today's nature walk

We decided to take a nature walk today.
So, with the wagon loaded with lunch, magnifying glasses, paints, a couple of books, and our plant press, we were off.

Spring is just barely beginning here in our part of the world, but if you look, there are so many treasures to be found, as we were soon to discover....
First we pulled some moss out of the bottom of the little stream, so the children could feel it... it wasn't slimy at all, but quite rough and thready, actually. It even housed a few insects for us to ooh over.

Next we took a sample of this other water plant - we're not sure what it is, we'll have to follow it though the season to see what happens, and to try to identify it.(added later: the plant is watercress, Eric told us. Edible, of course, after it's cleaned. Watercress grows where there are natural springs, and also water sow bugs -which we knew- were one of the first creatures, possibly being one of the first to move onto land. Sow bugs [water roly polies] like spring water, as does watercress, for its high calcium and other mineral content. The bugs use it to make and grow their shells.)

Trevelyn made our next interesting discovery, right out of the trunk of this tree was a little tiny sprout, trying to make a name for itself in the world as an Important Branch...
Next we saw our very first dandelions of the season. Yay!Our second aquatic insects.... we'll have to wait til Daddy gets home to find out what it is...
And our third insect discovery.... sow bugs
The first violets!wild peppermint

interesting leaves...

antsand a couple of little tiny natives that would be easy to step on and miss if you weren't looking for such a lovely thing...

A success, we all agree!