5 Last Minute (and Cheap) Outdoor Labor Day Holiday Ideas
2. Potluck! Call up a few friends and make a backyard/balcony/rooftop party. Do an easy, fun theme, such as “Last Chance to Wear White” or create a soul food menu and play Al Green’s Greatest Hits the whole day. Don’t forget the cards and dominoes!
3. Take a scenic drive to someplace you’ve never been, such as a nature preserve, trail, or historic site, located within 50 miles of where you live. You might be delighted to discover a hidden gem in your own back yard.
4. Visit a train museum near you to learn some fascinating history and perhaps take a ride that's fun for kids of all ages.
5. Do a “Day Camp”. Have all the fun for half the work. Pack a cooler, blanket, awning or simple tent and head to the local park. Bring games, food, music, crafts, books, and beverages - then pack it all up by evening and head home!
What are you doing this Labor Day Weekend?
I Hate Camping!
Some of my best friends swear on a stack of <insert sacred item of choice> they hate camping, won't ever go, and there is nothing I can do about it. But I know they could not possibly hate on the mobility of a car, the comforts of home, and the serenity of nature (from a distance) all rolled into one. Enter the Recreational Vehicle or trailer camping trip, an experience that can transform what most people imagine about camping.
I know some of my traceless camping folks probably want to throw a pointy carrot at me for the mere mention of this gas guzzling option, but there are many variations, such as using a hip trailer (see above) hitched to a sedan and you don't have to drive far necessarily as there are hundreds of campgrounds dotted all over the US.
Who says you have to buy an RV? There are many great companies who rent you the whole outfit just like a rental car by the day or mileage, such as El Monte RV and Cruise America. Some campgrounds have trailers on site available for rent as well.
It’s still not too late to book for the upcoming Labor Day weekend and several campgrounds are running specials, that include theme dinners, live music, local excursions and programs for people of all ages.
If you’re not up for driving an RV, several campgrounds have cabins, such as the Albion River Campground, south of Mendocino, California, which is one of the many sites promoted by the California Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds. This campground has private cottages with wood-burning stoves for chilly nights, in addition to trailer rentals and campsites for folks who have their own “rig“. And there are plenty of boating, fishing and kayaking opportunities nearby.
Don't think black people RV? BUZZZ! Check out NAARVA, the National African American RV Association, a club who puts together a slammin’ rally, regular educational tours, and social events for all levels of participants!
So if you hate camping, give RV and trailer options a long look, or even a try before summer ends. You might be pleasantly surprised by how much you enjoy yourself!
photo courtey of squob.com
It’s Official
So why make the change?
As several of my blog friends know, I went to a WordPress Word Camp event last Spring here in the San Francisco Bay area and was inspired by the ways the Wordpress platform had options to design and expand the Outdoor Afro site. Blogger was very easy to use, but it felt limiting on the design and functionality side, and I wanted more technical involvement with the development of the site.
There was a bit of migration pain involved however, because a lot of the links pointing to the site were giving readers 404 error messages as the site settled into its new host, which took a couple of days. This downtime cost some precious Google rankings loss, and more importantly the opportunity to connect with the community.
Thankfully all has stabilized and patience has paid off. Special Thanks to J. Hererra and Jen at Blue Yonder Design for fielding my late night text messages and emails. Now I can refocus on my favorite part of Outdoor Afro: YOU -- and produce content that inspires folks to get out of the house, and into the Great Outdoors.
Breaking the Color Barrier and the National Parks
I simply cannot wait until the Breaking the Color Barrier conference next month where I'll have the privilege of sharing the importance of social media to transmit the "outdoor" message to wider audiences than ever before!
As an example of this, check out the interview below with tireless conference organizer and champion of the National Parks, Audrey Peterman. I hear registrations are selling briskly. Buy your package now so you and your organization are included in this groundbreaking event!
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
It’s Summertime: Where are the Children?
Each 1970’s and early 80's summer in Oakland, California meant freedom. Summer meant my friends and I left our houses as early as we could, and dreaded the sight of flickering street lamps in the evening. We sometimes spent an entire day riding our bikes to the nearest convenience store 5 miles away, or roaming the neighborhood by roller skate or “tennis" shoe.
We had little knowledge or regard for the true meaning of property lines or value. Undeveloped spaces (like our infamous Dead End of the block) were claimed exclusively for our play, and divided based on gender or age. The Dead End’s low, knotted Oak trees provided the site for ongoing construction, as we used pilfered wood and nails from our garages to create hidden perches. It was our secret haven. And a house in our neighborhood was appraised by us kids on the basis of how steep of a smooth driveway it had to facilitate the fastest bike decent onto the sidewalk. And there were rumors of haunted houses we dared each other to peek into.
Except for the exceptionally shy of us we thought our parents were social bores, and thankfully, they omitted themselves from our play and never hauled us to distant playgrounds to make fast friendships with strange kids. We neighborhood kiddos sometimes got along famously; other times we did not. Feelings got hurt but were quickly repaired. Sometimes our fuss would come to blows, but almost as soon as the melee was over we forgot about the disagreement and became friends again, and the friendship cycle would resume the next day. The kids from my neighborhood reminisce on these memories to this day.
My family now lives in one of the safest communities in the Bay Area, but rarely are children of any age outside at play here in the summer without the watchful eyes and hovering presence of self-aware parents. They dutifully dole out a pre-set limit of Popsicles per child-- so no chasing down the ice cream man for these tender tykes!
Today, allowing a child to go outside to play in front of one's home can raise eyebrows of neighboring parents and authorities as a signal of parental neglect. But under such close supervision in the name of safety from the 6 o'clock news boogie man, our kids are more likely to play behind closed doors in front of a computer game, even on warm summer days -- and they are getting chubbier for it. Even more, kids both rich and poor are increasingly enrolled in tidy, structured day activities that even if set outdoors, constantly monitor and entertain to make sure everyone plays nice, safe, and learns something about a selected theme.
While I certainly want my kids to learn cool stuff and be OK, I also want them to develop skills to cope with life when life ain't so organized. And I am concerned about how well some kids (especially my own) will be prepared as adults to cope with life’s unplanned consequences with only conceptual tools. Will a lack of independent, self guided play affect my kid's ability to be imaginative, resolve conflict, or take personal responsibility for herself when she grows up?
I understand that the idea of children playing independently for hours, while claiming wild or urban spaces, might be a nail-biter for some -- or perceived as an excuse to lazy parent for others. But I think it is an idea worth revisiting that might revive some critical ways kids can mature and be healthy in the summer through play.
There are about three more weeks before this summer vacation is over -- prime time for kids to get out and play.
Why not let them?
Photo Courtesy of:
Field Report: Our Feather River Camping Trip 2009
We just got back from 8 days of Northern California bliss with some of the most fun and fantastic Bay Area folks who all had the same vacation idea: Feather River Camp!
Each year, I meet up with the self titled “Stumpers”. We converge on the camp’s Folk Dance Week theme, and are notorious for our daily all-inclusive Happy Hour, around a big old stump that doubles as a lounge table. Evan and Willa, our resident bards, came up with a theme song some years back ("Here at Feather River!") that celebrates the camp, our group, and the City of Oakland -- and each year they add a new, clever verse that summarizes the peculiarities of each session.
I have to admit, Folk Dance Week at Feather River took this Oakland girl some getting used to years ago, but once I realized all the dances were some form or another of the "Electric Slide" and when they added the “Cupid Shuffle” to the mix in 2007, I was hooked!
For the novice camper, this is your kind of place. You don’t have to bring a tent because you can choose from a sturdy canvas covered tent like this:
I attempted to pen down some highlights while I was at camp, but whenever I tried to sit down and write, I was either whisked away for the next dance or was too zoned out in a wilderness induced stupor. But there are some moments I’ll never forget:
-- Playing Disco B-I-N-G-O with my youngest. In our camp’s version, each time your number is called, you have to get up and do a 70's jig, like “The Hustle” or “The Bump“!
Look at mama work it!
--Meeting new families; learning and laughing about how much we had in common with one another
-- The whole dining hall singling Happy Birthday to my little guy and how proud he looked to be turning 6
-- Watching my kids play with friends old and new in the freedom and dirt of the outdoors
-- Tubing with my 7 year-old daughter down a gentle river, surrounded by austere forests on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon
-- Having a late night heart-to-heart chat with my 12-year old by lamplight -- and he was actually listening!
It has taken me a few days to get on track with the Bay Area schedule, but I am still basking in the rewards of our time away that was a gift that keeps promoting peace, connectedness, and love for my family and community through nature.
...who also makes terrific Margaritas!
Vacation!
So I am headed out to the beautiful Feather River Camp tomorrow with the kidlets, who have been asking "are we there yet?" since January. But I expect my facebook and blogging withdrawals to arrive Tuesday, when I'll fight the urge to drive to the Quincy town library for a quick email/facebook/twitter/blogger peek, via the only internet connection in the county.
Photo By WharmanInstead I'll revive a time in my life that existed before I got hooked to the social media I.V., and immerse myself in friends and family. I vow to remain unplugged from digital idols and limit my activities to swimming, eating, hiking, and socializing with people in "real" life!
Nevertheless, I can't wait to share all the juicy details and photos with you from the trip when I get back!
Till then...
Reclaiming the Tradition of Gardening
It might have been a small patch of dirt, a few pots on the porch, or an expanse of acreage. No matter the size, the family garden plot is a seminal part of the African American experience from slavery to land ownership. But after a century of mass black migration north to urban centers, the produce section of the supermarket has supplanted the backyard vegetable garden, which was the source of the freshest collard greens; sweet corn, tomatoes, carrots and more -- and folks who ate those foods straight from the garden were healthier for it.
For urban dwellers, space limitations are a challenge, which is why Mario and Kellen Gillespie of Roots and Shoots, LLC share innovative solutions to get Chicago city dwellers back in touch with gardening within any budget or space.
“We help people understand how much money they save just by growing herbs instead of buying them in the store,” says Mario in a recent interview with Outdoor Afro.
Meanwhile in Oakland, California, People’s Grocery increases awareness of eating for health and economic sustainability through events, education, and an urban gardening program. In the West side of this town, there is no grocery store from which people can obtain fresh produce. This critical reality is what helped mobilize the organization into action to change the way food distribution systems work. People's Grocery believes “everyone should have access to healthy food, regardless of income” -- and certainly getting people outside gardening is one important step in that direction.
I currently live in an apartment that provides just a balcony for personal outdoor space. So last summer, after years off as a gardener, I decided to start a little victory garden of herbs and tomatoes in an old wine barrel. I picked up seedlings and soil from the local nursery, and I was on my way! Here is one of the delicious beauties I harvested:
Please support these organizations and others like them to help bring back the practice and benefits of gardening:
People Grocery
Roots and Shoots, LLC
Also, check out the book, “To Love the Wind and the Rain” edited by Dianne Glave and Mark Stoll. The book is a wonderful analysis of the relationship between African Americans and the environment in U.S. history, and specifically discusses the evolution of gardening.
Leave a comment and share your garden memories or aspirations!
Field Report: Denene Millner of My Brown Baby Goes Camping
By Denene Millner of My Brown BabyYup—I did it. Two days and two nights, deep in the woods of North Georgia. And despite my initial protestations (and the tolerance of threats from my resident Go Green enthusiast/sister-in-law Angelou and much pleading from Mari and Lila), I have to say it wasn’t half bad. And maybe—just maybe—I’m willing to admit that I had some fun. Here, our journey in pictures and in words: 
We stayed in Ft. Yargo, a state-run park in Winder, GA. It’s only about 40 minutes from our home, but the massive lake, pristinely-maintained forest, and primitive living made it feel like we were 400 light years away from Atlanta. And yes, that’s Angelou, acting like she’s about to check into The Ritz. 
Signs welcomed our families—the Chileses, the Ezeiloes, and the Gees—to our campsite, located on small peninsula off a small corner of the lake. We dropped our stuff and got busy getting settled—setting up tents, unpacking sleeping bags and lights (all graciously provided by REI, the campground superstore). You know I was scoping out what mattered most: the bathroom (a two-minute walk from our tent site, it had running water and toilets, but lots of bugs, which meant I was going to do the drop and run; showers up in there were not optional), the cooking facilities (a rock pit with a sturdy grill) and an exit strategy (you know, in case a chick had to make a quick getaway). All in all, it was all quite nice… for the outdoors. 
The kids got a kick out of the idea of sleeping on the ground, surrounded by the lake. They skipped rocks over the water, tossed around the football, danced to the Black Eyed Peas, Earth Wind & Fire, and Nice & Smooth, tooled around on their scooters, and, on many occasions, were caught looking reflectively out over all that God made. (A big highlight for Mari was being allowed to brush her teeth in the woods and spit on the ground. It’s the little things, y’all. The little things.) 
During the day, we mostly chilled—went for a leisurely hike through the woods, took a dip in the man-made beach, talked, and read (Mazi got wrapped up in the latest Dan Brown novel, "Angels and Demons," while Nick and I shared Nathan McCall’s incredible novel, “Them.” We got our New York Times fix on our Blackberries (reception was crystal clear). 
When the dark settled in, we whipped up dinner (grilled veggies, salmon, chicken, and potatoes the first night; hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken sausage, and grilled corn the second) on the campfires, and then watched the kids gorge on S’mores while we played “When I Go to the Moon.” We followed that up with a raucous round of campfire singing, black people style, which means we were crooning Teena Marie, Chaka Khan, Rick James, Run DMC, and Sugar Hill Gang songs at the top of our lungs (the volume of said sing-alongs was wholly controlled by various adult elixirs). 
The trickiest part? Sleeping on the ground, in the pitch black, in the middle of the Georgia woods. This truly is something that freaked me out, not a little, but a lot. I’m no fan of bugs or critters (though REI’s Jungle Juice, a bug repellant, is the truth, the light, and the way, for real!), but it wasn’t the creepy crawlies that bothered me. It was the noises. And the darkness. And the fear of what was lurking—the unknown. The first night wasn’t so bad, but the second night, Lila woke me out of a dead sleep, shivering, talking about how she heard noises and footsteps. I heard them, too, and felt powerless to do anything about it but cuddle Lila and try to be brave while she settled back to sleep. All the while, all I could think was, “Damn, James has the knife in is tent—how am I going to stab a mofo if I don’t have the regulator?!” I spent the rest of the night staring at the stars and waiting for Jason/Freddie Krueger/The Blair Witch/a group of guys in white robes to slice through the tent. Needless to say, sunlight couldn’t come fast enough for me. 
When morning finally came, we made quick work of breaking down the tents, gathering up our things, and getting in our last looks at nature. I have to admit that it was quite a lovely experience, sleeping out in the open and waking up to such beauty. I’m not planning on becoming a camping enthusiast, that much I know (though REI has some pretty spectacular gear that did wonders for keeping us comfortable—from the tents to the lanterns to the coffee percolator to the backpacks, kids’ toys, and the Jungle Juice). But I wouldn’t be against going again… one of these days. (The picture below is of me and Mazi—proof that I was, indeed, there!) 
A special thanks to REI for making this, my first camping trip, a comfortable, special experience; the tents were incredible, the lanterns lit the way, the
percolator made great java, the sleeping bags were quite cozy, the portable stove made perfect Jiffy Pop Popcorn, and not one of us got bit by a bug thanks to your fantastic Jungle Juice (I'm SO buying stock in the JJ!)
Talk Tuesday Guest: Barbara Hillary
In case you missed it live, click below to play the interview I had with Barbara Hillary today.
At age 75 and a 9 year survivor of lung cancer, Barbara Hillary of Queens, New York became the first African-American woman to reach the geographical North Pole by skiing. Today she is 78 and joins Outdoor Afro to share a little about her passion and accomplishments that challenge assumptions about the participation of African Americans, women, and seniors, in the great outdoors.
Learn more about this amazing women or to book her for speaking events, click here for her website: BarbaraHillary.com
