Project Earth Day Ivy Pull in Washington Park

I’m a tree hugger!

Seriously, since my childhood camping in the woods on a regular basis with  my family, I’ve developed a deep and abiding love of trees and nature. So naturally when I saw that Kalso Earth Shoes was awarding community service project scholarships for Earth Day, I wanted to apply and do something great for trees.

Several of my coworkers at Oregon Zoo are raising awareness and funds for Acres for the Atmosphere, which has the goal of planting more trees to combat climate change. Climate change, of course, being the biggest threat to polar bears.

Photo courtesy City of Portland, No Ivy League. The No Ivy League hosts ivy removal projects on the first and third Saturdays of every month. Take the kids!

But instead of planting more trees, I’ve decided to rally around the removal of ivy. I love planting trees – it provides instant gratification! In fact, I’ve been a crew leader, volunteer and board member for Friends of Trees.

But so many of our existing, big giant trees in Portland are being suffocated by invasive English ivy. Ivy in Oregon is devastating and inexorable. Pulling ivy is hard work. Which is why we need to draw more attention to it, and rally people to fight for our urban forests!

So here’s my plan:

WHAT • Ivy removal in Washington Park: “girdle” as many trees as possible!

WHEN • Wednesday, April 18, 3 – 5 p.m.  (I chose this time because most zoo keepers get off work at 3:30, plus kids are out of school. Also, who doesn’t want a good excuse to get out of work early – for those that work until 5?)

WHO • Specific target will be all the staff of the attractions around Washington Park (Oregon Zoo, Children’s Museum, World Forestry Center, Hoyt Arboretum, Japanese Garden, International Rose Test Gardens, City of Portland). Anyone else who can take an hour to come help, plus my kids, your kids, their kids!

HOW • Gather equipment in a central location. Keep a trainer to orient people as they drop in to give instruction and send them to work sites.

COMMUNICATION • insert into employee newsletters of above institutions, targeted online advertising, and earned media via press release to local papers, television and radio stations. Email to neighborhood associations surrounding Washington Park to invite neighbors to join.

AFTER PARTY, 5 – 7 p.m. • Approach local restaurant (Sylvan Steakhouse!) to co-host an after party to celebrate our success – which should help encourage more volunteers!

 

I really believe that most people want to do good for our community, but often we don’t know where to start, or our good intentions just turn into delayed action until nothing happens. By providing this Earth Day opportunity, Kalso Earth Shoes and I will give people a fun and direct way to help wildlife habitats, and the planet itself! I know I am looking forward to pulling some ivy with my family!

 

Thanks to Leah Segedie and Mamavation for making me aware of this opportunity!

Rebirth of the Fairy Garden {Wordless Wednesday}

{Wordless Wednesday} Have you hugged a tree today?

A Dam Good Day

I used to enjoy a good Super Bowl Commercial Party – my friends and I would mute the tv during all the cumbersome football, and watch the commercials and half time with glee. That’s “glee,” not “Glee,” BTW.  Brian is always occupied with his annual poker game during the super bowl, so I’m left to my own devices.

But once I had kids, the old Champagne-drinking commercial-watching party just wouldn’t do anymore.

Blessed with gorgeous weather today (seriously – is it really February in Oregon?), we headed eastward to meet up with Dayl and Zephyr for some outdoor play. Other than the snacks we brought and the fuel to get there, it was all FREE family fun!

We stopped first at Bonneville Dam. The visitor center was fairly empty, so the kids could run around a bit.

We didn’t want to be inside too much with the sun shining, but thought the fish ladders would be pretty cool to check out.

Now that is a giant turbine! I was surprised at how interested they were in this thing. They made me read the whole sign, and they had a lot of questions about how it worked.

This video was way over their heads, but they liked being able to push the buttons! Interactive = popular.

Fortunately nobody minded that they were running...

Unfortunately, the ladders were empty. I mean really empty. The guy manning the visitor center informed us that since the ladders were empty, we could see some baby fish in an aquarium, so we headed down to check it out.

No water, and certainly no fish!

Eric thinks he saw a fish in here. I'm not convinced!

After the visitor center, we made our way to the fish hatchery to feed some fish and visit with Herman the Sturgeon, the famous 70+ year-old sturgeon. The Fish Hatchery has beautiful grounds, with pretty ponds and old stone paths. I was a bit paranoid about one of the kids falling in to a pond, but it didn’t happen, and everyone had a great time.

The viewing house at Herman's pond

Herman, in the flesh

Dayl made a new friend, and named him Fred

We stopped for a snack, always a good idea with little ones. Herman's House was a great place for this, with built in benches and awesome fish to watch.

Bring quarters! Several fish-food dispensers are placed around the grounds, and the proceeds go to park maintenance. The fish get all jumpy and active when you feed them, which is fun for the kidlets. We won't talk about the accidental graham cracker feeding.

We had a great time at Bonneville Dam and the Fish Hatchery with Dayl and Zephyr. We had some great discussions about the fur trade, and carnivorous animals, got to play in nature, and spend time with our good friends.

We followed it up with a short hike on the Pacific Crest Trail from Cascade Locks, and then a late lunch at Charburger. Perfect for our non-Super Bowl Day!

~Krista

La Mariposa Hotel in Quepos, Costa Rica

You know those unexpected and magical discoveries you make? The ones that just can’t be planned, but that change your view of the world?

La Mariposa Hotel was one such discovery for Brian and I while we were on our honeymoon in Costa Rica. We were sitting in a hot tub watching the lava run down Volcano Arenal, chatting with an older couple. We were on Night 2 of our honeymoon, they were on the last legs of a two-week vacation. They told us about the most beautiful hotel, La Mariposa, and encouraged us to find a way to stay there.

Brian and I like to build our travel with some flexibility. Our  honeymoon was in fact all flexibility: no actual plans, just a list of things we wanted to see and do. So we added La Mariposa to our list (nearby Manuel Antonio State Park was already on the list, so no trouble there).

The hotel is remarkably priced considering it’s beauty and luxury. 10 years ago, we paid $100/night, and they upgraded us to a premium suite. The prices are only double that now, which is still a steal. Check it out:

We stayed on the second floor, on that very corner

They've updated the furnishings since we stayed there, but we loved the airy rooms and tile floors, and everywhere we turned we saw gorgeous views of the ocean and forest.

You can see Manuel Antonio State Park if you look south from any of the many terraces.

You know I'm a sucker for a good pool. This is the view from the upper terraces on our (north) end of the hotel.

La Mariposa Hotel in Costa Rica at night. That's our room, on the 2nd floor terrace corner. So romantic! Lifestyles of the rich and famous? Yes, please!

If you’re ever traveling to Costa Rica, it’s simply required that you visit Manuel Antonio State Park. It boasts tremendous wildlife viewing, gorgeous beaches, and nearby cute towns. And since you’ll be in the area anyway, you may as well stay at La Mariposa. It was worth every penny, and we’d stay there again in a heartbeat.

Happy travels!
~Krista

Pine Cone Bird Feeders

Okay, they’re probably more likely to be squirrel feeders. But we don’t care much!

Anna gathering

We have been so happy to be feeding the wildlife around our house. Between the hummingbird feeder and the popcorn & cranberry garlands, we’ve been having a lot of crafty wildlife fun. The pine cone bird feeders were a natural next step!

Fortunately, we live in a part of the world that has a lot of evergreens with cones, so it was easy to find friends with beautiful and plentiful pine cones for us to collect. It helped us with our project, and saved them from picking up cones for a while!

SUPPLIES:

Pine cones (fir cones could work, but they tend to be smaller). If the cones are closed up or moist, put them in the oven at 200 for a while until they are dry and/or open. TIP: put foil under them, so if any sap drips out it doesn’t get on your pan!

I quickly realized that foil would save me a giant sap mess later, so I pulled them out and slipped a sheet of foil between them and the pan

• Peanut butter or lard. Make sure the peanut butter is all natural, no sense giving the woodland creatures a bunch of sugar or corn syrup. We don’t buy that crap artificial stuff anyway, so we used the Adams all natural that we had on hand. We used more than I expected, and I started feeling cheap about the peanut butter, so I went to Winco and bought some lard. It was much less expensive than peanut butter, and according to my handy bird expert (the zoo director!), lard & peanut butter are both great for the birds.

• Bird seed. I bought a 10 lb. bag at Fred Meyer for $9. I got a general mix that would appeal to widest variety of North American birds. Make sure it includes some black sunflowers, as those have really good protein.*

• String or ribbon to hang them.

METHOD:

1. Tie the string around whichever end of the cone you want to be the top. Don’t do what I did at first and start with the peanut butter – it only took one super-messy peanut butter string situation to teach me that the string should go first.

2. Use a butter knife to spread the peanut butter or lard all over the cone, tucking it into the spaces. I like mine to still look like pine cones and not just big blobs, but I’m sure the birds didn’t care.

3. Roll the coated cones in a bowl of seeds, and gently press the seeds into the lard/butter.

4. Hang it in a tree, and wait for the wildlife!

Happy birding!

~Krista

*You can get specific seed blends for your area, so be sure to check. Cornell Ornithology Lab or your local Audubon Society are good places to check. I’ve also found a lot of good information on the Oregon State Extension Service website, so check your state.

Come Hither, Young Hummingbird

I’ve had a bird feeder hanging outside our living room window for a good year. Our very first hummingbird visitor was on New Year’s Day, 2011. I thought it a propitious beginning to the year, but since then we’ve had infrequent hummingbird visitors. It’s always been a tremendously big deal when we see one, and our freaking out usually scares the birds away.

I’ve kept it stocked with yummy hummingbird goodness, but other than the rare fly-by, we haven’t had a lot of action.

Until now…. The visitation numbers really started jumping this fall, and we’ve noticed at least two different kinds frequenting the feeder. I just restocked the nectar a few days ago, and WOW. They are loving it! There’s no need to buy commercial nectar, it’s super easy to make:  Boil 1 part sugar to 4 parts of water. Easy, eh? I make up extra and put it in the refrigerator – which is why it’s important to boil it. NEVER put food coloring in it. Most feeders have colorful plastic parts to attract the birds.

This guy has been GORGING today!

According to Oregon State Extension Service, there are more than 340 types of hummingbirds, but only five that live in Oregon. If my birdspotting is accurate, here are the two types we have visiting our feeder:

Anna's Hummingbird, Calypte anna. My Anna is of course delighted by this. © Edgar Paul Coral, courtesy Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Black-chinned Hummingbird, Archilochus alexandri © Robinsegg, courtesy Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Happy birding!

~Krista

Why I love Icebreaker Merino {and why you should, too!}

I can hardly wait for the Icebreaker Friends and Family sale on Friday. Icebreaker is amazing, and I need more.

Here’s why:

1. It’s wool. Which is natural and sustainable.

2. Somehow, the brilliant creators have made it so it that it doesn’t absorb odors. Yup, no stinky armpits.

3. It’s lightweight and breathable so I can run in it in the summer…

4. …and yet keeps me warm on those 5:30 am runs in the winter!

5. Each piece is cut really well. So they fit nicely, and when something fits nicely I look better. And I like that.

6. Little details: my sweater (which looks a little like this one, but it’s red) has those cool over-the-hand warmers, and it has  a handy low-profile pocket on the arm just big enough for an iPod and a credit card.

7. They last forever. Absolutely worth the investment. But… speaking of investment

8. It’s time for the Friends & Family Sale! While each piece of Icebreaker Merino is a worthy investment, wouldn’t you like to get those awesome items for 50-80% off?

I know, RIGHT?

Last year, I scored Christmas and birthday presents for several people. And for myself! My favorite is a base-layer, long sleeve scoop neck that is PERFECT for running in the early mornings. It normally retails for around $80 I think. I got it for $20! I’m hoping to find another one tomorrow. Oh, and since ZooLights is right around the corner, I need some base layer bottoms as well!

I’m also scouting kids clothes, and a base layer for Brian. Since I love mine so much, I think he would like some, too.

Here are the sale details. If you’re in Portland, Oregon, you should 100% make time for this sale!

ICEBREAKER FRIENDS & FAMILY SALE
Friday, November 18
10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
525 NW 10th Avenue, where NW 10th meets Hoyt.

I had no trouble finding street parking within a block last year.

If you go to the sale, be sure to let me know what amazing deals you found!

Cheers,
~Krista

Here’s more about what makes Icebreaker so great:

Active Outside {Mamavation Monday}

This week, The Mamavation Sistahood is talking about outdoor activity for your family. You can join the conversation at at the Mamavation TV show tonight (7pm PST/10pm EST on Mingle Media TV), it’s always a good time and you can win some great prizes while getting inspired by other mothers).

I love this week’s topic of getting outside with kids more often. I think we’re in the better-than-average realm of outdoor play, but I know we could be better. Hardly a day goes by (even a rainy one) without us finding a window for playing at the park, walking the dog, or riding bikes.

Rainy hike at Smuggler's Cove on the Oregon Coast

Before we had kids, Brian and I used to go camping nearly every weekend in the summer and our favorite date was a hike in the Gorge. Our work schedules in addition to the extra coordination it takes to camp with kids has really put a hamper on our camping. We can’t just take off on a weekend, because we don’t have any days off together. Drat. So that’s clearly an area that requires some attention! Any chance we get though, we’re of at the beach or going on an adventure.

Even though we’re not camping and hiking as much as we used to, it’s really easy to build in outdoor play. Before Eric’s accident, we walked or rode bikes to the Farmers Market every Saturday. We’ll get back to that when we’re ready, we’re just not ready yet!

Off to the Farmers Market in our handy wagon.

Autumn was late in arriving this year in Oregon, but WOW, is it ever spectacular now that it’s here. We have been going crazy with admiring leaves and trees and trying to count the colors on our walks. Out of respect for Brian, I declined to repeat our favorite past Autumn craft of tracing the veins of leaves with glue and glitter to create pretty decorations. That guy really hates glitter.

One of our many outdoor nature crafts, this one with OUT glitter

Also, since we live within six blocks of both kids’ schools, we made a commitment to walk to school as many days as possible, even if it’s pouring down rain. We are Oregonians, after all! I really need to get a pedometer so I can track how much walking we’re doing! The only times we’ve skipped the walk is when we’re running too late and don’t want the girl to be tardy. Again.

As the weather gets colder, I know it will be easy for me stay in my office most of the day. On beautiful days I find all kinds of excuses for walking around the zoo! I need to take a cue from Brian and make a commitment, even in the rain! So I’m going to get a pedometer, stock my office with a spare pair of shoes, and commit to walking outside at least once a day!

How about you? How do you make sure you and your family are being active outside?

~Krista

This post is sponsored by Omron and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women

Hanging around… {Wordless Wednesday}