Snapping Turtle

Snapping Turtle
Date: 25th of May, 2011
Weather: Hot, Sunny

We saw a snapping turtle outside in our driveway, which upon seeing it I grabbed a broom and started to put it near his mouth and he would bite the broom stick. This has shown me that a snapping turtle has the power to take off a finger or toe! Another thing that surprised me was its speed in which it could walk; after leaving it  for about 10 minutes I walked outside expecting him to have travelled about 10 feet but I found that it had actually traveled across the yard!

- Jake

The Little Turtle

by Vachel Lindsay

There was a little turtle.

He lived in a box.

He swam in a puddle.

He climbed on the rocks.

He snapped at a mosquito.

He snapped at a flea.

He snapped at a minnow.

And he snapped at me.

He caught the mosquito.

He caught the flea.

He caught the minnow.

But he didn't catch me.

Spring time Again!

 It's getting to be that time of year again when the flowers bloom and nature seems to be so happy!
Today we took a small walk to observe nature and look at the blossoming trees and flowers, today is an especially pretty day in middle tennessee for us! Here is a picture of the sky and the hill behind our home.

- Mozart Apple

Revisiting Bell Buckle Park

We decided to go to the park and see how it looks now compared to how it looked in November.  Today was quite warm;  partly sunny and a bit hazy as we walked through the park.  We heard frogs chirpping and saw robins and blue birds.  A few of the cattails we saw in the fall remain.  We collected a few items to go in our nature collection:  an acorn, a ball from a tree we must research and a pod from the trumpet vine.  We looked for squirrels as that is our next mammal to study, but none were out frolicking today.
We saw an interesting cocoon attached to an oak tree branch.  I wonder what is sleeping inside!  As we were leaving, the clouds moved in and it looked as if it were going to rain soon.

Jake's find for our collection.

A tree that is already budding.

"In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous."

                                                                                                                      ~Aristotle

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

We have had our share of cold days lately.  The birds have really been feasting on our suet and we've noticed that they prefer the homemade kind over commercial.  (Very wise birds!)  They finished the last of it and so we decided to make some suet cupcakes.  Hopefully these will get them through the rest of the winter.  We used a mixture of lard, shortening and crunchy peanut butter to which we added raisins, sugar, cornmeal, oatmeal with fruit bits and various seeds. 

The finished cupcake.

Next we bundled up and headed outdoors for our nature walk.  The sun was bright and there was a slight breeze on this chilly day.  We heard the calls of several different birds, the blackbird's being the most noticeable.  We also thought we heard the sound of frogs chirping as we explored the wooded fence line of the property and Madison spotted a cottontail rabbit. 

Today's challenge:  begin a nature collection.  Not everything under our feet was frozen and crunchy;  I was able to gather some soft green moss.  Jake chose a spiky brown burr and Madison brought back a heart shaped leaf.  We consulted our field guide and discovered that Jake's burr fell from the Sweetgum tree.  These have beautifully colored leaves in fall and the bark is gray and deeply furrowed.  As for Maddie's leaf, the vein pattern and shape was typical of a Redbud.  What treasures will we find next?

On our way back to the house we noticed that the daffodil bulbs are beginning to peek up through the ground.  Spring is just around the corner.

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.

                                                                 ~ Lao Tzu

Our Feline Friend, Pumpkin

Continuing our theme of mammals, we chose our cat Pumpkin to be our point of focus this week.  After several minutes of displays of affection for our feline, we observed some of his physical traits.  His padded paws walk softly while his claws are retracted until needed.  His teeth are very pointed and his tongue is rough.  We observed his slit like pupils while we enticed him to chase a string and were amazed at how large they become when he’s excited.  After a few minutes of playtime, he decided to curl up in a chair and nap for awhile.  His purring let us know that he felt safe and content.  We have also observed that he will sit at the door when he wants to go out and he meows when he is hungry or wants some attention. He loves to lay in the warmth of the sun as it comes through the glass in the doors.   Be careful when playing with him though.  His claws are sharp and his reach is farther than you might think!  (I have wounds as proof.)  We are thankful for this special pet of ours.

Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat

Mother Goose

Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat

Where have you been?

I've been to London 

To look at the Queen.

Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat

What did you there?

I frightened a little mouse

Under her chair.

Our Cow, Moo

Today was a beautiful day for nature study.  The warm sun was a welcomed treat after the last few weeks of really cold weather.  The bright blue sky, streaked with wispy cirrus clouds, beckoned us to linger outdoors and enjoy this spring like day.

We chose Moo, our angus cow, as the next point of interest in our study of mammals.  Her black fuzzy coat felt especially warm;  her leathery nose was slippery and wet.  She had a curiosity about her that made us laugh.  We noticed that her teeth were very clean;  "cleaner than mine", says Jake.  (How funny?!)  Madison was intrigued by Moo's long tongue which "she uses to clean out her nose". (I love how kids just tell it like it is.)  And so, after a photo session with our beloved bovine, we headed back indoors to make our journal entries.  We also began our list of mammals in our journals:  dog, cat, and cow.

Moo

Proof of her curiosity!

The Moo-Cow-Moo

Edmund Vance Cooke

My Pa held me up to the moo-cow-moo

So close I could almost touch:

An' I fed him a couple of times or two

An' I wasn't a 'fraid-cat much.

But, ef my Pa goes into the house

An' ef my Mamma goes too, 

I jest keep still like a little mouse 

'Cause the moo-cow-moo might moo!

The moo-cow-moo has a tail like a rope, 

An' it's ravelled down where it grows,

An' it's jest like feelin' a piece of soap

All over the moo-cow's nose.  

The moo-cow-moo has lots of fun

Jest swingin' its tail about,

But ef he opens his mouth, I run

'Cause that's where the moo comes out.

The moo-cow-moo has deers on its head 

An' his eyes bog out of their place:

An' the nose of the moo-cow-moo is spread 

All over the end of his face.

An' his feet is nothing but finger-nails

An' his momma don't keep them cut

An' he gives folks milk in water-pails

Ef he don't keep his handles shut.

'Cause ef you or me pulls them handles, why

The moo-cow-moo says it hurts,

But our hired man he sets close by

An' squirts an' squirts an' squirts.

Winter Landscapes

We thoroughly enjoyed the beauty of the snow over the past week.  Most of it has melted now, but we have some pictures to remind us of our winter wonderland. 

Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening

Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.  

His house is in the village though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

The little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

The only other sound's the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely and dark and deep.

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

And miles to go before I sleep.

 

 

Wintery Day on the Farm

Today's outdoor challenge:  choose a focus for our nature study.  While we think on that a bit, let's go explore.

Location:  Our backyard again; only this time, covered with a beautiful white blanket.  Mild temperature, partly sunny sky and a slight breeze are our weather conditions.  We listen and hear different birds chit-chatting; among them a killdeer with it's distinct "kill-deer" call.  We see robin redbreasts, sparrows, red winged blackbirds, finches and others frolicking among the trees that line the fence row.  Something on the ground next to the shed catches our eye.  I do believe we have discovered raccoon tracks.  (My detective skills have me thinking that he's attracted to corn that may have been spilled in the process of feeding 'Moo'.)  These tracks spark our interest in looking for some made by other critters.  We find bird, cow, dog, rabbit and chicken tracks.  Our focus for nature study has just manifested:  mammals.

As we do a bit of research on the raccoon, we learn that they are fond of poultry and raid hen houses.  This has heightened our awareness of keeping the hen house closed up at night;  something we at times are relaxed about.  They also destroy birds' nests and their young.  Fish is another delicacy they enjoy.

Nature study in winter is more interesting than I thought it would be.

 Bird

 Chicken

 Cow

 Dog

 Rabbit

  Raccoon

"Announced by all the trumpets of the sky;  arrives the snow."

                                                               ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Unexpected Encounter

As I was pulling out of our driveway today, I glanced in the ditch and a most strikingly marked bird caught my eye.  I was so excited because here was a specimen my eyes had never seen.  A brown bird with distinct black and white markings and a most unusually long, dark gray bill.  He was using his bill to go down into the swampy ditch in search of food. 
He didn't seem to mind that I wanted to get a close look.  I hurried back to the house to retrieve the camera, praying all the way that he would remain where he was.  Thank you, Lord!  I got some great photos before my new acquaintance took flight.  After some research, I discovered the name of my friend;  Wilson's Snipe.  Evidently, this species winters here in the south with us;  and I'm glad they do.
I'm embarrassed to admit that I thought I'd seen most of the species of birds that hang out around here.  After this encounter, I'm realizing that I really am only scratching the surface.  God is so good to use the gentle art of nature study to expand my mind of Him.

"In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous."
                                                                       ~Aristotle