Did you ever wonder how birds built their nests? Here’s a chance to be a bird and find out.

Look at nests built by different kinds of birds. If you don’t have any nests near by, exhibits in a nature museum or even photos of nests will work.

Make notes on the shapes, materials used, how they are placed in a tree, shrub, or on the ground, whether they are woven together, lined with mud, or just loosely piled up.

Make a list of materials birds use:

How many more can you discover?

Materials:

It’s fun to ride past homes where people make scarecrows not only to keep birds out of their gardens, but also as Halloween lawn decorations.

Here’s something else you can do with that scarecrow. It works really well if you have and old shirt, trousers, hat and gloves that look like what the scarecrow is wearing:

Use an old lawn chair and position the scarecrow (headless or not) with its hands in its lap.

Place an old cookie sheet in the scarecrow’s lap and position the hands.

Fill the cookie sheet with bird seed.

If the scarecrow’s hat has a rim, sprinkle bird seed there, too.

Did you ever wonder whats going on below the surface of a pond or lake?

Here is an easy way to find out:

Materials:

Preparation:
1. Make a list of every plant and animal you expect to see below the surface
2. Remove the top and bottom of each can
3. For a long tube, tape two or three cans together
4. Cut a piece of plastic wrap so that it is 2-inches larger than the opening at the end of the can
5. Use elastic band to secure plastic wrap around one end of the can or tube

Janet, my protagonist, introduced herself several years ago.

Named for her mother’s Aunt, Janet has inherited more than her name. She has also inherited her Aunt Janet’s deep respect for nature.

Janet discovers more than a mirror when she chooses it for a school assignment.

A discovery for Janet Fowler Collins, namesake of Janet Fowler.

Janet is witness to the annoying but ludicrous.

This is what Janet and Tracy each have to say about their first meeting.

If that press conference doesn’t make the case for open space, I don’t know what does.

The snow is falling at 1-2 inches per hour, the winds gusting at over 20 mph and even the squirrels and juncos have taken cover.

Yesterday at this time the only clue was the smell of snow in the air. The contents of my

pocket survival kit were all I needed.