Nature Walk

As I logged in to the OLS last night, I found there were no lessons for all the kids.

"Did they kick us out already?" I thought, half jokingly.

So, I wasn't able to make the kids' to do list on their little portable white board, which left us somewhat 'hanging' this morning, since our mission is now to finish OHVA lessons up to 90%.

"So can we go out?" they asked eagerly, faces beaming.

As the OLS was still blank, I let them go with their 'tree hunt' kit, which we had created years ago, as a result of our tree hunting expedition one beautiful spring day. It was then that we found out we had crab apple trees scattered all over our neighborhood, and we also learned that those trees are tree climbers' paradise! Even I was tempted to hitch up my abaya and climb the enticing curvy boughs with reckless abandon.

This morning, I didn't go with them because Baby Z had to nap, and it was 30 F outside anyway. I had told them it was too cold, but since when do children listen to their parents about the temperature outside when it look bright and sunny? Since the trees were still bare, they couldn't collect samples of leaves, buds, twigs, or barks, so I made up some impromptu instructions:

1. Go outside and find a place where you can sit and listen to the sounds around you. Write a poem
2. Be an animal detective, and write a story

3. Write a news report from your animal observation (since our neighborhood seems to be teeming with wild cats)


The White House, as the kids call it, that they report to harbor cats seen to be roaming our neighborhood.

When spring finally arrives inshaallah, I hope to join them in their Nature Walk, along with Baby Z. Our bulbs are already peeking out.

nature walk poem by N

I never thought I'd go outside
To play and have some fun.
How more fun it would be
If I could play out in the sun.
The snow is to blame,
It's freezing me!
If you know my name,
Let's play my game!

Nature walk poem by H

I went outside today and saw lotsa stuff,
and a cat that fell of a high place,
we walked off in a huff,
we started to pace,
then we went to the safari,
but nothing we saw except moss,
it was like walking to Jalali,
S was the boss,
so we had to go follow her to some mailbox,
I saw a bird,
it was orange like a fox,
we ran home like crazy,
and I stamped some leaf samples,
I did it as if I was lazy,
and that is the story about that cold day.

My Back Porch and My Nature Walk By S

On my back porch,
I hear cars, a fire truck, people,
crows, airplanes, Song birds,
I see houses, bikes, grass, bushes,
leaves, trees, rocks, human things,
I look for clues,
to find cats,
But when I look down all I see
are my untied shoes.
But suddenly,
face-to-face I see
a cat!
Staring at each other,
I reach out to grab,
but it runs away.
Look at that!
says someone,
when the cat runs past them.
I go home after I get some thorny samples,
of a bush near my back porch.