Outdoors

'Tis the season to enjoy your bird feeders. Start now to put seeds and other treats out for the birds and you’ll be able to watch them come to your deck or feeders all winter long. Read on to learn how our winter birds survive during the cold and snowy months, and how you can help them. ...

Visitors to "A Garden Holiday" will be surrounded by beautiful holiday plants and trees from evergreen conifers to poinsettias in shades of white, pink, and red. Popular traditions return, including dozens of trees decorated by more than 30 Affiliate Garden Clubs from Northeast Ohio and candy-coated gingerbread houses assembled by bakers from the community. ...

The herbs you’ve nurtured in containers or in your garden are ready to harvest. In addition to drying some to enhance the flavor of your entrees, why not make some herbal teas to ward off the chill of cold and snowy days to come? ...

It’s fall, and the trees are showcasing their beautiful colors and then releasing their leaves! It’s a wonderful season to share and enjoy the fall leaves with the grandchildren. From hiking and collecting different leaf specimens, to fun leaf crafts and raking leaves followed by jumping into a huge pile, there are many unique experiences to enjoy together. So, enjoy the fall leaves before fall leaves and winter appears! ...

Ingenuity Cleveland announces Ingenuity at the Lake, a community-focused celebration September 25, 2-8 p.m. Ingenuity at the Lake will feature a Lakefront Stage plus roaming performances, local artisans, food trucks, a beer garden, and a range of exhibitors with a special focus on neighborhood organizations, initiatives and community members. Experience the intersection of art and technology, creativity and innovation. ...

I imagined a relaxing float-down-a-river version of whitewater rafting, a guide maneuvering us through occasional, tumbling rapids with gimmicky names — nothing too crazy, just enough to get my sunglasses wet. Whitewater rafting lite. For $49, how many rapids could there be? It turns out, a lot; you get a lot of rapids for under 50 bucks. The river was high and the rapids were Class III and IV. I’m guessing Class V is for stuntmen and Olympic athletes. Sixty seconds into the trip, my single goal was to stay in the raft and protect my knee replacements.  ...

The season’s show-stopping colors remind us of everything that’s great about living in Ohio. That’s the good news. The bad news is that if you didn’t make reservations months ago for an autumn trip, it’s too late now. But you have other options that don’t require overnight accommodations. Procrastinators, we’ve got your back. Remember going for a drive when we were kids? It’s still fun, especially when the fall scenery glides by the car window. The Ohio Department of Development has put together a handy list of car-friendly itineraries that are perfect for leaf-peeping. ...

Almost nothing's better than a beautiful national park in autumn. When the park is close to home — and it's got a restored pioneer village, that's even better. Head over to Hale Farm & Village in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and see what's cooking at its annual Harvest Festival for a can't-be-beat peek at fall's splendor. ...