lot of playing.

Red Trillium.

A sapling catapult. 

Then, like moths to a flame, we found ourselves near water; a little stream in the woods where we stopped and stayed awhile.

Levi calls this walking on water, it's one of his favorite things.

As we hiked, there was a lot of discussion about what direction we were headed in, we'll have to pack a compass in the backpack next time.

Why I love the Great Outdoor Challenge

I had insomnia last night.  I didn't even try to sleep until 2:00am and that attempt wasn't successful.  I don't know what time I fell asleep at or how long I slept for (I don't keep a clock in the bedroom), but I know it wasn't long enough.  I felt bad today, I groggily made it through a trip for groceries, made lunch and, imagining myself taking a nap, seriously thought about putting on a movie for the boys.  But, remembering the Great Outdoor Challenge, I suggested to Silas & Levi that we take a short walk, just to check out the lake. 

Our time outdoors started out like this:

I thought this would be the end of it, but the boys starting throwing some stones into the water.

I thought, OK - this will work - I'll just rest and they'll play.

My view from the hammock.

Then, I don't know how it happened - maybe the little one's enthusiasm was contagious, but we all ended up in kayaks.  Silas took off alone - his first solo paddle of the season and Levi & I followed, with Levi waving a pirate flag.

My energy was truly revived by being outdoors.  As we paddled south in a shallow cove, we were distracted by a dead crayfish; both boys jumped ashore to investigate and we ended up staying for hours.  While there, we discovered fish eggs.  I've spent about 25 summers on this lake and I've never before noticed fish eggs!  

On the way home, Silas developed a new method of paddling.  He calls it the nearly-naked, standing pirate.

It was a wonderful afternoon and, as if that wasn't enough, Silas decided it was time for his first swim of the season.   Yes, the ice went out a month early, but it was only a month ago, and the water is still cold!

He dove underwater - twice.  This really raises the bar for the Long Pond Dive Team, I am sure this is a record!

What a great day we would have missed if I had put on a late afternoon movie and spent the day indoors.  I think the Great Outdoor Challenge has changed our lives for the better!

Frog eggs

Silas, Levi & I have been searching vernal pools for wood frog eggs almost daily, but have so far only seen spotted salamander eggs.  Today, we finally found our eggs - in our friends pool!

A couple have already hatched into tiny tadpoles.  The boys are beyond excited about this and are looking forward to watching them transform into tiny frogs.

A walk in the woods

For the first year of Silas' life, we lived in a very old farmhouse on 100 acres in a small, rural Maine town; the boys & I took a walk through the woods there today.  They played in the mud on the bank of a slow-moving stream, plunged their hands into murky bog water searching for frog eggs, discovered many animal tracks, scat and the remains of an opossum.  It was a nice afternoon.

Although we loved the farmhouse & the land, we really hated the town, so we sold the farm almost 6 years ago.  It seems others feel the same way as I do about the area, someone even posted a sign:

The old Leaning Barn Farm on the left, hell on the right.

Wetland exploration

Wearing pajamas!

Earth Day

Levi & a loon.

To commemorate Earth Day, the boys and I decided to clean up Long Pond; we set out in the kayak with a trash bag and soon had it filled.  We found lots of trash and some treasures too - an extra large bobber and a rubber ball.

As we scanned the shoreline for trash, we also savored the beautiful day and the wildlife around us - the loon that seemed to be following us, a pair of mallards, 5 painted turtles and a dragonfly naiad that stowed away in the kayak with us. 

Earth Day also marks the end of the One Small Change challenge.  Our change for April has been one electricity-free evening a week, which we call an earth night.  Earth nights have been a lot of fun, we unplug, light candles, build a fire and just hang out together.  The boys love it and I think we'll keep continue on with an earth night every week or so and throw an extra one in when life feels especially hectic.  Earth nights have also made Silas and Levi much more aware of our energy use in general and they almost never leave a room now without turning out the light. 

I loved participating in this challenge.  Committing to a change in writing and sticking with it for a month really makes it a habit.  I think my favorite part has been including the whole family; we discussed and chose each change together and talked about why and what a difference it would make.  I don't overload the boys with depressing talk about global warming and the state of the environment, but will continue to include them in the discussion when we make choices to reduce our impact on the planet.  And as always, we'll spend as much time as we can outdoors enjoying the natural world that we're doing our best to protect.

Frog science

Listening to spring peepers after sunset. 

As I previously mentioned, Silas, Levi & I have been spending a lot of time searching for frog eggs. We've also been spending a lot of time studying frogs.  We'll soon be Citizen Scientists; we've volunteered with the Maine Amphibian Monitoring Program and in a week or so we'll head to northern Maine to collect information on breeding frogs and toads.  

But first, we have to pass the frog quiz, so we've been busy learning the calls of the nine local frogs and toads.  We are all taking this very seriously; besides listening to the early calls outside at night, we've been studying Maine Amphibians and Reptiles and quizzing ourselves with the accompanying CD whenever we drive in the car.  I think we're almost ready to take that quiz and we're really looking forward to our first run.

Check out the frog & toad calls for your state here!