Honest Scrap

I have been tagged for honest scrap for quite a while, a good blogger friend, Alison Kerr at Loving Nature's Garden,  tagged me to be part of this. So I'm sorry for the lack of fresh air living post today. But, I hope it will get some fresh air to my blog and I hope you still will like me after my dark secrets are revealed.

Read more: Honest Scrap

Forcing spring

 By Kari Svenneby

Lately I have felt that spring in the air. Yesterday it was 5°C or 41°F here in Toronto; a beautiful day with sunshine. It was also a perfect day to spend some time in our backyard. In the end of the winter on a warm day it is great to look and see if you have any buds on your trees. Living in a city, I do not have a big backyard, but I’m lucky to have a pussy willow tree in my backyard. We where happy to see there were buds on the branches as well on my birch tree. We picked some branches to force them to come to life.

Read more: Forcing spring

Polarn O Pyren is here

 Ikea, Volvo and HM are all quite well  Swedish brands here in North America. But if you ask a young Swede what they grew up in, they will likely say Polarn O Pyret or PO.P. It was always a part of their outdoor adventures.
No bad weather only bad clothing is an old Scandinavian saying and it is a well-known fact that Swedish moms in North America have Polarn O Pyret as their secret weapon against bad weather. When somebody asks them where they got their kid’s clothes they will say, “I bought when I was home in Sweden” or “my mom shipped it to me from Sweden”. Well now you can get their clothing in the US with the soon to open store in New York City and now online Internet catalogue site.

Read more: Polarn O Pyren is here

Where to buy outdoor gear

People often ask me where should I go shopping for outdoor gear? Online or in person? It is always nice to go to a store where the employees have practical knowledge of what works for kids outside. But often I find the selection limited for outdoor gear for kids from 0-6 years of age. So I like to check online for what to get before I go to the store.  What the reviews like, what fabrics are used and what is newest additions to the market. 

Read more: Where to buy outdoor gear

the great outdoors --- how to help your children discover its magic

By Caro Webster

The outdoors is where imagination and discovery collide in the most spectacular fashion. Mother Nature’s secrets are just begging to be discovered and what’s more, she is a brilliant, patient teacher and your child a willing student. Everything about outdoors is pure magic.
Sadly today, however, a variety of factors conspire against children spending unstructured time outdoors, with the result that they are leading more sedentary lives than ever.
 

Read more: the great outdoors --- how to help your children discover its magic