Into the Woods:: 3/26

Thank goodness the sun came out and we had to run for the woods.

With a few puddle stomps, so slipping on ice (it was a little chillier than the sun let on!) and lots of playing with sticks, we got to see all that is unfolding on the forest floor while sunlight is still hitting it, before any tree leaves get in the way.Virginia Waterleaf popping up, it won't bloom for awhile. Bluebells getting ready to bloom.My most favorite mint of all, Busey Wood Mint, I love the smell of this mint better than any other. It is only called BWM in my head, I am not sure what kind it really is.Trout lillies, popping up all over... time to watch where we step!Wild garlic all over, a lot popping into the boys mouth- River had such lovely garlic breath.Toothwort, almost ready to bloom.I forgot to take extra care and find the bloodroot, to occupied with kiddos as we exited, next week though, I bet it's there.

And ponds full of life, though it was a little cold this week. Next week the search for salamanders begins!

Thank you spring for finally arriving!

Springy Love

I am loving so much how ready this littlest boy of mine is ready to be outside all of the time. He begs to go out at the door like a little puppy and knows that when the shoes are on, it is time. He is forming the critical bond with nature that I aspire to bring to my children, and am honored to witness as a mama.

I can just see all the joy in his heart as he makes connections and explores on his own. The textures, sounds, the warmth of the sun, the feel of mud, moss like carpet, walking on uneven ground in hard soled shoes, days full of newness and first experiences. It is a magical thing.

Oh and forest floors covered in ramps... one of springs finest wild edibles.

Right of Passage

I know this post has the making of child embarrassment, but we had a lovely, lovely hike in the woods searching for all the new green things covering the land, and when nature call, you really have to listen. Especially the newly toilet trained.

His mama did good by him and found him a great sitting log, and we had a shovel to bury his present for the worms. It was a good lesson in not pooping close to water and taking care of what you leave behind.

Then we got to balance on more trees and keep playing in the woods. No poo spoiler to end the trip.

For May

The new Carle park is open and ready for you to come and climb with Asher.

River's scoping out the toddler area for Cy.

Oh the climbing and fun to be had.

Radishes 101

Asher got to pick out some seeds at the store the other day. We had some beautiful weather to put them in the ground. I absolutely love his thought process these days. He got out his rake and told me that he was getting the mama ready to grow her babies. And that he plans on eating her babies.

They germinated in just three days, he is already chomping at the bit to eat the babies, luckily radishes are fast, but not quite as fast as he was hoping.
Still picking them will be a big treat. He is already loving picking the leaves off the leeks, which he call bamboo, that we as a panda bear family eat pretty much every day, mostly as a picnic.

Oh the creativity and imagination being three brings.

Track Casting

Attemp on day two was much less painful. The collar was useless, and these casts are much less bulky. Easier for little kids to study and all around better. Half tongue depressors, will make them much easier to store.

Opossum.

All our guys labeled and now ready to make tracks in the sand.

Porcupine

Casting Tracks

For Asher's birthday this year, going along with our tracking experiences, we checked out the Tracks loan box from our local nature center. While most of the curriculum is way above Asher's age, most appropriate for elementary school, I luckily have some experiences that let me use the box with him. We did long runs of stamping, lots of pressing tracks into play dough, painted our feet and walked along side the deer, fox and beaver stamped footprints, and on the last few days we attempted making casts. A, as always was happy to line up the supplies!He did participate and stir up the plaster of paris.I fashioned up some collars that I tried to tape onto the mold, to say this was a pain in the ass, doesn't seem strong enough to describe my frustration.I had intended on doing 12, we did two, man they are clunky.

I was happy with the relief and detail, but man, really this method was a pain. The next day we tried something new.

Into the Woods:: March 10

We spent our weekly trip into the woods looking for green.

Two boys walking on there own. I got a glimpse into the future when they both took off in opposite directions, luckily only one of them is actually quick. River was thrilled to be part of the hiking. While we still have some cold coming our way, the spring wildflowers are telling me other stories, of sun, rain, warmer weather and the promise of flowers.

Laying Tracks

This winter we have been a little obsessed with tracks around here and bringing out the tracker in Asher.We have always talked about things in the woods as A's curiosity lead up to all those what and why's, but then we started having more fun.Ben rolled out the Busey Woods trail that he and Asher walked through.Pretendting to be all types of animals.Then things got a little more fancy around here, as a closepin is perfect for deer tracks and those plastic bathtub frogs have quite realistic prints in play dough.

And then of course all the other animals came out. It is fun to see what toys are made with accurate tracks- sadly (but not suprisingly) not too many of them.

And of course we have been studying the outside tracks as well. I will be posting this week on tracks and tracking, environmental awareness and respect for the land- or at least that's the plan.