Summer is the perfect season for filling the family photo album full of memories. There's never been a summer when I accomplished everything I wanted, so this year I've determined to set some goals. Research proves a "to do" list gives us extra incentive to check off our accomplishments, so we'll see if I can get all of these things checked off by the time summer draws to an end.

My summer list:

I love to listen to the birds first thing in the morning. The obstacle comes when that alarm rings and I know I could wimp out and cram more time in if I ignore the birds. However, if I muster the courage to meet the birds outside, the fresh air can transition the morning into a very productive day. We'll see how it goes.

We got a pretty good start on this last year, even adding a bumble bee and paper wasp to our collection. We keep them in a shadow box so we can observe our catch without smelling the remaining odor. This year I need to find out how to eliminate that smell.

Black chokeberries are native to our region of Missouri and have no thorns. They have a bitter taste if you eat them fresh, although they can be used to make jam, syrup or pie. If you want to add native plants to your landscaping, the George O. White State Forest Nursery offers Missouri residents a variety of seedlings for reforestation, windbreaks, erosion control, as well as wildlife food and cover.

The really hot days of summer always bring to mind childhood memories of swimming in the creek on my great-grandparent's property near Fredericktown. My sister and I spent hours with our cousins catching crawdads and exploring that creek. This year I need to talk my son into taking the plunge in a country creek.

* Click here for a list of Conservation Areas within our Southeast Region. Once you click on the name of an area, it will list the area's amenities, driving directions and what activities are available on site.

I'm hoping the ideas I've listed will inspire other families across Southeast Missouri to set goals for summer nature discovery. If you have other ideas let me know by posting a comment at the end of this blog. If you want to find even more ideas, you can go online to www.missouriconservation.org.