Watching the birds around our home or on walks through the neighborhood has fascinated me since I was a child.  My mom, as a parent who called her children’s attention to the birds around the yard of our farmhouse and the meadows where the cows grazed, encouraged my interest in watching these feathered friends.
I’ve tried to pass this interest along to my daughter and grandchildren. I’ve sketched and painted birds, researched them, written poems and stories about them, and watched them build nests around our yard.  For the past couple of years, my grandchildren have enjoyed watching a pair of nuthatches …read more

Encouraging youngsters to use their imaginations, to create their own games,  and to play in the out-of-doors instead of sitting before a computer or TV screen results in enjoyment many may not experience in today’s technological world.
When I see my grandson and his cousin spending the afternoon in the woods around our home, building forts, playing games without electronic accompaniments, and using their imaginations, I’m taken back to my childhood when the radio was the only gadget we had around.  Televisions did exist but we couldn’t get reception out in the country where we lived.
My sister and I made dolls, played …read more