hike.wander.wonder

Silent Saturday: Winter or Summer?

Winter or Summer? Dublin Hills Regional Park, California Photos taken January 23rd, 2014

Birding: American Kestrel

I’ve been spending a lot of time at home lately with my son, who’s now sick with his third cold (flu?) in four weeks. Today we had to get out for some fresh air. At around lunchtime, we heard our local Great Horned Owl hoo-hooing. I know it isn’t a typical night-time owl walk, butContinue reading “Birding: American Kestrel”

Silent Saturday: Bishop Ranch Hike

Bishop Ranch Regional Preserve, San Ramon, California Photos taken January 17th, 2014

Window: A Room with a View

My son has been home sick for several days. We’ve been looking out the window a lot. Here’s what we’ve been seeing (all photos taken from inside our home, through our back window)… Photos taken January 13th and 14th, 2014 WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Window

Silent Saturday: Happy Flowers

Photos taken January 4th, 2014 UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley

Floral Friday: Together and Alone

Photos taken January 4th, 2014 UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley

Mamatography: Play in the Redwoods

Photos taken January 4th, 2014 Mather Redwood Grove, UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley *** This post is part of the Mamatography 2014 Project with Diary of a First Child and Momma Jorje. We are taking (at least) a photo a day, a collage or a picture each week to keep a record of our year.Continue reading “Mamatography: Play in the Redwoods”

Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning

Photo taken January 4th, 2014 UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley *** WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning

La Brea Tar Pits: Page Museum

Over the holidays, we made the trek down to Los Angeles to visit family. As soon as my son heard we were going to LA, he screamed excitedly, “can we go to the La Brea Tar Pits??” I thought for sure, his first interest would be Legoland, but, luckily for us, he didn’t bring itContinue reading “La Brea Tar Pits: Page Museum”

On Happiness: Myths Debunked

Ah, the pursuit of happiness. Isn’t that an inherent right of all Americans? Yet the majority of Americans seem to be searching for happiness in all the wrong places… striving for that next promotion at work, purchasing a larger home, buying a nicer car, thinking that marriage will provide lasting happiness, or planning the perfectContinue reading “On Happiness: Myths Debunked”

Want to be Happier? Take a Walk in Nature

Within moments of beginning my walk around the grounds of the UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley this morning, I began to experience that wonderful feeling of peace and calmness that washes over me me when I’m out in nature. Whenever I begin to feel stressed, overwhelmed, quick to anger, or anxious, I’ve learned the bestContinue reading “Want to be Happier? Take a Walk in Nature”

Silent Saturday: Columbian Mammoth

Columbian Mammoth * a hint of posts to come * Page Museum, La Brea Tar Pits, Los Angeles, California Photo taken December 28th, 2013

The Importance of Outdoor Time

As I enter 2014, I feel the need to answer the question, “Why do I blog?” When I created “A Nature Mom”, my vision was clear. My goal was to inspire other families to get outside and play. I already had created a real-life social Meetup group, Nature Time! The Bay Area Outdoor Playgroup, aContinue reading “The Importance of Outdoor Time”

Weekly Photo Challenge: Joy

Welcome 2014! Sunset, Dublin Hills, Dublin, California Photo taken January 1st, 2014 *** WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Joy

Happy Holidays!

Instead of writing about our outdoor activities this month, I’ve been focusing on simply being present to the moment, soaking up the warmth of the season, despite the cold we experienced earlier in the month. If you don’t hear from me much in the next few weeks, simply know I’m out there, enjoying nature andContinue reading “Happy Holidays!”

It’s cold in California! Now let’s go play outside…

I’ve noticed a funny thing here in California (at least in the Bay Area). When the temperature drops below 60F, kids disappear from the playgrounds. This morning before school, the thermostat was still hovering around the freezing point, yet the kids who arrived early had a blast running around on the playground. Really, parents, playingContinue reading “It’s cold in California! Now let’s go play outside…”

The Chaparral Loop Trail at Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in Antioch is a great trail to hike with kids. First, the trail starts at the Greathouse Visitor Center, which, alone would be a great destination for a family with kids. The visitor center is located within the mountain! After exploring the visitor center forContinue reading “Chaparral Loop Trail: Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve”

Silent Saturday: Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve

Today was a beautiful day for a hike! Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve, California Photo taken November 23rd, 2013