Buffalo Current Bush
It was a long winter here in Minnesota and we were all looking for spring sun and warm temperatures. We have instead cool temperatures and days of clouds and rain. It has not been what our emotions have wanted but it is what your plants have needed.
The rain over the last few days has really reached the roots of our dormant plants. They have suddenly sprung to life. The bushes and trees are brown with green buds on them. The early spring flowers are showing their colors. The grass is bright green and small plants that will bloom later this summer are pushing themselves out of the ground.
It is a wonderful time to take a camera (the one on your phone is great) and go hunting for new life. What can you find to take a picture of? What can you find to draw and write about in your science journal?
In a quick walk around this morning I found:
Jack in the Pulpit
- a big, fat earthworm crawling across the garden path
- a bright red Cardinal singing high up in the tree,
- a wildflower plant called jake-in-the- pulpit – lots of them – last year there was just one – what happened over the winter?
- a huge rabbit trying to get into my fenced in vegetable garden
- a tiny new Spirea bush just beginning to grow under the hanging branch of an older bush
- the very small tops of lettuce and spinach just peeking out of the ground
- the Buffalo Current bush is changing from green leaves to bright yellow flowers that smell like nutmeg
Bleeding Heart blowing in the wind
It is spring. It is wet but still a great time to go for a walk and explore. Be sure to date you journal – add your photos, drawing and then take time to write a few descriptions about what you saw and how you feel. These short phrases are great starters for poetry or short stories. A rain storm is a perfect time to write.
