Glimpses of Gold

We are reading a book called Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorensen. It is a good book! There is a lot in the book about making maple syrup (the reason we started reading it), spring flowers and growing through hard times.

We have been on a mission to find as many spring flowers that the book mentions as we can. We found Spring Beauties and Bloodroot. We are still looking for Hepatica, Trilliums, Solomon’s Seal, Jack in the Pulpits, Twisted stalk, Buttercups, Marsh Marigolds and Violets. I am not sure that they all grow around here, but we are looking.

We are learning a lot of fun names for flowers.

• A Trout lily can be white and then is called a Dogtooth violet, it is also called an Adder’s Tongue.
• Bloodroots might be called “Easter Candles”.
• Hepaticas come in different colors and can be called “liverwort”, “herb-trinity”, “squirrel cup” or “mouse-ear”.
• The first trilliums are deep red and some call them “wake-robin”.
• Bleeding Heart can be called Squirrel Corn and can be mistaken for Dutchman’s Breeches
• Marsh marigolds are also called cowslips, “meadow boots” “crazy boots” and capers.

I would love to be able to make our own pressed flower books, but some of these flowers are found at the park. I am not sure how they would press either. It would be neat to have a book that shows what we find, where discovered and what they look like. I need to think more on how to do that. 🙂 I need to do it soon, spring flowers do not last long!

Today, Adrian had a Nature Nuts class.  I took the older kids along too.  I thought they would want to play outside while Adrian had class.  I should not have been surprised when they wanted to listen to the story and see what Miss Krista had to teach.

We learned about nests and eggs.  After seeing some different bird eggs in a box, Miss Krista took us for a walk to see Bluebird eggs.

I am so glad that you are never to old to learn! I know what Swallows look like.  But for some reason, I thought Tree Swallows were Bluebirds! I never could figure out why they could look so different in the winter.  Feel pretty silly at this little “a ha! Dummy me” moment 🙂 But, in my defense, I do not remember ever seeing Bluebirds near their nests.

So, here are pictures of real Bluebirds and their eggs on the left.  On the right are Tree Swallows, who often use Bluebird boxes for their nests too.

 

We are finished making Maple Syrup and sugar for the year. We made three batches of sugar–over 5 pounds– and more than a gallon of syrup. I can’t say exactly how much, because we ate a lot 😉

Each boiling turned out different colors of Maple treats. The taste is slightly different, but we like them all!