Green Junior Rangers

We have always had the boys participate - as time allows - in the junior ranger programs available at many national and state parks. What a great way to learn about a particular park's history and the endemic wildlife! They have earned their junior ranger patches at the Pinnacles National Monument, learning about condors, bats, and talus caves; they became Little Cubs at Yosemite National Park, learning about the Miwoks' culture; and this summer, they completed the Lassen National Park Green Junior Ranger during our overnight stay at Manzanita Lake.

The programs vary in difficulty and time requirements to complete the activities, but are always age appropriate.

To become Green Junior Rangers, the boys had to draw a poster that encouraged and educated people about being environmentally conscious. Riley's instructed people to "Be Green. Hug a Tree." Love it! And they had to make a list of how our family is green. That wasn't too tough. The ranger was surprised at how much the boys knew about composting and recycling.

Putting the Camera Timer to Good Use

I'm just now catching up on our summer camping adventure. It's been a hectic two weeks.

Our first adventure during our annual 1400+ mile camping loop, not counting a brief stop at a hotel in Willows, was Lassen National Park.

We tried to come in the south gate and drive through the park to our camping spot at Manzanita Lake, but the roads were closed due to snow. So, we threw some snowballs and played around a bit before loading back up into the car and going out and around. And because we neglected to take any family photos last year along the way, I decided we would not make that same mistake twice. So, I put my camera timer to good use this trip. Here’s the first of many…