Country Roads Take Me Home

Boy.  I'm quite embarrassed when I see the date of my last blog entry.  But on we go!

We've done it!  We've moved.  We are now living in the country.  I laugh a little when I say that or when I call our new home a "country home".  Allow me to explain.

Mowing grass and taking names

Our little house sits on an acre, almost at the end of a dirt road.  Behind our backyard is a field where we have happily watched a hummingbird, a few deer, a variety of birds (hawks, roseate spoonbills, scissor-tailed flycatchers, chickadees), and butterflies galore.  Our water comes from a well.   There are horses on our "street".  Our dishwasher is portable.  Dirt comes into our home every time we do.

Which is cuter, portable dishwasher or Isaac?

Now, on the other hand, we live off a semi major highway.  There's set of train tracks that run along that highway.  Follow that highway in either direction for about 7 miles and you'll run into a shopping center.

I like to think that we've got the best of both worlds.  Houston and all its offerings aren't too far away.  My house sits in the dark and the quiet.  Amenities are close.  Woodland creatures are even closer.

We really lucked out.  And that makes us happy.  Troy is enjoying his new job, as well as getting his hands dirty planting plants in our butterfly garden.  The kids enjoy being outside and sweaty.  I enjoy letting them outside without supervision and without worry.  Yep, the place where we belong.  It's going to be a good year.

Nurturing a Naturalist

Nature and I have a lukewarm relationship.  Half the time, I love it.  The other half the time, I don't love it. I love rays of sunshine peeking through rain clouds.  I don't love sunburns.   I love flowers and butterflies.  I don't love flying insects that bite/sting.  I love birds and the melodious songs they sing.  I don't love bird poo on my car every morning.

Many a mother, I'm sure, has come to point in their lives where they have to overcome their dislike of things for the sake of their children.  Maybe you had to eat more veggies so little Johnny would know, by example, that eating veggies is the cool thing to do.  Maybe you had to watch Barney a time or two.  (Or worse, Caillou.)  Me, I had to stop screaming like a wild banshee and kill a wasp a time or two.   And so, I'm getting over my "don't loves" of nature to embrace my inner naturalist (and I should specify that I'm not referring to those who like to go around "naturally", rather those who love to explore nature).  

I'm taking the time to stop and look at those creepy, crawly things.  The boys really do love this.  We caught a baby lizard and let it run up and down our arms, giggling with sheer delight.  We saved many an earthworm.  Blugh.  We've listened to the cicadas and even found a few shells hanging on the trees.  We discovered that something ate all the leaves off our tomato plant and we found the culprit:

A hornworm

Here's its frass (a fancy word for poo)

But it's not just the creepy crawlies that the kids love.  They also love bird watching (probably because I love bird watching) and predicting the weather.  And recently, HMNS Sugarland (for you Houston moms) put in a new exhibition called Animal Secrets.  Kids can explore (indoors, at that!) different habitats and learn about the natural world and the animals that can be found in the different habitats.  The exhibit was designed to develop empathy for the natural world by encouraging role play (pretending to be chipmunks and finding hidden acorns and storing them inside a tree that big enough for 3 kids to fit into...so cool) and giving them a hands on experience with various natural materials (real wood blocks made from sections of tree branches, real animal pelts and skulls).  It's a great exhibit and I encourage everyone to try and visit.  It runs until September 9th.  (And when I say everyone, I mean everyone.  It's an exhibit from the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.  It travels, so if it comes near you, go!)

Now for a DIY section.  Some things to do/make at home to further assist in viewing and exploring nature in your backyard.  

• a bug box
• a butterfly net
• a garden (the tinier, the better)
• pressed flowers
• a bird journal

I can't wait to get out there, explore nature, and make my own bird journal!  At least that's what I keep chanting to myself.  Here's to a hot relationship with nature.  But not like this.