What have I loved most about our wildflower walks over the last several weeks?  This...

Getting out together in the fresh air, going on a hunt for something new, admiring something old, finding unexpected things, hearing my children shrill with excitement, and most of all forming bonds and memories for a lifetime....this is what I have loved best about our wildflower walks.

And did I mention learning to work out our disagreements?  Today before embarking upon our walk and right before snapping the above photo, my children were in a tug-o-war over who gets to carry the prized bucket.  We worked it out, and you see who won the admirable position of Bucket Carrier.  Really, we had a plan, all take turns, it's elementary.

Would you join us on our walk?  Perhaps, we'll let you be the Bucket Carrier too :)

Our first discovery, along the edge of the woods, was the Virginia Creeper.  It vines along the ground or up trees as seen in this picture.  Evidently it has a beautiful bright red fall color, we'll be sure to come check that out then.

Next on our journey, we discovered another patch of the previously identified Yellow Wood Sorrel.  My Dad said that as a kid he used to sit in a patch of this and chew on the very sour stalks!

And right next to it, the kids immediately shouted out "Philadelphia Fleabane!"  I'm truly amazed every day at how much they are remembering.

Next, we have a little "wildflower lesson".  These next two I mixed up until recently.  This one is a Multiflora Rose.  Notice the heart-shaped petals and Yellow anthers and stamen?

Now, next on our walk, let's look at the Wild Blackberry.  Notice the whitish anthers, largely separated and rough oval-shaped petals?

Observe the next photo of Wild Blackberry and enlarge it...do you see our busy bee friend? 

Next on our journey was our most exciting new discovery for today, a Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly, taking a sip from the mud.

Up the hill a bit we go, and we take time to help spread the Dandelion seeds around...

Gabby's turn to carry the bucket!

This is one of our most recently identified wildflowers, Yellow Hawkweed.

Hannah snapped a photo of a very nicely camouflaged grasshopper.

Yippee!  A new wildflower to identify!

Does anyone else see the immese beauty in clover?  And it smells pretty good too!

There are so many varieties of clover, including this Hop Clover.

And this one, which we just found today (not sure what kind yet), and we all agree that it smells so sweet, like cherry Kool-Aid!  And isn't it the most beautiful combination of pink and white?

And what better to wrap up a wildflower walk, than to have your sweet son pick you a beautiful bouquet?  Which fit very nicely into the paper mache spring vase Hannah made from the instructions at Hearts and Trees.