Bay Weekly

A huge dragon, a hammock, a cable swing, a tire fort, mountains of tires, chimes, tunnels, giant tractor tires to hide in. Sound like fun? It is. Thanks to a bunch of dirty old tires, kids are having tons of fun.

Calvert Cliffs and Tuckahoe State Parks both have fantastic tire playgrounds. When you take a quick time out from all the action, it's amazing to think that everything is made with recycled tires, even the soft stuff under your feet.

Recycling is something that touches everyone, even though you may not know it. Each week, we put out our cans, plastic bottles and newspapers out to be picked up by the recycling truck. But where does it go from there?

The answer is - lots of places. Newspapers are shredded and made into more paper and cardboard. Glass is melted down and used to make recycled glass products. Plastic is used in many ways to make things like shoes, carpets and even clothing. Tires, as we've seen, make great playgrounds. Didn't clean your plate? Scrape the leftovers into your compost bin. That's a great way to keep down the amount of trash you throw out and to have a nice, healthy garden too.

Everyone can do a little each day. Think of some ways to reuse items that may just be thrown out. See if you can make it last a little longer. A little imagination goes a long way.

A M P O Q U A R S A M O D E A F U M B L E H E N S T F U A W I E K L S O S U I K R R J A N E T O D R R L T H E L M E T K I F S G E N D Z O N E K I N T E R C E P T I O N I O D S B K S L O M E E L O O L A W N R E K S A J P w e c C a A N X Z I P U N T K W P A S S J A

Signs of the Season

Honk, Honk, Honk... is a familiar sound this time of year, but it’s not traffic in the street. Canada geese are arriving in the Bay area for their winter vacations.

Look for the familiar V formation as they pass noisily overhead. These large water birds fly for thousands of miles to reach the Chesapeake Bay. The V formation is very important, for it helps break up the air waves and make the long trip easier. There is no one leader. They take turns in the top spot, thus sharing the work.

We join the colorful fall leaves in wishing them a hearty welcome back!

Kids' Calendar

Fabulous Fibers Workshops
Sat. Oct 14 and 21 (10am and 2pm)-Explore fabrics made from different and unusual fibers. Plant, animal and even man-made fibers such as eco-spun polyester will be used. There will be spinning demonstrations and hands-on exhibits. Make a unique craft to take home. Calvert County Libraries. Bonnie Spicknall: 410/257-2101

Set, Aim and Shoot
Sat. Oct 14 (11:30am)-Got a mean hook shot? Come and give it your best shot at the Pee-Wee Free Throw Shoot-out. Move over Michael Jordan. Ages 4-6. Southern Community Center, Lusby: 410/586-1101.

Medicine Moon
Sat. Oct. 14 (7:30-9:30pm)-Plants hold secrets to healing, and new secrets are still being discovered. Gather around a campfire to learn how ancient people relied on healing plants and how they passed what they knew down through generations. Hear a Native American story about the plants' origin and learn about local flora. Flag Ponds Nature Park, Lusby. $3; rsvp: 410/535-5327.

Dig for Dinosaur Bones
Sun. Oct. 15 (2pm)-Aspiring archaeologists, here's your chance.Chip away at a giant rock full of dino skulls and skeletons. You never know what treasure you'll find. Ages 6+. Zany Brainy,Annapolis Harbour Center. 410/266-1447.

Rainbow Woods
Tues. Oct 17 (10:30-noon)-Bundle up, grab a bag lunch and take a hike through rainbow woods. Autumns colors are bright as ever. Let's see how many we can find. Special autumn treats for everyone. Ages 3-5. Kings Landing Park, Huntingtown. 410/535-5327.