A Bunch of Good Eggs!

Chasing the tide

Eighteen sets of muddy toes hit Bay View Beach on Monday for the Muddy Toes Easter Egg Hunt.  The sun also decided to participate and provided us with a beautiful 58 degree day.

Searching for imaginary dinosaurs

Enjoying precious moments

Although the water was brisk, the kids didn't seem to mind;  shoes were off, pants were soaked from the waves, and our children were transformed into architects of the sand.   

Summer and Daniel on the hunt

For me, it felt great to be outside enjoying time with friends.  I loved watching the kids playing excitedly, each of them marching to their own beat.  

All smiles

There were those examining sea shells and those racing the waves and getting soaked, while others were searching for imaginary prehistoric creatures along the edge of the dunes.  

Nature's balance beam

Some of the children were creating systems in the sand that allowed them to alter the flow of water back to the ocean while others were testing their balance on the washed up debris.  

A few children were basking in the sunshine, enjoying a quiet moment with their discovered egg treasures.  

Alexander enjoying a rest

Some were discovering new animals within the tidal pools and sharing their learning with friends. 

Our friend the sand worm

Explorations

And still, a few, were simply dashing about the beach laughing and smiling. Regardless of their chosen activity, children were engaged in happily exploring their environment.   

Dylan calls this beach "Sand Dollar Beach" due to the abundance of sand dollars that we often find at low tide.  The beach, located on Seaside Drive in Saco, has ample parking so make sure to check it out if you weren't able to join us!  

A huge thank you to everyone that participated for making this day so wonderful and sharing in the fun!

Blustery Day on Mount A

The view from the top

              I've got the hikin' fever! Spring is coming and nice weather screams out to me:  "Get out into the woods!"  With the impending rainy week ahead, my two boys and I decided to make the most out of the nice, yet blustery, day and headed down to York to hike around Mount Agamenticus.

All smiles

              Mount A has a little something for all levels of hiking.  Those who are in for a workout can park at the entrance and complete the Ring Trail to the Summit and down.  Our family enjoys driving up to the Summit and checking out the Learning Lodge before venturing down the mountain.  Today we went down Vulture's View.  It was mostly smooth rock faces which proved a little tricky with the water covering them from the snow melt.  I would suggest taking down the Witch Hazel Trail and then staying along the Ring Trail.  The Ring Trail  has several interactive signs for young ones detailing a moose named Moss' journey home and for those desiring more information about local flora and fauna.  Regardless of which trails you decide upon, make sure to take in some time at the Summit.  The view of the White Mountains is amazing and on a clear day Mount Washington is clearly visible.

Looking for a picnic spot

             The Mount Agamenticus area hosts a variety of animals including fox, moose, black bear, turtles,  and deer.  In the upcoming weeks Mount A's vernal pools will serve as breeding grounds for many types of frogs and salamanders.  In the Fall they showcase a variety of migrating raptors that can easily be viewed from the Summit.  Mount Agamenticus trails are made available for hikers, bikers, horses, and ATV's so make sure to check out the map for the trail that fits your needs.

Shelter-providing snag 

                  Mount Agamenticus is the perfect place to help your child search for animal signs!  Mount A is home to several areas of snags (dead trees) that provide shelter for many animals and are fun to stop and explore.  We found animal prints in the mud, animal holes in the trees, cracked shells stacked together after the insides were eaten, and tracings of moles who had traveled underground. Although the wind was whipping and the air smelled of rain, we happily spent another beautiful day in the Maine woods!  For more information on Mount Agamenticus check out http://www.agamenticus.org/recreation.html.  Happy Travels!

Tigers, Oh My!

           One thing I have enjoyed about being a parent is the beautiful perspective I've gained when looking at the world through my son's eyes.  The way dandelions become wonderful sprites of freshness and sunshine; the way tucking under the covers reading picture books becomes priority number 1; the way a day's worth of worries can be washed away by one soft, gentle smile; and the way Dylan's recent obsession with tigers reminds me that I have the responsibility to protect the world he will grow up in.  

       About two months ago Dylan became obsessed with tigers.  We have tiger figures, tiger books, tiger paintings, tiger stripes painted on sheets so that we can pretend to be tigers, tiger mugs, tiger rescuer vests, tiger stuffed animals, and stones serving as tiger teeth.  When I say obsessed I truly mean fanatical; he will tell you about the 3 subspecies that have become extinct, about the 6 subspecies that are still living, and how humans are killing tigers and destroying their habitat.  His beautiful blue eyes implore you to help save the tigers so that they "can be still around".  When he's talking about the tigers disappearing his face takes on a small pout, his voice a serious, urgent tone, and his eyes a piercing sadness.  His tiger tutorial is always followed up with a hopeful reminder:  "Don't worry!  You too can help to save the tiger."  A piggy bank sits in our living room collecting our spare change that Dylan plans to send into the "tiger savers".

          This picture was taken at the Animal Kingdom in Florida on our recent family vacation.  It has stayed with me as an eerie reminder of the tiger's fragility and the possibility of tiger extinction during Dylan's lifetime.  Some experts predict that without effective conservation efforts wild tigers could be extinct by 2021- Dylan would be in high school.  Other experts estimate the tiger's extinction to be 20 - 30 years away; regardless, in my son's lifetime.  It saddens me to think of this happening; to think of tigers not being a part of Dylan's children's lives. 

      Understandably, we can not all quit our jobs and leave our families, heading off into the wild to be tiger rescuers. Individually, we can not educate the tiger poachers, fund the families who are killing tigers for meat, or dissipate the housing crisis that growing populations are experiencing requiring them to destroy the tiger's habitat.  I am a realist; I know this.

         

 

             We CAN educate our own children about the importance of animals in the world and of the value of protecting our natural resources and natural habitats.  We can teach our kids to care for others, to practice acts of kindness, and to stand up for those people and animals who can stand up for themselves.  We can help them fundraise for organizations that are acting on our behalf to save endangered animals and habitats around the globe.  We can empower them with helping out in our own communities where they can impact people, animals, and habitat locally.  We can immerse them within nature so that they feel connected to the world as a whole and teach them how their daily actions here, in Maine, effect the entire globe.  

      Still struggling with the concept of time, Dylan Thomas always asks me, "Mommy, is today yesterday's tomorrow?"   We have the power today to help our children impact their own tomorrows.  With great power, comes great responsibility.  It's really made me reflect upon my daily actions and how I am actually-as opposed to wishing for or talking about- making the world a better place.  I can do better; for the tigers, for Dylan, for other people's Dylan's.

For more information about tigers, check out http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/tigers/index.html. 

Science at Sandy Point Beach

Sandy Point Beach is the perfect place to expose children to introductory geologic processes and to get a close-up look at some super cool ocean creatures.  Located across the bridge at the entrance of Cousin's Island, Sandy Point Beach is one of Yarmouth's hidden gems.  

View of the bridge from the beach

My first visit-of many- was after I was tipped off by a friend who had heard me complaining that I had been in Maine for a whole year without getting to see starfish.  I'm not sure if she was trying to quiet my whining or help me out, but I will forever be thankful that she pointed me in the right direction!

                           White Egret in the Summer

One of many starfish

Sandy Point Beach has a small parking lot and rarely gets very crowded. Although some people use it as a "beach" area in the summer for swimming and soaking up the rays, I prefer to visit during low tide with a bucket, shovel, net, maginifying glass, and picnic.  The short path down to the beach leads you to the long strip of beach.  To the left are some great rocks to climb on that provide great samples of white quartz; to the right is a narrow beach providing many nooks and crannies to explore along the high tide line.  If you look closely at the sand along the high tide line (most clearly visible as you first enter the beach) you will find patchy areas of a purplish hue.  The purple color is from flakes of garnet that have been broken up and deposited on the beach.

Moon snail (I think) that was 5 inches across.

At low tide there is a large sand pit that stretches out across the water.  It is amazing to walk out to the tip of this sand and show your child the way the current moves around the sand, depositing it into this sand bar formation visible at low tide.   Dylan still remembers how water carries sand and makes beach and sand bars because he clearly saw it in action.  Walking along the edge of the water you can see where the current has gently placed layers of sand mounds under the shallow water.  

Sand bar at low tide

Look closer and you will see that the waving seaweed is home to more crabs than you can count.  Be careful though because sometimes we find some with pinchers! Allow yourself the time to look even closer and you find starfish swaying along the bottom, giant snails burrowing into the shelter of the sand, and a variety of shellfish.  Sandy Point Beach makes these discoveries effortless!

Have net and bucket, will explore

One of my favorite memories of this area was just a few weeks ago when Dylan and I decided that a drizzly, foggy day was the perfect time to visit one of our favorite spots.  Donning our rain jackets, rain boots, and gloves we walked down the snowy path to the water, our warm faces soon blanketed by the misty air.  The bridge was barely visible through the fog and the tide was coming in.  Dylan Thomas and I held hands and managed to walk only 10 yards down the beach before the wind picked up slightly.  Fearing that this was a "bad mom moment" and that Dylan was going to quickly transform  into a sick, frozen popsicle I turned to tell him it was time to leave.  

Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia

Dylan had sat down on one of the rocks and was intently watching a group of ducks floating over the water within our pocket of vision carved out by the intense fog.  Suddenly, the ducks started making alarming noises and skitted quickly along the water and off into the trees.  "Mommy, look.  It's a bald eagle."  In disbelief, I followed Dylan's eyes to where he was looking. Time stopped for a moment as we watched a beautiful bald eagle gracefully glide, uncaring of our presence, across the water within 20 feet of where we were sitting.   The great outdoors has its way of providing us with experiences that are both unpredictable and unforgettable and Sandy Point Beach is no exception.  Check it out!

For more information on the geological processes evidenced at Sandy Point Beach, check out http://www.maine.gov/doc/nrimc/mgs/explore/surficial/sites/apr08.htm.