Great Backyard Bird Count

Great Backyard Bird Count is held annually in February. Check the website for this years dates and guidelines, past results, and get a printable checklist of species for your area.

Snow!

Snow! Time for safe walks, hikes with the proper equipment, and snow painting in your backyard (squirt bottle, food coloring and water). Build a snow fortress for you or the fairies or just write your name across the blank canvas.

Lessons in Gimp

Lessons in: Gimp (US/Girl Scouts); Scoubidou (France/Europe); and Boondoggling (Boy Scouts, name credited to Robert H. Link, Eagle Scout). If you are teaching kids, start with the basics like Butterfly; Box/Square/Straight; and Chinese Staircase (can also be done with embroidery floss). Once they have those down, you can add Circle/Round (box with a twist) and Cobra/Macrame (square knot around center strands). Add a key ring or smaller split ring for zipper pulls and key chains or make bracelets and necklace pendants. Some kids like the Zipper stitch, which is weaving, to make bracelets quickly.