Walking with Grandma: Into the Woods

By G. Bilodeau-Gramm

So much of children’s time is spent indoors, and they have little contact with nature. Author G. Bilodeau-Gramm seeks to change that. In Walking with Grandma, she inspires adults to get outside with their children and grandchildren to discover and explore.
Through the eyes of Becca and her grandmother, this story shares a wide range of information and knowledge about the outdoors. It offers a look at the spiritual side of nature by promoting an understanding of the language of the heart. It discusses ancient teachings such as being thankful for the gifts nature provides, being aware of the messages from nature spirits, and recognizing the sacredness in all things. It includes wisdom from indigenous elders and even those in other realities. It encourages children to act with gratitude, respect, and compassion, and it demonstrates many ways to use the five senses to appreciate the world.
With follow-up lessons and activities included, Walking with Grandma teaches children about life by using examples found in nature. It communicates the magic, wonder, and joy of the outdoors.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Dec 19, 2018
• ISBN: 9781982217617

G. Bilodeau-Gramm

G. Bilodeau-Gramm taught elementary school for twenty years and used her skills in a variety of recreational positions including after-school programs, as a county park ranger, and program assistant at an Oregon nature center. Bilodeau-Gramm became an ordained minister through the Center of Sacred Studies in Guernville, California. She lives in the Sierra Nevada Mountains with her husband Roger, two donkeys, three cats, and a dog. This is her first book.

Book preview

WALKING

with

GRANDMA

INTO THE WOODS

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G. BILODEAU-GRAMM

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Copyright © 2018 G. Bilodeau-Gramm.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Balboa Press

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Bloomington, IN 47403

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-9822-1760-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-1762-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-1761-7(e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018914275

Balboa Press rev. date: 12/18/2018

To my mom and dad, Pearalee and Mahlon Bilodeau, who allowed me to explore the Minnesota woods when I was young.

Acknowledgments

M y sincere thanks to Brenda Ridgeway for boosting my confidence in finishing this book, to Ronna Ramsey for her technological help, and to Sue Gutierrez for her photographic skills with my drawings. And thanks to all my friends and spirit guides for their encouragement and support during the creation of Walking with Grandma.

Introduction

T here is a part of you that knows it is part of nature. It longs to be outside, walking amongst the trees and breathing fresh air. Your body rejoices when you drink a glass of plain water. Something deep inside you stirs when you hold a rock in your hand and study it. There is a connection every time you look eye-to-eye with a deer or a squirrel or a bird. When you really notice a sunset or even a daylily, you start to recognize the gifts and the reminder to be fully present each moment. Rainbows remind you that life is good. Your pets shower you with unconditional love. And when death comes, the caterpillar teaches us that we shed our old forms and become butterflies! Every day and every night is sacred, and each holds within it the potential for great love, peace, and joy.

Grandmothers throughout time have taught their granddaughters many things. Some are skills they will need as adults, some are basic manners and ways to behave, and some are bits of wisdom handed down from many generations. It is time now to talk about these things again, for some grandmothers themselves have forgotten, and many grandchildren don’t have the opportunity to spend quality time with their grandparents.

Over time, things change. Society changes. Creative skills are lost from the lack of use. The lure of technology is capturing young minds before their hearts have a chance to fall in love with the Earth. Our connection to the natural world is becoming something people did in the old days. The nature spirits keep waiting for us to approach them, but days go by and there is no contact. Months go by, and we do not notice the gifts that await us. Years go by, and the magic and enchantment are losing ground.

Then, too late, we realize we missed a window of opportunity where the curiosity and openness to discovery have shifted from being outdoors to indoors, and from exploring with our senses and imagination to using hand-held devices and looking at a screen. A walk in the woods seems boring. Looking at a sunset isn’t as much fun as texting on your phone. Finding the perfect gratitude rock isn’t as exciting as finding the video game you’ve been looking for.

As a grandmother, I want to see all children be kind and compassionate and follow the Golden Rule. I want them to discover the wonders of nature and feel the joy in recognizing plants and animals as relatives. I want to help them know and understand how important the natural world is. And I want them to get caught up in the magic and miracles that are happening every day, all around them, if they practice being aware.

I know I am here to help restore the wisdom that has been lost or buried for many years. Too many people have forgotten. Too many people are preoccupied with their busy schedules and important commitments. It is time now to bring back sacredness for all things, to look at everything as a gift and show our gratitude, and to listen with our hearts and know we are all connected.

All the Walking with Grandma books include chapter extensions after the story. There you will find explanations and further information on what happens in each chapter, as well as additional ways to further explore the natural world with children. These pages are about sharing with open hearts, sensing instead of thinking, and knowing the ancient teachings will take us to a deeper and more profound understanding. It is my hope that you will find ways to create emotional experiences in nature that will touch their hearts and stay with them the rest of their lives.

I like to think of nature as unlimited broadcasting stations, through which God speaks to us every day, every hour and every moment of our lives, if we will only tune in and remain so.

—George Washington Carver

Contents for Chapter Extensions

Chapter 1 Extension

53569.png  How to Make and Use a Nature Journal

53569.png  What to Take on an Outing

53569.png  Things to Bring as Offerings

53569.png  Gratitude Rocks

53569.png  Messages from Deer

53569.png  Messages from Turkeys

53569.png  Listening with Your Heart

Chapter 2 Extension

53569.png  Rocks and Minerals, Crystals and

Gemstones

53569.png  Gratitude

53569.png  Messages from Hawks

53569.png  Not Seeing the Whole Picture

Chapter 3 Extension

53569.png  Sharing Your Childhood Memories

53569.png  Trees and Their Messages

The Apple Tree

The Pine Tree

The Oak Tree

The Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)

The Incense Cedar (Calocedrus decurrens)

The Big-Leaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum)

53569.png  Cinquain and Haiku Poetry

Chapter 4 Extension

53569.png  The Golden Rule

53569.png  Messages from Squirrels

53569.png  Messages from Dogs

53569.png  Messages from Cats

53569.png  Messages from Horses

Chapter 5 Extension

53569.png  Designs in Nature

53569.png  Messages from Spiders

53569.png  Messages from Willows

53569.png  Tricking Your Mind

Chapter 6 Extension

53569.png  Messages from Owls

53569.png  The Magic All Around You

53569.png  Animal Spirit Guides

53569.png  Things That Make Me Happy

Chapter 7 Extension

53569.png  Tracks and Tracking

53569.png  Secrets in Nature

53569.png  Feeling Energy

Chapter 8 Extension

53569.png  Fun Ways to Practice Drawing

53569.png  Creating a Nature Altar

53569.png  Awareness

The Beginning

T oday is the day I’ve been waiting for! Grandma is taking me somewhere I haven’t been, and I’m so excited wondering where we will go!

Grandma loves the outdoors, so I’m sure we’ll be exploring somewhere. She knows things about nature that I never learned in school, like listening with your heart so you can hear the messages from animals and nature spirits.

Got your nature journal and something to write with?

Every year, she sends me a sketchbook and colored pencils. She showed me how to make a nature journal, and I love decorating the pages with