Explore Outdoors ~ portrait of a dandelion

 I just love the curly hair on top of this one! OK, in reality I know those are sticky stigmas sticking up - awaiting pollen carried by bees, flies, wasps - all three of which I saw in the garden on dandelions.

This week catch a close-up of a flower in your neighborhood.

See Your World Anew

 Last week I shared The Nature of Play, a handbook for exploring the world around us in all seasons. This week I want to dive a bit deeper into the theme of exploring nature. 

Stickler Loves the World (A Stickler Story)

by Lane Smith 

40 pages; ages 4-8

Random House Studio, 2023

theme: mindfulness, wonder, appreciation

Many strange creatures lived in the part of the forest where shadow met tree. 

But the strangest of all was Stickler.

Stickler loves sticks more than anything in the world. Except maybe fluffy clouds, buzzy bees, and prickly plants! Our world, says Stickler, has some pretty weird stuff – this coming from a character with eight – or six, or five – eyes that never seem to stay in the same place.

“Oh, to see it all anew. Wouldn’t that be amazing?” Stickler muses. When an alien shows up, Stickler has that very opportunity. The two set out to see the world, Stickler narrating all the wonders as they walk. Puffballs (dandelion seed heads), rocks, the wind…  the changing colors of the sunset.

What I like  LOVE about this book: As Stickler “shows” things to the space alien, readers can see things Stickler either misses or simply ignores. That space helmet? Not a helmet at all. When Stickler alludes to all the wonders we pass by every day “without even noticing,” we can see the creature in the woods. 

I love the language. The wind is like a whisper. Maple samaras whirl, twirl, spin as they fall. I especially love it when Stickler discovers who is really under that space helmet, and how they have both had their eyes “opened” that day. I love the art!

Beyond the Books:

Share the world outside your house with someone who can’t see it. Maybe blindfold a friend and describe what you see, smell, feel. Or call a cousin and tell them about the nature right outside your door.

Paint or draw a picture of the nature growing around you. How does creating art influence the way you see your world?

Collect some bits of nature that are on the ground – acorns, fallen leaves, sticks, stones – and pay attention to how they feel, their colors, whether they have a smell.

Describe the wind, how the sunshine feels, what the earth smells like before (or after) rain. 

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. I borrowed this book from my local library, Candor Free Library.

Explore Outdoors ~ Logan Hill Nature Preserve

 

 

 

This past Sunday, Mothers Day, was perfect weather for a walk. So we headed to the Logan Hill Nature Preserve, a Finger Lakes Land Trust preserve located in Candor, NY.

 

 

 

 

The preserve is a mix of field and woods, with vernal pools and a pond. It's perfect habitat for bobolinks and woodcocks. On Sunday we heard  a medley of birdsong: hermit thrush, robins, sparrows of all kinds. We also heard the low humming of bumble bees and carpenter bees checking out the flowers.

 

Speaking of flowers...

 

 

 The overwhelming color this time of year was green ~ with highlights of muddy brown.

 

 Fortunately, there were stones across the muddy spots. Even they were part of the natural wonder! Who can resist stopping to look at fossilized brachiopods in the path?