If you have a budding entomologist, this is a camp not to be missed. Taught by Molly Keck, your little scientist will learn how to put together amateur collections, do experiments with insects, learn how to properly identify insects and learn how insects are important in our lives.

And if that’s not enough. Here’s the best part: each camper receives an insect collection kit (net, forceps, killing jar, pins, spreading boards, magnifier, booklet, pens, and collection box).

Youth, ages 7 and up

Where: Bexar County Extension Office

3355 Cherry Ridge, Suite 208

When: July 25-28, 2011 (Mon-Thurs)

Time: 9am-12:30pm

Cost: $85 Please make checks payable to: ACCOUNT 233100-165

Space is limited to the first 20 paid, complete registrations. And you must register by July 12th to allow enough time to purchase necessary materials.

For details and a Ento Summer Camp 2011, contact Molly or Aurelia at 210-467-6575 or mekeck@ag.tamu.edu.

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The idea is so simple:  promise to do at least one kind thing for the earth on Earth Day (April 22) and get others to do the same. The kindness can be as basic as going on a hike with your kids, or as big as a park clean up – or anything in between.

We’re compiling a list over on Facebook.

I’ve kind of promised to find 100 folks to sign the pledge in Texas. We ought to be able to hit that mark and more! It will be our part in this year’s Earth Day theme of A Billion Acts of Green®: personal, organizational and corporate pledges to live and act sustainably.

So head on over…join the cause…and make your pledge. We can rock this thing!

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To get you started, I went looking for the money. I don’t know how you feel, but I think camps can be awfully expensive. As in…”isn’t that what I paid to attend an entire semester of college” expensive.

Last year, we ventured into the land of camp scholarships (also known as camperships) to help buffer the drain on our budget. I never thought we’d find one, but we did, applied, and, lo and behold, got it! Spurred on by success, I’m bound and determined to duplicate my small, but helpful, windfall to help again this year with camp costs.

There are several things to know before getting started:

• Many camps offer scholarships based on need; some offer them on a first come-first served basis; while others award them on merit. It’s worth looking into no matter what your financial situation.
• Ask. The best place to find a discount or campership is to ask the camp directly. They may offer a special deal or work one out for you.
• Look for niche categories. Scholarships are available for special needs, gifted and talented, first-time and Jewish campers, to name a few.
• Check with professional organizations of which you are a member, like Kiwanis, to see if they offer camperships. You might be surprised.
• Factor in the tax savings. If you itemize on your tax return, summer camps (non-residential) may qualify as dependent child care, a deductible expense. Check with a qualified accountant. (which I am not!)

Here are a few scholarship opportunities to get you started.

• Jewish Camp Scholarships
• Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented
• UTSA Band Camp
• Ashley’s Spurs Basketball Camp
• YMCA Scholarships
• Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas (not posted yet)
• Math Scholarships – a comprehensive listing from The Art of Problem Solving

How about you? Do you find camps prohibitively expensive? Have you found some less expensive alternatives?

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Hiking is especially great this time of year when the weather is mild – and extra holiday calories are just waiting to be burned. Here are my top 5 picks for family hiking in San Antonio. If one piques your interest, go online and get more information and/or maps.

Comanche Lookout Park

• Judson @ Nacogdoches (1 mile inside Loop 1604 on Nacogdoches)

Our family took a leisurely stroll at Lookout Park on Christmas afternoon. The park offers some of the most relaxing hiking in the city and it’s perfect for younger children. All the main trails are either paved or leveled smooth – and they’re well-marked. The unmarked side trails get a little rocky (and steep), but older kids will like the challenge. The trails crisscross frequently so, like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, kids get many chances to decide which way to go next. No printed map is available, but the park is small enough that it doesn’t matter. I heard one 8-year-old boy enthusiastically declare, “This place is like a maze!” The trail system connects to the Semmes Branch Library (on Judson) so bring your library card. Parking is available both at the library and at the Nacogdoches entrance.

Facilities: Port-a-Potties and playground; picnic tables are scattered along the trails. Dogs and bikes are allowed.

Walker Ranch Historic Landmark Park

• 12603 West Avenue

This is one of the smaller trail systems in the city, but for beauty and scenic variety, it’s a top contender.  Grassy meadows (overflowing with wildflowers in the spring), wooded areas, rocky creek beds – it’s all here. The landscape really changes with the seasons. Don’t be surprised if you see deer along the meandering paths. Begin on the Panther Spring Trail near the entrance. This leads to the most scenic areas. Wear long pants – a few of the narrower trails become somewhat overgrown with grassy vegetation, but all the trails are kid-friendly. No printed map is available, but you won’t get lost. A paved path in middle of the park is great for strollers, wheelchairs, and joggers. Kids enjoy discovering the park’s interesting features, such as the mini amphitheater, windmill, and footbridge that takes you over Salado Creek to the park’s rear entrance. My family had a great time geo-caching at Walker Ranch last Christmas (we found all but one!). On busy weekends, parking can be a problem; go earlier in the day, if possible. A few additional parking spaces are available near the park’s rear entrance off W. Rhapsody (behind Panchitos). Thanks to San Antonio Parks and Rec for the great photo of the playscape!

Facilities: Port-a-Potties, playground, picnic areas, pavilions for rent. Dogs and bikes allowed.

Eisenhower Park

• 19339 NW Military Highway, outside Loop 1604 right before Camp Bullis

This is favorite park among San Antonio hikers. Trails range from paved/easy to rocky/steep/definitely challenging. Pick up a printed map as you begin so you can keep track of where you are and which trails you want to take. Not all trails are kid-friendly. The main paved trail (Cedar Flats) leads to the park’s summit and a tower that offers great views.

Facilities: Playscape, climbing wall, restrooms, picnic areas, BBQ grills, pavilions for rent, ample parking. Dogs are allowed, but not bikes.

Friedrich Wilderness Park

• 21395 Milsa Road: Travel on 1-10 West about half a mile past Loop 1604. Take Exit  #552 (Dominion Drive) and drive about 1.5 miles, taking the turn-around under IH-10. Next, take the second right turn onto Milsa. Milsa makes a left turn. Friedrich Park will be on your right within 600 yards.

Here’s a nearby park where you can get away from it all and escape civilization. Even when the parking lot is full, you never seem to run into many people. More than 600 acres of undisturbed wilderness offer shaded trails of all lengths and difficulty levels. The Forest Range trails are paved and well-suited for toddlers, strollers and wheelchairs.  For huffing and puffing, try the Fern Del Loop – it’s a killer (and not for young children or the fitness-challenged). Friedrich is a great destination whether you have half an hour or half a day. Pick up a map on the way in. Go early; parking can be a problem on weekends.

Facilities: Restrooms. No bikes or dogs allowed.

Government Canyon State Natural Area

• 12861 Galm Road: From Loop 1604, take Culebra Road (away from town) for 3.5 miles. Turn right onto Galm Road and go 1.6 miles to the park entrance on the left.

This place is huge . . . more than 8,500 acres and 36 miles of trails. The area is divided into three sections: Front Country, Back Country, and Protected Habitat Area. Boy Genius and I recently took the shorter Front Country trails, but the much larger Back Country offers more spectacular scenery. Our Back Country hike a couple of years ago ended up being 10 miles, the last two of which we had to run (Boy Genius wanted to get back to the gift shop before it closed to buy a souvenir pencil; my feet have never been the same). Our advice: Eat a hearty breakfast, arrive early, and make a day of it. You definitely don’t want to forget water and trail mix for these extended hikes. Entrance fee: $6; children under 12 free. Open Friday through Monday only; closed Tuesday through Thursday. Trails may be closed after heavy rains, so call ahead to check status (688-9055). Photo source: Texas Parks & Wildlife.

Facilities: Restrooms, picnic areas, ample parking, a small gift shop. Bikes allowed; pets allowed on the Front Country trails only.

Eyeglass Dad San Antonio Busy Kids

Butterfly Dance

MomOnMars San Antonio Busy Kids

I’m so excited about this. Really…me…with my five-star hotel standards. We’ve got our tent (actually about $25 at Academy), and I’ve already practiced putting it up. What I learned: add little ribbons to the stakes in the ground so they don’t get lost in the grass and your husband finds them when he’s mowing. Just. Don’t. Ask.

If you register on BackyardCampout.org, you’ll get all kinds of great tips and how to’s for camping: packing lists, recipes, nocturnal wildlife guides, stargazing, outdoor games, campfire songs and stories, engaging nature activities. I’ve also posted a few on City Brights.

Go ahead – create some memories!

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The Phil Hardberger Park, which opened this weekend, is situation on the old Voelcker Dairy Farm at the corner of Blanco and Wurzbach Parkway. Once cows roamed through the patch of wilderness that is home to hundreds of species of birds, butterflies, insects, flowers and trees…some of which have been around since even before Texas became a state.

This is its beauty. Okay – the hopscotch grid and the merri-go-round come in a close second. I had fun taking my camera with me for a sneak peek. Can’t wait to take the kids back.

Agarita makes a delicious jelly!

I just love the butterflies that are so abundant in the park.

These really do look just like baby pearls!

Beautiful color!

You can sauté these for a flavor not unlike a mild onion.

Don't rub these pods, or you'll end up smelling like a skunk.

My favorite photo: cactus flowers...teaming with life!

They called it retro - I called it memories of my childhood!

Head spin!

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Now let me be clear. Larry is a raccoon, Moe is a ferret and Curly is a skunk. The few animals in the movie were all of the Homo sapiens version or quite possibly a link below – the knucklehead neanderthal.

Twirl and Boy Genius were not impressed. But the smaller kids in the audience seemed to get a kick out of the wildlife antics.

The movie is all about eco-friendly developer who thinks he’s green because he tears down a forest to build a shopping center with a forest theme, his on-site lughead who’s convinced the wildlife is out to get him, a teenager who spends his time lamenting his woes on Facebook and Brooke Shields. Okay – that’s not really a role, but I couldn’t get past the fact that she looks so much older. Like my age. Isn’t it a prerequisite that all actors and actresses continue to look exactly the same as when you first saw them on the big screen?

But I digress. Probably because there’s not much to talk about with regards to the movie. Except for the one moment when Mr. Lughead comes to the realization that the animals are just trying to protect their families as they work to protect their habitat from complete destruction. Now there’s the message. And it’s an important one for every man, woman and child to see and hear.

I’m not crazy about the personification of animals, but I am passionate about the fact that we share the planet with others who have just as much right to its abundance and beauty as I have. Every doodle bug my daughter brings home from the school playground, every squirrel my son sees rushing towards my tires, every bird that drops on my windshield has a family, a purpose and a precious, God-given life.

This is about responsibility, people. We’re at the top of the food chain. That doesn’t mean we have the right to destroy habitats for profit. It does mean we have the responsibility to protect habitats. This is a particularly timely soapbox given the spill in the Gulf Coast. Don’t even get me started on that.

Okay, back to the movie. Just watch the clip below. If you like it a lot, and can watch the same theme in all its glorious variations – you’ll love the movie. If not, you’ve got the main message right here.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fvHZi9VUt8&hl=en_US&fs=1&]

Now that you’re done…here’s the real heart of the matter. Get your kids involved in doing something to protect wildlife. The National Wildlife Federation teamed up with Participant Media and other non-profits on a campaign in conjunction with the movie, designed to educate children and families about the importance of getting outdoors and protecting wildlife.

Visit the website at http://www.takepart.com/furryvengeance and get out there. Do something to make a difference. Oh, and be sure to check your backseat for any vengeful skunks. Ewwww….

MomOnMars San Antonio Busy Kids

I am actually kind of a geek that way. I love documentaries about nature and science. And Oceans did not disappoint. My only regret: we didn’t see it at the IMAX.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNQNBI2UyMg&hl=en_US&fs=1&]

Much like Earth, the photography was unbelievably mesmerizing. The conservation message was loud and clear. And it was just a tad bit too long. Twirl told me afterwards she thought it was a little too violent. I think the 999 newly-hatched sea turtles that got brutally grabbed out of the sand one by one and eaten for breakfast as they tried to make their way to the water is what threw her off. It was somewhat unsettling and a heck of a reminder that it’s good to be at the top of the food chain.

Disney also did itself no favors with the scenes of ships being tossed around like toothpicks during a storm. Twirl’s response: “I’m never taking a cruise, mom.” I tried to explain that the ships in the film were not cruise ships, but the damage has been done. Which is probably okay given that a Disney cruise isn’t exactly in the budget this year…or next.

One very favorite part of the movie for me was the sense of camaraderie among strangers in the theater as we laughed, ooh’ed and ahh’ed together. There were beautiful moments as a herd of dolphins leaped and twirled and played. There were touching moments watching a mother walrus hug and kiss her baby. Astounding shots of fish swirling in the shape of a tornado,  surprising ones of a fish with “feet” popping out of its belly and weird ones of really, really old Asian sheepshead wrasses mirroring one another in the South China Sea. And even one I-wonder-how-in-the-world-they-got-that-shot moment as we watched a rocket blast into space, reflected in the eyes of a marine iquana.

If you go – be sure you hit the biggest screen you can find. And go opening week. Because if you do, Disneynature will make a donation to The Nature Conservancy in your honor to save the coral reefs.

Happy Belated Earth Day.

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Here’s some of what we saw.

I should mention (for those of you who care), my role as a founding mother for the National Wildlife Foundation is strictly unpaid and voluntary. Okay – they did send my son a panda bear after his surgery and some Ranger Rick magazines. But me – I didn’t even get the retro Ranger Rick t-shirt that apparently all the other moms got.  So I can confidently say no commercial messages were harmed in the making of this disclaimer.

I <3 buttercups!

He never saw it coming!

Who put that there?

Party on the handlebars!

A beautiful bouquet!

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