From the category archives:

My musings

Campfire Tales: Changing My Mind

March 6, 2010

My mom always says “It’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind.” And I do, often. Just ask my husband.
What if changing your mind is more than just a fleeting thought? More than just choosing spaghetti over a hamburger for dinner. What if you actually change the way you think about the world? Change the [...]

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Sour Grass Soup and the Boa Constrictor Song

February 10, 2010

Sour Grass Soup
Brilliant yellow flowers dot California roadsides and hillsides this time of year. I recognize it as sour grass from my childhood. In researching this post, I learned people call it clover and Oxalis. I didn’t grow up out in the country, but my “growing-up-house” sat atop a hill with our nearest neighbors either [...]

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We Don’t Have An App, But Check Out Our Icon!

January 30, 2010

I’m such a nerdy girl! That’s why I’m always tinkering with the site and trying out new techie things. This post is for all my fellow (and future) iPhone users. I imagine the same or similar steps would work for you lucky iPad owners, as well.
If there’s one thing lacking about my iPhone, it’s the [...]

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My Natural Wonders: Dirt, Water, Tar, Bark, A Squirrelly-Guy and a Bee

January 15, 2010

Dirt

Ocean

Tiny Tar Pit (Natural)

Bark (courtesy of Mr. Play Parks)

Stream Water

Gopher
(check my WildObs page for more critters – or start your own)

and a Bee

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Watch More Sunsets: Eleven Down and Thankfully 354 More to Go

January 11, 2010

“Watch more sunsets” is my 8 year old son’s goal for 2010. Along with “play outdoors more” and “read 1000 books.” Man, how come I didn’t think of those?
Contrary to what you might believe, we don’t talk too much about play. We just do it.
So no one was more surprised than my husband and me [...]

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How A Simple Stroll Turned Into My Dream Date

January 5, 2010

It started out innocently enough.
Get up. Get out. Walk.
I never expected to fall in love.
The crisp morning air. The crackle of leaves underfoot. Clouds blown out by high winds stretching across the sky.
There’s skipping and laughing and pointing from both my children: the 8 year old school kid and the 4 year old hang-out-with-mom kid. [...]

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Dear Reader

December 16, 2009

Promote play by playing, encouraging others to play, and sharing our experiences.
That is my goal. It’s been my goal since starting this blog. This is my life. I love to play. Just ask my family, I talk about it all the time: new playgrounds, cool crafts, neat people who share my obsession with the outdoors, [...]

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Big Green Machine = Fun Play Memories

November 25, 2009

Our July purchase of the Huffy Green Machine 2 resulted from a special family dinner conversation about our fun play memories. My seven year old wears a constant grin when he’s racing around the neighborhood. I get the biggest kick out of watching adults try it. I’ve managed to talk quite a few friends into [...]

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Glorious, Messy Pomegranate Play

November 5, 2009

Pomegranate play is one of my best childhood memories and the ultimate in playing with your food. In California, neighborhoods and backyards hold fruit-filled treasure trees of citrus, plums, peaches, avocados and even pomegranates.

Now Trader Joe’s sells pomegranate seeds already plucked from their reddish-orb home. “Back in the olden days” things weren’t so easy. We [...]