A nasty illness kept us cooped up in the house for nearly a week as it struck down 3/4 of the family. That was followed by a spell of windy, chilly rain. When the skies cleared we were absolutely itching to get outside and breathe in the fresh spring air. We may have big plans for the backyard with so many natural play spaces, but it's important to remember that the only things you really need to have fun outside are already there: mud, flowers, wind, sticks, water. You know...NATURE! The only missing ingredient is imagination.
So many of the spring wildflowers appreciated the rain followed by the sun. The dandelions are painting the yard a cheerful yellow, and the spring beauties and trout lilies have bloomed! We also found some green leafy lichens and what the kids called "saltine mushrooms"- some sort of fungus (maybe?) growing on the log that looked like little bits of crackers.
The rain replenished the vernal pool which has nearly doubled in size. The sticky beast of mud underlying it threatened to claim both of Ladybug's boots as she tromped through it. She found a tiny, but thrilling, waterfall in the stream of water overflowing from the pool.
Taking a break from running and splashing and jumping doesn't have to mean an end to the fun. Sometimes it's the quiet moments that kicks the imagination into overdrive. Here they were riding on the piggy-train to find some faraway land with all kinds of exotic creatures.
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