Growing your own garden is a great way to save money, provide family fun and get exercise. Community gardening, Farmer's Markets and eating local are all the rage. Get help gardening, from learning the basics to more advance gardening, with these resources and activities to help you complete this 62 Days square and Grow Green.

Jump back to 62 Days of Summer for more ways to participate in the summer program!

Photo: Colleen O'Brien-Brumley

Physical fitness can help you sleep, feel, think and manage your weight loss better. It can also energize your mind and body. Just a quick walk around the block can rejuvenate your body and mind. Get moving and inspired with these books, DVDs, e-media and other digital resources.

Mindfulness is based on a Buddhist concept where we focus on our own awareness, our thoughts and feelings, and sensations in the moment with acceptance.  In today's busy world where distractions divide our attention in every direction, disengaging from all that can be a challenge. So how can we turn off disruptions and tune into mindfulness? Start by setting aside few minutes a day. It can greatly reduce our stress and allow us the space to reconnect with ourselves with how we feel and what we are doing. Practicing mindfulness is an easy thing to do if we learn techniques like focusing on our breathing, our inner thoughts, our feelings, and how our bodies are moving in our surroundings.

Did you know that Michigan is home to six protected Dark Sky Preserves? Additionally, Michigan is home to Headlands International Dark Sky Park and Dr. T.K. Lawless Park, which are the only internationally designated park preserves in the state. While each location provides the very best opportunity for you to truly enjoy the Milky Way, aurora borealis and more - you do not need to travel to these places to Observe the Night Sky. You can begin your adventure at home by simply keeping a few viewing tips in mind.

• The Best Place for Stargazing (In the World) Is Your Backyard
• Consider checking out one of our many astronomy resources  and e-resources to help you identify constellations and enhance your experience.
• If you would like to find out more about what you are seeing, consider watching the short youtube series Learn the Night Sky.
• Know when significant events are happening, like the Perseid Meteor Shower on August 11 & 12, with the 2021 Guide to Meteor Showers, Supermoons in Michigan and The 10 Must-See Night Sky Events in 2021 and International Asteroid Day on June 30.

Activities:

• NASA at Home has activities for the whole family.
• Visit a Michigan Dark Sky Preserve - Many have activities throughout the summer! Some of these preserves participate in the Michigan Activity Pass (MAP) program. Library patrons can access hundreds of participating institutions by visiting the Michigan Activity Pass website to print or download a pass to their mobile device.          
• Get creative with Creativebug! For an activity you can do with your kids there is Astro Origami class, for adults there is Zodiac Necklace class. (CPL card required)

Resources:

      Gardening does not simply allow one to be mentally old,

      because too many hopes and dreams are to be realized.

                            - Allan Armitage

The Earth gives us the opportunity to cultivate and enjoy its offerings. Trees, flowers, and gardens can all flourish under our care. What gardens offer in exchange is the ability to take the end result right to our table. For ideas and inspiration on what the garden to table experience can look like for you, check out the activities, books, and resources listed below.

                                                   Rain is grace;

                                rain is the sky descending to the earth;

                                    without rain, there would be no life.

                                                  - John Updike

We wait so long for sunny skies and outdoor opportunities in Michigan's ever-changing weather, that a rainy day in the summer can be...a bummer. Allowing ourselves to reframe the day and observe what's available to us inside to enjoy can be good. The 62 Days Square "Rainy Day Fun" is here to help you with that.

Our homes can be a reflection of who we are, how we're feeling, and what brings us joy. That piece of art--expensive or made in preschool, the blanket that acts as a comfort when life is overwhelming, and the chair that is waiting at the end of the day--all are part of your "nest." For ideas on how to "best your nest," CPL has you covered.