I have a passion for creating memorable moments outside every day, from small to big.  One of my favorite moments of all time that I re-create at home and in events over and over is the magic of planting a seed.  I love sugar snap pea seeds because they sprout in a week, are fun to watch grow, and flower at eight weeks to grow straight from the flower - an easy and sweet lesson in the plant life cycle at home or school!

Spring or Fall, when the temperatures are above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s a great time to plant sugar snap pea seeds.  You can start them on your windowsill in cups or plant them directly outside.  p. 53 in 15 Minutes Outside tells you how.  There are many ways to grow them:  in a clear cup or glass, in newspaper instead of soil, or even in a lightly moistened cotton ball a plastic bag taped to a sunny window.

With winter winding down, I’m grateful for the moments of the past season that bring a smile to my face whenever I need a boost:

+ Rising in the basket of a hot air balloon for the first time

+ Taking a leap onto a slick, snowy hill with a sled in hand

+ ‘Bungee bouncing’ on a trampoline in the frigid cold and giggling for joy while my neighboring seven year old did the same

+ Multiple, random bald eagle sightings over January and February!

Share your magical outdoor moments of the past few months by commenting below.

Here’s to the many magical moments that await us this Spring!  Join me on Facebook for planting and activity tips all season long.

Wishing you memorable moments outside every day,

Rebecca
About Rebecca P. Cohen
Rebecca P. Cohen is a finalist for the 2012 Outdoor Inspiration Awards and the go-to spokesperson for gardening and outdoor activities any time of the year. Rebecca is author of the new book, 15 Minutes Outside: 365 Ways to Get Out of the House and Connect with Your Kids (Sourcebooks), which was named a ‘Best New Parenting Book’ by Scholastic Parent and Child (April 2011) and host of the television series, Get Out of the House, which shows fun ideas for time outside in every season. In addition, she appears on live morning news shows around the country on the how-to’s of gardening and outdoor lifestyle. Rebecca’s work has been featured in Better Home and Gardens, Parenting, Redbook, Working Mother, Family Circle, Backyard Solutions, and Washingtonian magazines, as well as on Rachael Ray’s website, Yum-o!, SheKnows.com, and WorkingMother.com and in countless social media outlets. Rebecca has also been a proud ambassador of the Seeds of Change Sowing Millions Project and has been featured as a spokesmom for the National Wildlife Federation’s Be Out There movement on PBS Wild Animal Baby. She has inspired thousands with her public appearances and community and school events, and motivates still more to follow their dreams and passions as the host of Wish It, Dream It, Do It! radio. For more information visit RebeccaPlants.com.

Tags: 15 minutes outside, 365 ideas for kids, Get Out of the House, How to plant vegetables, outdoor activities for kids, outdoor inspiration awards, outdoor lessons for teachers, plant peas, plant vegetables, rebecca cohen, Rebecca P. Cohen, Rebecca Plants, what to plant in spring, what to plant now

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 6th, 2012 at 4:37 pm and is filed under 15 minutes outside, Get Out of the House, Vegetable gardening. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.