Dig in the Dirt

Dig in the Dirt

Posted on Monday, September 6th, 2010

Last week I rebuilt my “pondless waterfall” for the third time. I’ve lost the illusion that it’s the third and LAST time. Gardening is all about the process. A potential home buyer asked my friend [...]

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Enjoy Summer!

Enjoy Summer!

Posted on Monday, June 28th, 2010

It’s been just over 2 months since the first ever Iowa Outdoor Youth Summit; at least two young Iowans attended the Outdoor Nation Youth Summit and Festival in New York City, and summer is here [...]

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Take Charge!

Take Charge!

Posted on Wednesday, November 25th, 2009

The subject of feminism continues to trouble people a lot smarter than me. I did, however, live at a critical time of “Women’s Lib” as my mom called it. She sent me off to a [...]

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Start Your After-School Group

Start Your After-School Group

Posted on Tuesday, August 11th, 2009

It’s so exciting to be able to get a jump start on starting Chrysalis After-School groups for the next two years, knowing that the funding is there for your established groups. The program is going [...]

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Discover Creativity

Discover Creativity

Posted on Tuesday, August 11th, 2009

I listened to Speaking of Faith this morning while I did yoga. I use this routine to focus on spirituality and fitness; it’s easier for me to meditate when I’m moving! This week’s podcast was [...]

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Divide Your Group

Divide Your Group

Posted on Sunday, August 9th, 2009

As I facilitate experiential education or group discussions, I like to divide any group that is larger than seven people into smaller groups. This makes it easier for quieter people to be heard. If I’m [...]

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Celebrate Justice!

Celebrate Justice!

Posted on Saturday, August 8th, 2009

“I do believe there are gender and ethnic stereotypes that propel people to assumptions about what they expected me to be,” these words from Sonia Sotomayor, our newest Supreme Court Justice, encapsulate the reasons for [...]

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Connect Service to Life

Connect Service to Life

Posted on Sunday, July 19th, 2009

Processing the experience is a core component of an effective service learning experience. You can process in a group or have group members create journals or portfolios. The questions here can be used for any [...]

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Write a Six-Word Memoir

Write a Six-Word Memoir

Posted on Sunday, July 19th, 2009

Last winter, my daughter, one of her friends and I wrote six-word memoirs to sum up our days. This exercise was based on the very popular book called “Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word [...]

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Live Mindfully

Live Mindfully

Posted on Tuesday, July 14th, 2009

Thich Nhat Hanh (Brother Thay) challenges me to stay in the moment and experience life fully. I continue to learn this lesson and practice it most imperfectly. His teachings give me hope that each of [...]

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