Even though we have given up on nature study as our official science program for this year, we still have to do nature study because it is part of living on Earth. 

Part of the religious education program I am studying right now is connecting with nature in a daily way.  The program asked me to pick a spot to observe regularly. Since I live in a city apartment, in a dangerous neighborhood, my choices were limited.  Limited to one spot.  It's about 20x 30 inches, directly to the right of my front stoop, and occasionally has a bag of garbage on it.  But things grow there, bugs are often there, the dog has been known to use the space when I can't take her for a walk and she really has to go.  Oh, ick.  I procrastinated for a long time on this part of my religious education program until I finally realized that it was this spot or none and never.

Today I went out there and communed with it.  Or watched it, pathetically, anyway.  And cleaned it of trash and poop.  It was then that I realized there is a plant growing on it.  It's centered, as though someone may have planted it.  It's also flattened, as though someone has been putting a full bag of trash on it every Tuesday night for several years. 

I do not know what this plant might be.   I mentioned this to Sterling, who said, "Wouldn't it be neat if field guides were like Pokedex on the cartoon?  Point it at the plant and it lists off it's name and characteristics for you."  I agreed wholeheartedly!  There is actually nothing else I like about Pokemon. 

Some options I am considering are: asking a local college student for help, asking the old hippies at the natue preserve for help, and searching for a better field guide.