Fossil Hunting

WHAT a treat to be taken fossil hunting by a friend's dad. The children had the best time digging around in the earth with old screwdrivers, and were delighted when they found impressions of plants and animals. Millions of years ago, this area in North Georgia was covered in swamp. Dead animals and plants fell into the water and were covered by many layers of mud, which eventually hardened into shale. In between these layers, hidden treasures wait to be discovered. We found brachiopods and crinoid stems. Crinoids are sea animals which resemble today's sea lilies. Brachiopods appear similar to today's bivalves such as clams, but researchers believe they are a distinctly separate group. Not quite as exciting as dinosaur bones, but almost.  

Flower Shapes

I love to look at shapes in nature. This one.. Indian Heliotrope or Turnsole (heliotropium indicum) I believe... doesn't it remind you of an octopus' tentacle?

Heart-shaped, bell-shaped, metaphor of form. 
Is it symmetry or silhouette,
A reminder of shapes of the past,
Connection, categorization,
Or simply individual expression of beauty?

Not Playing Possum

AN unexpected encounter greeted us recently at the woods - one who was not playing possum. Instead of playing dead like this animal is wont to do when threatened, this possum was very much alive and snarling. A shuddering lady was trying unsuccessfully to release it from a trap she had laid in her garden. Its strong fingers and sharp nails clutched fast to the wire cage as she tried to gently shake it loose. Alexander's eyes grew wide as the scared creature hissed and bared its extremely ferocious looking teeth. With the aid of leather gloves and a stick, the lady and I managed to pry its feet loose and the possum backed out of the cage into its new habitat. Needless to say the encounter with "the animal with the triangle mouth and lots of teeth" has been the talk of the week.

Reptile Watch

NOTHING is quite as startling as almost stepping on a large snake. This 4' black rat snake slithered out of its hole in the bank of the Chattahoochee River and moseyed along the water's edge for a while. But it wasn't the only slithery creature we've seen recently.

This smaller snake was about 18" long. We spotted it in the woods by a different stretch of the river.

Northern Water Snakes and Slider Turtles abounded at the school picnic, causing delight among the children and reactions ranging from mild interest to terror in parents.

But impressive though the larger creatures were, it was a tiny baby frog that really captured the children's attention.

Fairy Trees

THE summer is just the time for nature study. We often walk the same same stretch, and it's fun to notice different things each time then draw it and maybe read up on it at home. Today we looked at trees, and Emma especially liked a tree that she said had fairies all over it. The leaves were feathery and "nervous" (they slowly closed up when touched). The "fairies" are the white and pink feathery blooms. It has a smooth bark, and in the autumn has long (30cm or so) brown seed pods. It was a Silk Tree, sometimes called Mimosa, but - curiously - dubbed "foamy" by the children. It grows all over the place here in the south US - beautiful, but invasive. Since then, spotting "foamies" while we walk or drive has become a favourite pastime.

Good Morning Easter

A sunrise is always wonderful, but on Easter Sunday, after hiking up a mountain in the dark until you are so high up that the sky almost swallows you, surrounded by hundreds of people of all different denominations sharing songs of praise, it brings an incredible feeling of awe and reverence.

Whereas Easter eggs are best if chocolate and hidden among the vegetables.

The Many Faces of the American West

WHAT an amazingly diverse country the USA is!

Our one-week road trip began in Las Vegas, Nevada. Heading west into California we drove through dusty deserts and rocky hills, then crested the range and found ourselves at once in a lush agricultural area.

Nowhere has the influence of topography on weather and land use been so apparent. As we came out of the mountains into the valley, citrus and nut groves and vegetable fields dominated the landscape. It was hot.


Then began the climb back into the mountains. The foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains are marked by scenic oak woodlands, abundant wildflowers and streams. As we ascended, the temperature dropped.


By the time we reached the lodge in Sequoia National Park at 6,500 feet, the land was covered in 12' of snow and giant trees stretched up to the clouds.

The journey back east took us through Nevada's Mojave Desert then into Arizona. This mighty landscape of dry earth, cliffs, scrubby grasses and cactus extended as far as the eye could see for hours and hours. Incredible. I thought I had no awe left in me until we arrived at our final destination, the Grand Canyon.

In the context of such natural majesty, individual people are so insignificant. We have, however, learned to live in an astounding variation of habitats.

More Spring Edibles

THE woodlands behind our house erupt into a marvellous sea of blue just about now. We had to look up what the flower is: Dame's Rocket. More exciting - it's edible! It's actually considered invasive, though hard to believe, as it looks so beautiful brightening up the woods. Only the petals should be eaten and we tried them in a salad. The flowers also pressed nicely and we look forward to using them for crafts when they are fully dried.

The Perfect Snack Spot

THE snack log has to be our favourite spot to stop for a snack at any of our regular walking places. (It's higher than the picture suggests due to the huge mound of earth underneath.) When you're finished eating, there are mountains to be scaled, bark to be peeled, insects to be discovered, ships to be sailed, rockets to be launched and oh so many other possibilities!

Dem Dry Bones

THOMAS came across an antler-less deer skull while hashing, and brought it home. While researching how to clean it up, I came across this young man's blog. I followed Jake's instructions, and soon we had an interesting addition to our backyard.

We wondered why it didn't have any antlers (bucks lose their antlers every year after mating season - between January and April) and made him new ones from branches. We played "hunt the deer," trying to creep up on a "deer" who had his head buried in yummy grass and could be alerted to his hunters' presence by hearing alone. We discovered the jawbone as a musical instrument. Jawbones (usually of mules, horses or donkeys) were used for centuries as percussion instruments. Though we didn't remove the jawbone, we did notice how the teeth rattled and made a pleasing sound! Our deer was even invited to a tea party, where he enjoyed sand cake with worm icing.

The skull was played with in many capacities and shown off to friends for many days before Basil (the labrador) could no longer resist the temptation... and ate it.

Velcro Trees

A lesson in seed dispersal disguised itself as a fun game of lobbing sticky seeds at each other followed by trying to take branches of it home. The cocklebur seed is covered in long hooked spines which stick to fur, hair and many fabrics. We experimented with all different parts of our clothing to see which it stuck best to, and woolly fabrics were the clear winners. Then, as we each took a branch in hand to take home and ended up with bare twigs by the time we arrived at the car, we discovered how easily the seed is knocked off the branch.

We concluded that the cocklebur is a very accomplished hitchhiker. Supposedly it also boasts the honour of being the inspiration behind Velcro.

Snow and Ice and All Things Nice

A huge winter storm took the US by - well - storm last week, causing chaos in those parts of the country more familiar with sunstroke than snowploughs. While snow fell only once, consistent low temperatures created a thick layer of ice, and residents were urged to stay off the streets as much as possible.

For a whole week, we drove nowhere, and what fun we had! Snowmen, snowballs, melted maple syrup over shaved ice, frozen fingers, hot chocolate, excavating ice-entombed treasures... but most of all sliding.

Sliding on our fronts, on our backs, on (off) our feet, on cardboard, on plastic, in the laundry basket, down the driveway, down the hill in the park, skating across the patio and even on the grass. The strange white stillness broken by giggles of delight.

Animal Tracking

MY latest exploit is joining a tracking club, where we are taught not only how to identify animal tracks, but also to really think about it. Who made the track, What was it doing, Where was it going, When did it make the track, and Why was it there? On our first visit on the sandy bank of a stream, we looked at tracks made by raccoons, a beaver, a grey fox and a stork. Very exciting!

Mountain Views

STUNNING views from the Cherohala Skyway, on our drive back from the mountains where we spent Thanksgiving. Popular among motorists especially in 'leaf season', this winding mountain byway crosses two national forests and offers incredible views for miles around. Now in late Autumn, however, we had it almost to ourselves.

A short chilly hike led upwards through the forest, via a few diversions to climb trees, before we popped out surprisingly in a blustery field at the top of the mountain. These grassy balds are one of the unique features of the area and in the past were often used to graze livestock. With no cows to hand, we used the bald instead to view the changing colors of the sky and distant mountains before running back down to our warm car.

Tree Fruit Game

WE were out on a walk during Thanksgiving weekend in the mountains and came across many fallen tree fruits, the size of tennis balls. A few still hung on trees without their leaves - a curious sight -but most lay on the ground. We collected some and discovered that despite their size and weight, they float. They were useful too - when thrown from a small bridge into the stream below, they became perfect puppy-fetch-fodder, over and over again. Turns out they were Osage Orange, or Hedge Apple. Some interesting facts:

• The fruits are often kept for 2-3 months indoors, where they act as an insect repellent
• The hard bark was often used to make bows and arrows by Native Americans, and is considered exceptionally good wood for instrument making
• The orange root can be used to make yellow dye.

Snakes on the Plain

THE discovery of a small brown snake lying in the grass in a park, with a big chunk out of its neck, led to discussions about snakes - what they eat, where they are found and whether they are harmful. It turns out there are 36 different kinds of non-venomous snakes in Georgia, and 6 venomous.

What's the difference between venomous and poisonous? It's all in the delivery and the motive. Venomous creatures store toxins internally, delivering their toxic delight by fangs or a stinger to capture prey. Poisonous animals on the other hand usually release poison through their skin, when the animal is touched or consumed. Venomous animals use toxins to make dinner, poisonous animals to avoid becoming dinner.

Easy catch though it was, we left the ailing snake in the grass to become someone else's dinner.

Beanpods, Acorns and Autumn Finds

WE'VE had so much fun collecting nature items this Autumn and finding different ways to use them. Acorn people, leaf fairies and crowns, doll food from nuts and berries, pinecone animals.


One of our most surprising finds was a gigantic seed pod. We've still not managed to identify it, but it is about 30cm long! It was used in many different ways; I believe it was its role as tractor ramp that caused it to finally give in and beg to be returned to the earth.

Energy Hike

A good friend has an amazing ability to connect with all things around her, so we were excited when she invited us to experience the energy of trees with her and her children. At a nearby state park, we first met a giant hollowed out tree. Then Emma was invited to seek out a tree which spoke to her. We concentrated and tried to feel its energy. I won't say that I had a deep conversation with the tree - my skill in this area is evidently underdeveloped.

However, the outing was definitely thought-provoking and there was a deep feeling of peace as we stood in the middle of the forest, fully focused on the life all around us.

I was also reminded of a book we've enjoyed: Meeting Trees by Scott Russell Sanders, where a boy learns about the characteristics of trees as he takes a walk with his father.

The Great Tadpole Release

SEVERAL months ago, the children and I came across tadpoles during a walk by the river, and brought some home with us. The kitchen sideboard was the only Alexander-proof place for our open-topped aquarium... until he learned how to climb on a stool. Then the tadpoles endured a rigourous training in evasive action. The predator could strike at any time, and their only hope lay in the predator's mother catching him on the sideboard. A few months down the road, each time we returned home, we checked anxiously to make sure the tadpoles hadn't set off on the great escape. They all had four legs, and the tails of two of them were getting smaller and smaller. It was time to take them home. So we trekked to the stream where we had found them, said thank you for allowing us to watch them grow, then said goodbye. They didn't swim at all at first, and I was concerned we had released them to their doom, but after a short walk we returned and found them happily paddling about.

Hummingbird Heaven

WE'VE had a hummingbird feeder up all summer, but only noticed a hummingbird once. However, on a hike by the river this week we had a wonderful surprise. We passed by a man taking picture upon picture, seemingly of the bushes above a rather unappetizing looking bog. He showed us how the bushes and trees here were full of ruby throated hummingbirds! I couldn't zoom in far enough with our camera, but if you look closely in the picture you can just see one perching on a branch.

Some hummingbird facts:

• The extremely short legs of the ruby-throated hummingbird prevent it from walking or hopping. The best it can do is shuffle along a perch.


• It beats its wings 53 times per second.


• They build their 2" wide nests directly on top of a branch, using spider web threads to hold them together.


• The oldest known ruby-throated hummingbird was over 9 years old.