Collecting science stamps

If you come to our house and take a look at the walls, you'll notice something interesting. I collect and frame stamps. Not just any stamps, of course. I'm drawn to U.S. science stamps. My biggest collection is space-themed. I have these 2000 Hubble telescope images accompanied by a poster, this awesome 1997 Mars Pathfinder stamp, and this 1994 Moon Landing 25th Anniversary Sheet, among others.

I'm also fond of a current annual stamp series known as Nature of America, which profiles different U.S. ecosystems. The USPS has issued ten in this series so far, including stamps depicting the Sonoran Desert, the Great Plains Prairie, and the Pacific Coral Reef.

Why collect science stamps? It's a fun and inexpensive hobby that's easy to share with children. Almost any topic or interest can be found on a stamp. For example ...

Like cats? Check out Rhea's Topical Cats Collection.

Dinosaurs? Start with these 1989 dinosaur stamps.

Minerals? Philatelic Mineralogy has images of "Gem, Rock, and Mineral Postage Stamps From Around the World," including pages dedicated to opals, diamonds, and agate (and so much more!).

If you're new to collecting stamps, visit the American Philatelic Society to Learn About Stamps and pick up some Fun Facts.

Bringing the seashore home

Photo credit: Brian Lopez, BurningWell.org
Are you headed to the seashore this summer? Be sure to take some of your beach-combing treasures home for later.* Driftwood makes for an interesting table topper. Seashells, pebbles, and beach glass make good starting materials for creating a mosaic. You can also glue a few of these items to a picture frame or a wreath base to make a sea-themed wall hanging. String some seashells with holes into a necklace. Put some sand in a jar and layer some seashells and driftwood on top to create a miniature shoreline. Or create your own 3-D field guide by labeling the your items and mounting the pieces for display.

Your finished craft project can be a visual reminder of the time that you and your family spent encountering wildlife on a shoreline nature hike. It's a nice way to re-visit the seashore and invite a little of that coastal ecosystem into your home.


* Always check to make sure that your seashells don't have someone living inside them! As a child, I accidentally took home a hermit crab and, unfortunately, he died due to my ignorance about care. Also, some beaches and natural areas have restrictions on how many and which items can be taken from the beach. Be sure to check the rules before you collect!

Website of the Week: The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum

If you are planning a trip to southwest Florida, be sure to stop by The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum. They have a lovely and extensive online photographic selection of Southwest Florida Shells. Or, if you'd rather print your own poster of 65 species of Southwest Florida shells, check out this pdf file of Seashells of Sanibel and Captiva Islands. You can also print a dot-to-dot coloring page and a word search from their page of Kids' Stuff or purchase a School Shell Collection Kit. And if you are going to be in the Lee County, Florida area, be sure to print out a FREE Child Admission Coupon for kids ages 10 and under.

(My thanks to Mom for sharing her find with us! Love you, Mom.)

Start a leaf collection

Fall is the perfect time to start a leaf collection. Take your child for a walk around the block and admire the leaves that you see. Notice how many leaves are on the ground versus how many are still on the trees. What does that say about the time of the year? Is winter here yet?

How many colors of leaves can you count? Pick up a leaf and notice what makes it unique. Leaves are identified in part by their shapes (like round, oval, triangular) and their edges (spiky, wavy, jagged).

If you live someplace where the seasons barely change and colored leaves are rare, have your child write to a friend or relative and ask that person to send some fall leaves your way. Your child will be thrilled. One of my favorite childhood memories is of my father bringing me home colored leaves from a business trip to Boston. (Thanks, Dad!)

To dry your leaves, place a paper towel on the counter. Arrange your leaves on the paper towel so that none of them are touching. Place another paper towel over the leaves and a heavy book over that. The book will flatten the leaves and the paper towels will absorb any moisture. After a day or two, your leaves will be dry.

To make a leaf rubbing, lay a sheet of paper over your leaf. Take the side of a crayon and rub gently over the paper. A leaf shape should soon appear.

You can also take a piece of contact paper, lay the leaves on it, and lay another sheet of contact paper over them to make a placemat for the table. If you don't want a placemat, cut out the contact paper-wrapped leaves and punch a hole at the top. Let your child hang the preserved leaves around the house.