Pipers in the Prairie Online Auction Opens Monday!!!

Before you know it, autumn will return to paint the landscape brilliant red, yellow and gold. At the Aldo Leopold Nature Center, that means it is time for our annual Pipers in the Prairie Fundraising Gala!

You'll receive more information about the event soon, but we wanted to give you an exclusive sneak-peek at our online silent auction! 

The auction will feature exciting packages offered exclusively through ALNC's auction including green getaways, spectacular art, valuable collectibles and more!

The bidding officially opens next Monday, August 15th at Noon, so mark your calendars! Click here to preview the auction! There are many great items already, and new packages are added daily so check often!

All proceeds will directly help the Aldo Leopold Nature Center provide opportunities for children, their families and teachers to connect with nature, so please bid high and bid often.

Here are a few of the great packages that will be available to bid on when the auction goes live next week:

Night on the Town
Value $297

Treat yourself and a date to a sensational night out with the Madison Symphony Orchestra!  One of America's leading regional orchestras, the Madison Symphony Orchestra will wow you with an exquisite performance of the great masterworks, featuring top-tier guest artists from around the world. Then, retire to a spacious room at the new Hyatt Place Hotel, which features a high-tech and contemporary environment.  The next morning, be sure to take advantage of their freshly prepared continental breakfast, included with your stay.  This package contains Two Tickets to a Madison Symphony Orchestra performance and an Overnight Stay at the Hyatt Place Hotel.

To Your Health
Value $200

Give yourself the pampering you deserve – for a healthier mind and body! Get fit when it is convenient for you with Anytime Fitness, which provides you with 24 hour access to top of the line fitness centers. Reward yourself with your choice of a Swedish & Deep Tissue, Sports or Prenatal Massage at Body In Balance. Want to try something new? Take a yoga class at Human Nature to strengthen your body inside and out while incorporating meditation to clear and focus the mind. This package includes a 6 Month Membership to Anytime Fitness, a 60 Minute Massage at Body in Balance and a yoga class at Human Nature LLC. 

Stay Tuned for More Information Coming Soon!

Flower Power!

Dear Wonderbuggers, 

Flowers are everywhere this time of year. We can see them going to work every day…to make seeds and fruits! We saw many different kinds of flowers out in the prairie and had a blast painting with flowers, too! 

What other things can you do to keep learning about flowers? Here’s one idea -- find a few different kinds of flowering plants in your yard and watch them every day or so. You could even make a notebook to record your observations. Have your wonder bug draw a picture of what it looks like, paying close attention to the flowery part. When the plant goes to seed, plant  a few seeds in a small pot or mark where the seeds land on the ground. Check on the seeds over time and into next spring and see what happens!

Here’s another idea -- draw a simple flower with petals, stem, leaves and roots; trace this three more times but leave out one plant part each time. For example, one drawing will have the whole plant without the roots and another will have the same plant without the leaves. Show the pictures to your wonder bugs and have him/her tell you what part is missing.  Do you have any felt or fabric scraps lying around? If so, cut them into flower parts and have your wonder bug assemble the flower correctly and in silly ways, too. Create extra parts to make flowers with different colored petals and differently shaped leaves.

Need some snuggle time with your flower experts?  Here are some favorite books staring our flowery friends:

What Does Bunny See? by Linda Sue Park (Read in class)

Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert 

From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons

A Fruit is a Suitcase for Seeds by Jean Richards

Take care,

Miss Tara

P.S. All of the summer camp Wonder Bug sessions are full, but there is still plenty of room in our NEW Wonder Bugs Family Days!

WONDER BUGS FAMILY DAYS
Saturday August 13th, September 24, October 22 & November 19
9:30 -10:45 am

Join us for weekend Wonder Bugs family days we will explore, sing, and craft the day away to a different nature topic each month. You won't want to miss out on the opportunity to share the Wonder Bugs experience with your whole family! Appropriate for children 2-5 years accompanied by an adult.

ALNC Members: $6/child; Non-Members: $7/child
Click here to find out more or to register!