Homeschool: Gnomes in nature

I spy with my little eye, something small but mighty, earthy but educated, and chipper as a songbird ....

Yes, it's our Gnomes in nature. And it was time for new nature notebooks.

We've been seeing such amazing things in this Northwest spring - we simply must record and report them!
Like look at that diligent snail atop dew decorated leaves - or the balanced trillium in full bloom!

I wish I knew more about botany and birds - but we're learning, and learning from others too.

This week we went to the Tualatin Wildlife Refuge and met a wonderful Gardner's Group, who let us tag along and learn from an onsite naturalist. Big Sis got right up to the front of the group - and soon Lil Sis joined her. We found out fascinating things, like:

 

Here's wild Indian lettuce - completely edible from petal to stem.
We tried it (yum), and now I'd like to grow some!

Here's an "inside out" flowering duck foot plant.
Hard to see - but it was a wonder.

Here's a stalk of bed straw stuck to E!
We learned that pioneer children would gather it to stuff pillows.

My trio having a break after a long hike - and using those new nature notebooks. :)