Reflecting on nature

According to Charlotte Mason, classical education proponent revered by homeschoolers, nature is one of the best teachers.  I firmly believe this, and love to see the curiosity and wonder inspired by an examination of the simplest things, such as a blade of grass, or a pebble.  I strongly encouraged my first batch of children to experience and enjoy nature, and they are all avid outdoorsmen.  Their dad's interest in fishing, boating and camping probably had more to do with that than my more homebodied interests of gardening and reading, but nevertheless, there has always been a place for nature in our parenting and homeschooling.

For a long time, these new kids didn't seem interested at all in nature, and focused much more on getting attention from the adults around them, or in the next meal.  They immediately took to the outdoors in the form of playing in the yard, though, and wanted to be outside more than in (except for Big Girl, who preferred to sit quietly with a stack of books, engrossed in her own thoughts.)  Lately, I've noticed they are starting to play with the things in the yard, such as a little pile of gravel, or dirt, or a twig, long stick, or branch full of leaves.  Even a long blade of dried grass, with a seed head on it, will afford entertainment, as they walk around, brushing it up against things, and wave it in the air, to watch its movement.  I don't see much interest in bugs, yet, but I think it will be coming.  Who wouldn't be fascinated by a little critter that crawls along?

I took some pictures of Big Girl, and wanted her to lean on the tree trunk, just for a pretty background, and she grabbed this big leaf, to play with it, while I photographed her, and it brought back dim memories from my childhood of discovering the qualities of the sycamore leaf, from my beloved granny's sycamore trees.  What can you learn from a leaf?  Do you remember noticing the veining, which shows up especially well, as the sun shines through it?  Have you felt the downy softness of the velvet side against your cheek?  Have you twirled the stem between your fingers, feeling the weight of it?  Have you fanned yourself with it?  Do you remember the sharp smell?  What a multitude of learning experiences there are in a single leaf, and we haven't even talked about seasonal changes in a leaf, or a leaf of another species.  I won't even start on what you could learn by playing with the bark of this tree.  It's beautiful, isn't it?