In a SNAP!

Yesterday I heard Avery outside barking incessantly.  Now, this is not unheard of for her, seeing as she barks at people going by, neighbors taking out their trash, dogs barking in the distance, and sometimes mysterious nothings that somehow threaten her sense of security.

So when I went to see what had her hackles up this time, I was surprised to see a GIANT turtle scurrying across our yard from the road.  Now, mind you, the road is a bit away from our front porch and I could make this thing out perfectly and it was BIG.  So, of course, as any good mother would do, I grabbed my camera and my 5-year-old to go investigate.

Up close this thing was even bigger than it seemed far away...and UGLY.  

Now, before you think I'm crazy, I've grown up here and am quite familiar with the evil snapping turtles that are indigenous to these parts.  So I knew enough not to get too close.  Snapping turtles are mean and FAST.  I was grateful to have a ditch between him and us.  But I had to use this as a learning lesson for Nathaniel so he knows not to just walk up to one and hold it like he has with other turtles in the past.

Thankfully my husband heard Nate excitedly screaming "a TURTLE?" before heading outside to join me so he was on our heels.  

He quickly assessed the situation and since this beast was heading into the water Alex quite frequently plays in, we decided it was not best that he (she?) stay.  So my husband demonstrated to Nate this turtle's powerful (and FAST!) snapping reaction, lectured him about their dangers, and then collected him up (humanely).  Then he and Nate took him (her?) away to a pond much farther away from our front yard.  

Dave said this thing probably weighed 20 lbs and had to be about 12-18 inches long..it was huge.  I was glad to see it up close and learn about it...and even more glad to see it go.  Hopefully he (she?) will not be visiting again anytime soon.  At least if he (she?) does, Nathaniel has learned to steer clear and to make sure Alex does the same.  Always an adventure around here.

More Lessons to Learn...

A visit to the Homestead is always a learning lesson for the boys.  I love visiting my parents because there is so much rich tradition to soak in.  I hadn't planned to stop over to visit today but my sister and niece were visiting so I dropped in and inadvertently interfered in wood cutting day.  I wasn't prepared to help much much I kept the kids out of the way and out of the creek while managing to get some cute photos of them playing in the woods.  

The entire walk back to the creek was one giant learning lesson with Grandma as our tour guide.

First, she stopped to show the boys where a raccoon was perched high in a tree, sleeping its "night" away.  

As we walked through the park and down the path, she made sure to point out every deer track and even found the tunnel made by a mole in the dirt.  She doesn't just make sure the boys see them, she tells stories, uses details to teach them about the animal that made the track or why they travel/eat/hunt/sleep the way they do.  It's a learning lesson for ME and love watching my boys soak it all up!

 When we got to the creek, we learned about water currents, tadpoles, water spiders, gravity, and more.  It's remarkable what there is to learn simply by being outside.

We found some "eatin' grass" (chives) the boys got to sample.

 And then stopped again to inspect the tunnel made by the mole.  Fascinating stuff!

At work I write grants for the youth in our service and have recently learned of a very real phenomenon called Nature Deficit Disorder.  Richard Louv wrote a book entitled Last Child in the Woods about this problem and spotlights a "trend that children are spending less time outdoors, resulting in a wide range of behavioral problems." (Wikipedia) There are real world lessons to be learned by getting outside and taking in what nature has to offer.  Everything from Math to Science can be learned simply by getting out and surrounding yourself with the sights, sounds, smells, and happenings in nature.  It amazes me the differences in children who have experiences like my children are afforded and urban kids who don't get outside to learn such lessons. It makes me even more grateful for my upbringing, my amazing family, and the legacy that I get the share with my children. 

It's The Little Things...a snail's pace

My good friend, Heidi, has issued a new challenge called "It's The Little Things Thursday" over on her blog, Starts at Eight...I love this idea because our world is too crazy and hectic and life has a way of carrying on without us if we don't take the time to slow down.  This is a great opportunity to stop and focus some (much needed!) attention on the little things that make a difference.  Too often these little things get brushed off, forgotten, or pushed aside for the bigger more demanding things in life.  So join with me as I take a little time each Thursday to highlight some little things that make a BIG difference!

Today is a rainy, dismal day here in Rochester.  After a week or more of gorgeous, unseasonably warm, sunny days, it's day two of this gray miserableness and I'm feeling it.  As I was trudging into work this morning after a short night of sleep, I saw this:

You're probably wondering why I would choose this as my little thing but watching this little guy make his way across the parking lot at a snail's pace (literally!) made me see the bigger picture.  We all have our journey to make.  For this little snail, his journey just to get across the parking lot was way more difficult (and would probably take a lot longer) than my measly day at work.  Yet, undeterred, he pressed on.  He was a welcome reminder about the world at large.  I guess I can't explain it very well, but seeing him lifted my spirits.  I hope to garner some of this little guy's motivation, determination, and spunk.  Despite how gray my day started, I will trudge along, just like my new friend, Spike.  (Is it weird that I just named him?  Never mind, don't answer that!)

For more revelations about the little things that keep us going and make this journey worth it, stop over and pay Heidi a visit.  Link up to her blog and take some inspiration and feel good spirit with you when you leave!

A Walk In the Woods...

Yesterday Nathaniel was lucky enough to go on a walk in the woods with Geema on Easter Sunday.  So Alex and I tagged along...

My Mom is an incredibly smart lady and knows a lot of stuff about a LOT of stuff.  I love every second my boys are able to spend with my parents because I know they are learning rich tradition and some very important knowledge.  I am very grateful to have my parents to pass these things on to my family and keep these lessons and values alive!
 

Yesterday's nature walk consisted of a lesson in tracking deer.  Grandma taught Nate what to look for and where to look to find deer tracks.  She taught him how to tell what direction the deer is traveling in and how there are big deer and little deer (this time of the year).

Here Grandma is pointing out a deer crossing where the deer travel across the creek.  She showed Nathaniel some raccoon prints on the bank and even showed the boys where the worms make tracks in the creek bed.  So cool!

Just when I thought Nathaniel wasn't paying attention, he stopped and said "Here's one Grandma!" and when I asked him what direction he thought that deer was headed he stopped, looked, and pointed in the RIGHT direction!  Yeah, Geema!

Thanks, Mom, for being such a fantastic role model and wealth of information to me and my children!!  You will never understand how much I fully appreciate all that you have taught ME and all that you are sharing with my boys!  We are SO lucky to have you!

Let me know when the tadpoles are ready and we'll be over for a lesson in amphibious creatures!  :)

Red Skies at night...

I'm desperately trying to get ready to go away for the weekend which involves tons of laundry, packing, cleaning, sorting, organizing, and lots and lots of agonizing.  But in the midst of it all, I decided it was important (for ME!) to join in over at I Should Be Folding Laundry in her weekly photo challenge: You Capture.

This week's theme is Sunrise/Sunset.

The sun has actually been out quite a bit lately until today and it just so happens I was moved enough this morning to dig my camera out of my purse (even WITH my purse, a lunch bag, and another laptop bag in one hand and a travel mug of coffee, my keys, and sunglasses in the other!) to capture the view down the hill from the parking lot where I work.  The fog settles into the "valley" (as it were) and with no leaves on the trees you can seemingly see for miles.  It was gorgeous and even though a few passers by looked at me like I had lost my marbles (for it must have been quite a sight with all that I was juggling), it was worth taking the time and effort to capture.  

The sweet irony was found a short hour or so later when it started POURING and got grey and miserable outside.  I was doubly glad I had taken the time while the opportunity was there!

Wordless Wednesday

Frogs and Snails and Puppy-dogs' Tails...

We walked through the woods today, spending a beautiful (yet chilly) day in the great outdoors.

As we romped around in the "spooky forest" I asked Nathaniel if he wanted to find some treasures in the woods that we could use in a craft project later. In my head I was thinking Fall leaves, acorns, maybe some Indian Paintbrush flowers.

I was disappointed when he looked at me very matter-of-factly and said "No." To say the least, I was crushed.

This isn't the first time I've had my dreams cut down unintentionally by the independent thoughts of my 3-year-old. Growing up, I had certain ideas about what being a "good" Mom meant - teaching my children fun and interesting stuff, doing fun projects, engaging their little minds with activities and games and...

I had no idea how difficult that would be in reality.

I'm not sure if it's the pig-headed independence in my child, the different priorities he holds because he's a boy (digging in dirt vs. painting or paper crafts), the fact that's he's only three, or if it's something I'm failing miserably with, but I worry that I'm missing something.

If it is because he's ALL boy, or even if it's his strong sense of wanting to do anything other than what Mommy wants him to do, or whatever the reason, I'll do my best to accept that and try not to mourn the loss of my crafts and quiet time activities too much.

Afterall, if it weren't for my boy and his fantastic personality, I would never get the chance to do all the fantastically fun stuff we DO get to do instead.

Like inspecting caterpillars up close and personally...

or swimming in the dirt...

or playing with snakes...

Or checking out snails...

And once in a while, we do get to paint...even if it's with our hands and it only lasts 5 minutes before he's moved onto his next interest...

...like playing monsters and rescuing fairy princesses :)

Wordless Wednesday