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28 August ~ 2007

Today I had a large group of 3rd graders for a plant partners program up at Lookout Mtn Nature Center. I told them about the parts of a flower, and how important pollinators like bees and butterflies are in helping plants make seed. I had them breathe in, and explained how plants are the only thing that can grow from sunlight and water and minerals, and in so doing give us oxygen to breathe. Without plants there would be no food on earth.

That was the basic curricula for the program, and it went pretty well, as did my discussion of the parts and function of the xylem and phloem and heartwood of a tree. There was still plenty of time for the real fun of being out in nature - discovering what there is to see.

The kids had difficulty listening all the time because they were so intent on finding grasshoppers and leafbugs and beetles on the floor of the meadow. I was beginning to talk about the tall mullen stalks when I noticed a large 3 inch long light green preying mantis on it - the second preying mantis I have found out there in as many weeks! The kids loved it, and listened to my discussion of its biology, including the cyclops ear it has on its abdomen. I put in back on the stalk but it reached out to me, then jumped on to a girl's back. I recaptured it and after holding it up again for the kids to see, it took off and flew a good 20 yards to the meadow above us.

We also saw a deer and her fawn of the year, which was very cool. I waited until we got in very tall grass and then talked about how the deer have to be very careful around here, because there are plenty of mountain lions. I said mountain lions are experts at staying hidden - They know that if they lie low to the ground and stay still that they are virtually invisible, which is why most people never see a mountain lion. They see us though.

This is such good, life affirming work - good karma. I am proud to have done it for fifteen years now. These nature walks and my storytelling in elementary schools will metamorphose from my avocation to my primary job in five years, when I am able to retire. That is sure something to look forward to, although it seems a long ways off. What I will do now is just concentrate on doing my job at work well, and enjoy all the nature programs and storytelling I will conduct in the next five years, God Willing. (150+ nature walks and as many storytelling sessions. (9 20 minute stories a year for three third grade classes - 9 x 3 x 5 = 145)

I came across a lady from California that also leads school groups on nature programs, and we have been writing each other. She is Catholic, and is more religous than I am. (I consider myself spiritual). I was explaining that what I love about nature and wilderness, and also about dancing, is that they bring you into the joy of the present. She said that being in the present is being in the presence of God.

She was telling me she takes children on walks and shows them the difference between oak bark and sycamore bark, and to smell the difference between black sage and sagebrush (one smells like bubblegum - something I didn't know, since we don't have black sage around here). She says she has them stop and be quiet and listen to the sounds for a couple of minutes, and experience a little bit of peace of natu4e - with no talking, video, electronics, etc., - something that kids don't get much of. She has the children look for tracks, and takes the older kids on a vigorous hike up a hill. That calms them down, and enables them to more readily listen to what she has to tell them.

I get very good vibes from his lady, and consider it great fortune to have come across her. It is nice to know there are other people in the world that have the same passions and interests and values as you.

Anyway, take a look at the nice time the children had on our nature walk today, in the photos below:

^{To see a 700px wide version of the above image, click here; to see a 1400px wide version, click here}

Here is a link to an album of photos from our nature walk.