*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ NATURE NOTEBOOK ----Issue 22 The Newsletter written for parents with kids in mind. May 18, 2000 Linda M. Watson, lmwatson@naturely.com *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Welcome to Nature Notebook. This newsletter is by subscription only. If this edition was forwarded to you by a friend, see the bottom of the newsletter to receive your own, personal subscription or visit our website at http://www.naturely.com
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Index: 1. Sponsorship 2. Feature Activity 3. Nature in the news 4. The Spotlight 5. Q & A 6. Guest Column 7. Classified Ads 8. How to be featured as our guest columnist 9. Subscribe/unsubscribe information
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ COMING SOON...VIRTUAL DAY CAMP! We, at for Kids Naturely, are in the planning stages of a Virtual or Cyber Day Camp for your kids. The purpose, just like any camp, would be to provide activities in the outdoors that are fun and educational.
Watch your e-mail. Early next week we will be sending out a survey to find out what you think - would you be interested, would your kids be interested, and most important, what would you like to see as part of this Day Camp.
And of course, just like Nature Notebook, participation would be free!
If you have any ideas that you would like to share right now, we'd be interested in hearing them. Write to: camp@naturely.com
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 1. Sponsorship Notice *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ for Kids Naturely and Nature Notebook is owned and sponsored by T. L. Creations http://www.tlcreations.com
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 2. Feature Activity *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Croak, Ribbit
It's that time of the year when the evening quiet is not. Sometimes the peeps, shrills, and choruses of the frogs Come right through the shut windows.
This activity is best done in spring or early summer when The frogs are most active. It acquaints kids with the variety of "songs" frogs can make
For a full description of Croak, Ribbit click here
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 3. Nature in the News *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
The Perfect Lawn
Spring is here, the time for eradicating weeds in pursuit of the perfect lawn.
Did you know that in 1999, homeowners dumped nearly 50 million pounds of chemicals on their lawns. This does not take into account wasted water, damage to wildlife habitat and lawn mower pollution don't have to be part of the process.
Now, I would never endorse not maintaining our environment. Some weeds do need to be removed. Not cutting your lawn in the city can lead to citations from the city not to mention the remarks your neighbors would make. There are, however, ways to maintain the environment as well as your lawn.
Here are some insights from the Environmental Defense. Incorporate those that work for you in your environment. http://www.environmentaldefense.org/pubs/newsletter/2000/apr/l_chem.html
NOTE: This is a long URL, you may need to cut and paste.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 4. The Spotlight *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Bluebirds
If you are as old as I am, you'll remember sing and playing, "Bluebird, Bluebird in and out my window" on the school playground during recess. Most of us, who were city born and raised, never really saw a Bluebird. But that didn't stop us from singing that song!
Bluebirds are not city dwelling birds. It is very rare to find one out of its normal habitat - the country.
Bluebirds are cavity nesters. Their habitat has suffered because the wooden fence posts that provided nesting cavities has been replaced by metal posts and many old trees have been cut down for firewood.
Bluebirds feed mainly on insects during the summer and wild berries in the winter. If you live or frequently visit habitats that support Bluebirds, you may want to build a bluebird box that can be used for nesting.
For information on building a Bluebird box, visit the National Bluebird Society
Recommended books on Bluebirds include: The Stokes Bluebird Book : The Complete Guide to Attracting Bluebirds (A Stokes Backyard Nature Book) by Donald Stokes, Lillian Q. Stokes
Bluebirds Forever by Connie M. Toops.
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5. Questions and Answers *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
If you have a nature question, mailto: question@naturely.com We will answer the questions in the next issue of Nature Notebook.
Q. We've been hearing more and more about deer ticks and Lyme disease. Is this something that we really need to be Concerned about?
A. My first answer is - yes. However, you need to look at your lifestyle and the area of the country that you live in.
If you do not frequent the woods, you are less at risk that people who do. Also, the deer tick is more prevalent in Northeastern and North-central United States. On the Pacific Coast, the bacteria are transmitted to humans by the western black-legged tick.
The best precaution, if you are hiking or camping in an area that my house deer or western black-legged ticks is to wear long sleeved shirts and long pants. Pull your socks over the bottoms of your pants and tape them together with a wide masking tape. Check yourself periodically for ticks. Last summer I was doing a nature study in Eastern New York and my companion looked down at her hand and saw the tick. She never felt it. Needless to say, we removed it quickly.
**^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 6. Guest Column *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
If you have information to share that would be of interest to our subscribers, consider writing an article for our Guest Column.
See 8. How to be featured as our guest columnist
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 7. Classified *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
*** We reserve the right to limit sponsors to five per issue on a first come, first serve basis upon approval of the editorial staff.
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For more information mailto: advertising@naturely.com
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 8. How to be featured as our guest columnist *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Nature Notebook is always looking for articles pertaining to nature, activities that adults and children can participate in together and ways that we can work together to sustain the balance of nature.
Articles should be no more than 700 words long. Submit to editor@naturely.com. No attachments please. The article should be part of the body of the e-mail.
Articles should not be advertisements disguised as information.
Do not query. Submitted articles will be reviewed and responded to within 2 working days.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 9. Subscribe/unsubscribe information *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Send a blank e-mail to one of the following addressed:
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