If you live in the City of Alexandria, get ready for curb side clean-up, the annual event where you can put your bulky waste on the curb and say so long! Alexandria Spring Clean-Up* Saturdays, April 14 – May 5 (see web site to determine the date for your zone) Here is your big chance […]
Last month I wrote, “Invasive Species and Why They are a Threat,” and about, “Invasive Species Awareness Week Activities for Kids at the U.S. Botanic Garden.” One of the most prominent invasive plant species in the DC Metro area is English Ivy. It can be seen everywhere: in neighborhoods, intentionally planted as ground cover (now […]
I just returned from a shopping trip to Costco. One of the ways our family saves time, money and resources is by buying in bulk. We’ve all heard the benefits of buying products in larger sizes and refillable containers to reduce packaging and waste. And, while I appreciate the value of doing so, I’ve been […]
Today I engaged in one of my favorite fall (and spring) rituals… As much as I love nature and the great outdoors, this one’s an indoor gig. It was my bi-annual trek to the first of my favorite consignment sales. With three kids, ages six and under, clothing and other childhood gear can tally up […]
This blog is about one family’s quest to move beyond eco-friendly into the realm of eco-activity. What does it mean to be eco-active? While we’ve long been an eco-friendly family, in recent years we come to realize how much of an impact just one family can have on our environment. It starts with one person, […]
Connecting with nature does not need to involve a grand plan, a field trip, or even leaving your own backyard. With the warmer than usual temperatures we have been enjoying, we decided to put a spin on story time. After dinner and bedtime prep, I asked one of the kids to help put the trimmings […]
A version of this story originally appeared in my Green and Simple column on the Old Town Alexandria Patch. 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 […]
If you haven’t yet locked in your camps for the summer, here is a great one to add to the list. Campers ranging in age from 6 to 10 years old will gain hands-on experience as they work the farm and engage in related activities designed to help them understand and appreciate where their food […]
I recently participated in a family work day at my son’s pre-school. The event provides an opportunity for parents to enhance and improve the school environment and get to know other families in the process. While I love the spirit of the event, I was not looking forward to participating on this particular day. Each […]
Happy Vernal Equinox! Today marks the first day of spring, when day and night are of equal length… how will you celebrate the day? This morning, I enjoyed a stroll through Huntley Meadows Park. As I meandered through the park, I enjoyed the cacophony of birds in song and celebration. From Canada Geese to wood peckers, their […]
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