{SQT} Nature study notes – Wet Winter

1- The Plan

In an attempt to get more intentional about heading outside and observing nature (in spite of the damp and cold) I got myself a copy of Exploring Nature with Children. It’s a really lovely year-round nature study curriculum and so, with excellent intentions, I wrote in space for it in our weekly schedule (which I vaguely follow). Of course, Nature has her own plans… Wild windstorms on the day we were planning to head out. No problem, I thought, we’ll go tomorrow. Then Sirocco was sick. The next, next day, he seemed better in the morning and a rare Dutch Winter sun was shining!! We would eat lunch and head out. But then he didn’t eat lunch. He went to bed and fell asleep immediately…

2 – Sunshine

Thankfully, my mother in law was visiting and volunteered to stay with him while I took Mistral out for a much needed airing. As I mentioned, it was sunny.

3 – At the park

We got to the park across the street, it was lovely, sunny. We spotted birds – crows, seagulls, blackbirds, black-capped chickadees. And of course, various dogs with their owners.

4 – No bad weather, only bad clothes

We made our way to the swings and felt the first raindrops. But it was windy, and had rained earlier, so it was *probably* just coming off the trees. And the big black clouds over there a bit further than our house were *probably* getting farther, not closer. It was, in short *probably* not about to pour on us. And it didn’t. Not exactly. It hailed. Out of a sunny sky. Mistral’s expression summarizes my feelings. We were wearing the wrong clothes for this.

5,6,7 – Low key street-nature study

So, until we are over this bout of illness, we will talk and read and watch documentaries about the weekly theme and just keep an eye open when we are outside anyway… With the strange weather we’ve had here there are quite a few early signs of spring cropping up, and it’s a joy to watch the kids notice them (and insist I take pictures).

Hope you are keeping warm and dry and make sure to check out the others at This Ain’t the Lyceum! Happy weekend.

Love,

Belligerence&Chocolate