The Green Hour

As we make our move towards a more Charlotte Mason style of homeschooling, we have accepted Barb's "Green Hour" challenge at The Heart of Harmony. I have always wanted to incorporate Nature study into our days, so I am happy for the encouragement, wisdom and accountability she provides. These are photos from our "practice-run" as I hadn't yet read the pages from Comstock's Handbook of Nature. I will read those tonight and refresh on Barb's suggestions, and we'll head out again tomorrow.

In previous walks this summer Riley had always admired our neighbor's flowers. When we arrived upon a wintry bare bush, she was astonished. "Where have all the flowers gone, Momma?" she asked.

Thankfully later we found evidence of the upcoming spring...my favorite yellow flowers.

These beauties always remind me of my Grandma Ollie.

What could be more nature-full than a red ant hill mound?

Then I began to fear that we were discussing ants while looking at a mound of sand. So I did the unthinkable. Shhh...don't tell anyone, but I...

tapped it with my foot, and we watched the ants scatter. Now I know when I read Comstock's book tonight she will probably scold me for disrupting these poor creatures' nest, but watching those ants scramble about and group together was quite fascinating.

Our front yard is basically a lake itself, this delta land longing to be a riverbed. Riley was searching for creatures.

So, all in all our practice run was a success. It lit a fire within us both to continue these walks and discussions. Also, Sawyer came along for a ride in my wrap and had a great time himself.