Out and About in All Kinds of Weather

In the past, I picked a purposeful word for the new year. This year, however, I kept it simple: hike/walk year-round. My ultimate goal is to help my children experience the seasons and how they affect nature.

Here is our first walk of the new year on our local rails-to-trails path.

Sometimes the walks are just myself and our new dog, Buddy.  I love how a morning walk starts my day off in a calm breath-of-fresh-air way. Buddy loves to sniff his way as we pass the farmland.

We had a small dusting of snow last night.  My youngest was

thrilled. On our walk this morning, Buddy was just as happy.

 

And just as happy to get warm.

 

So what are your goals for this year?  Do they include outdoor activities?

Costumes - What story do you tell?

This year, as we looked forward to Halloween trick-or-treat time, I told my sons that we would not purchase costumes and that they were responsible for deciding what they would wear from what we already have.  My oldest went with the reliable Jedi, complete with a reversible robe my sister made for him a few years ago. In the past several years, this young Jedi has brought peace and justice to his growing world.

 

 

 

My younger son, who is seven, decided to be the King of Nature. It was so much fun to listen to him as we talked about ideas of how to be the King of Nature. a glitter wood walking stick, a pet (stuffed) fox, and the perfect crown topped off his outfit. I think in the near future we will come up with some wonderful King of Nature stories.

 



Thanks to the Toymaker for the jack o lantern images.

National Park Service 100 Years Strong!

A major effort in reaching the next generation is on for the National Park Service as it begins to celebrate 100 years of public service.  I think this is a great way to start:

Peace

A few days ago I wandered the back streets of historic Philadelphia as I made my way to the Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial. As I passed Saint Joseph Church, I saw this lovely statue in he historic cemetery.

It is so calming and peaceful.  I just had to share it with those of you who are not following on Instagram. 

Back to Work

I have been back to full-time work for several months and am tired. My commute is long and I miss my kids, but I am trying to keep my focus on the good. The boys enjoy cyber school and are making friends at the learning center. (A huge relief since I wish we were still homeschooling with Oak Meadow. ) My time with the boys is purposeful.  We are able to release our focus on finances. And my job is enjoyable.  My thankful list is in fact much longer, but I will stop there.

It hit me this morning, however, that this blog has taken a backseat as I realized that yesterday was Michaelmas and I didn't get to commemorate it with my family or on the blog. So I've decided turn How the Sun Rose into more of a photo journal of my life, my family, my surroundings, and my thoughts. So sit back and enjoy.

Here is a little taste of my day. I am in New Hall Military Museum, the location of the original War Department in the 1790s. I'm talking with people today about the Revolutionary War as they look at original artifacts including this drum used in the Continental Army

Inspired by Instagram

I've never really addressed it here, but I am fairly involved in social media on a personal level and a professional level. Over the last few weeks I have spoken to several people about social media, the target audience and the objective of different kinds of social media and I have found that Instagram seems lost of some of my friends. It is a great place for inspiration without the trappings & addiction I find in Pinterest - which I could happily spend hours on.

Want to get started yourself? All you have to do is create a free account and explore by typing in your favorite hashtags. Some of mine include: nature, inspired, creative, travel, and museum.

FYI if you want to post photos to your instagram account, it can only be done with the app on a tablet, ipad, iphone, or smartphone.

Here are some of my favorite Instagram feeds (just click on the title):

Beneath the Rowan Tree - Living & homeschooling simply + creatively in Northern Ontario.

The New York Public Library - On a mission to inspire lifelong learning, advance knowledge, and strengthen communities.

Cat_in_France - Pacific NW transplant living on the Northwest coast of France on a farm called Rabbit Hill

Independence National Historical Park - Experience the site where the United States was born!

Taproot Magazine - Food. Farm. Family. Craft.

Faerie Magazine -  A quarterly print magazine that celebrates the magical and extraordinary

You can follow me on Instagram as well at How the Sun Rose.

So join us and fee free to share your favorite Instagram feeds.

Find Your Park

Today is the National Park Service 99th birthday. All parks are free so get out there, be in pried by history or enjoy nature!  Don't forget to use the hash tag #FindYourPark on social media.