"The crocus, like the snowdrop, cannot wait for the snow to be off the ground

before it pushes up it's gay blossoms, and it has thus earned the gratitude

of those who are winter weary."

~ Anna Botsford Comstock, Handbook of Nature Study

Just as Autumn is taking it's last breaths, and as the artic air is beginning to settle in for the Winter, our thoughts are already turning towards Spring.  Why you ask?  Because we have been planting Crocus!

While I love all the changes of seasons, and Winter has it's place in my heart too, by the time Winter is drawing to a close, I'm longing for Spring.  And the Crocus is one of the first flowers to bloom at the end of Winter, even being known to bloom in the snow.

Yes, their promise of Spring to come is priceless to me and my family at that time of year.

So, recently on one of our last warm days, we set about planting Crocus bulbs all around our backyard.

All ages can be involved in this, and it opens up great opportunities for discussions on the seasons and why the bulbs will not grow until the first of Spring.  And why I see them as a promise from God that warmer weather will return.  And there's always hope.

Last Spring we did a study on the Crocus, you can find that lesson HERE.

It's a small garden, but it's a great start!  Alex has pretty much single-handedly planted and tended to this garden, and just recently gained his first harvest - potatoes!  The look on his face and apparent excitement was enough to make this whole project a success whether or not everything produces.

Doesn't that face speak volumes?!

Gabby helped brother by holding the bucket.

We had fried ham and those fresh melt-in-your mouth potatoes for lunch that day!  Alex even fried the ham for us!

The rest of the garden is doing well so far too.  The Zucchini is really doing great.

It won't be too long before this one can be harvested and made into one of our favorite things...Zucchini bread!  Yum!

Yellow Squash

Roma Tomatoes

I can't wait until the Roma tomatoes and Bell Peppers are ready for me to make some fresh salsa!

The garden has been primarily Alex's responsibility.  He loves it!  And he has done a great job for his first year.

Potatoes and Zucchini

Zucchini Bloom

Corn

Basil

Carrots

Gabby likes to help too, and big brother has been so kind to let her!

Other Nature things we have been observing:

Mushrooms

Bird's Nest with Eggs in Bushes by Creek

Alex found a wild Black Raspberry Bush!  Here he is pointing it out to me with his light saber!

Some were ripe, yum!

Raccoons!

I'm helping to spread seeds around!

After our encounter with the beautiful butterfly a few days ago, Hannah and Alex approached me with drinks and straws turned around and said, "Look Mom, we're drinking with our proboscis!" 

And last but not least, a very beautiful sunset...

Peaceful dreams for the end of your weekend and beginning of your new week.

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." ~ Romans 1:20

You know spring is officially about us when just about all thoughts are on everything bursting forth to new life.  As we have watched our woods in back, we have seen the bright greens edging their way from the ground up, all the way to there only being a few trees still lacking their new attire.

You just can't help getting in the gardening mood!  This year is our first attempt at growing a small garden area in our backyard.  My childhood memories consist of every spring planting a very large garden on our small family farm.  You know there will never on this earth be food that tasted so good again.  Rich red ripe tomatoes, crisp carrots, and sweet juicy corn....are a few of the delightful memories from my childhood garden.

While we do not have the land to grow a very large garden, nor do I think we would because I also remember the intense work required for such a thing, we do have enough for a couple small raised beds.  So, while it's a bit early yet, we decided to call upon my gardening heroes (my parents) and commence to getting our hands dirty.

We planted two beds; 6' x 4' and 4' x 4'.  We used a pretty even mixture of potting soil and top soil.  In the larger bed we planted some seedlings that we had started indoors (roma tomatoes, carrots, bell peppers, and basil); and also planted seeds for zucchini and a few Yukon Gold potato starters.  The smaller bed we will probably be using for planting Hannah's perrenials; depending on how many more vegetables I find that we want to grow!  She just started the seeds indoors this past week.  I have dreams for making one more 4' x 4' possibly down closer to the creekside to plant Milkweed plants and butterfly bushes in.

Great book that I have gotten lots of ideas from:

Great website and activities for gardening with kids:

Gardening with Children

Backyard Fun and Gardening - FamilyFun

My First Garden - EXCELLENT! 

Ways to get children excited about gardening:

• Mom needs to jump up and down with excitement too!
• Begin by reading great but simple books on gardening, including what the fruits of their labor will be.
• Let them choose a few things to grow, even if they want to grow corn and perhaps you don't have the room, encourage them to plant a couple seeds/plants just to see the process and perhaps get an ear or two of corn to eat!  Or see if you can re-direct to a more profitable vegetable choice.  It doesn't have to be vegetables, choose flowers or a tree!
• Help them come up with a plan of how to layout the garden.
• Start some seeds indoors ahead of time.  Even though this process is more work seeing something grow from seed is priceless in lessons.
• Encourage them to keep a written journal.  Take photos (or let them) for them to keep in their journals.  If they are too young to write very much, encourage drawing pictures of the steps.
• Get some real tools.  Real children-sized gardening tools are available.  Even younger ones can partcipate by using plastic ones.
• Let them be a part of labeling the plant stakes markers.  If you'd like they can draw pictures which you can cover with laminate or packing tape and attach to the stakes.
• Use this opportunity to teach about plant life cycle and how amazing it is that God put exactly what that plant needed to grow in that little tiny seed.
• If you don't have the area outside to plant, don't hesistate to plant in containers and still enjoy the process.
• Involve them in reaping the harvest!  Enjoy a wonderful meal prepared from their delicious creations.