Nature Walk

Today we took a nature walk to see how a brook changes so many things on its way to the river.  Sam found a really neat rock that had been made smooth (and a snail shell!).  We examined how the banks were steeper at the top of the hill as well as all the twists and turns it took on its way down.  One of us got pretty dirty splashing and playing in the mud.  I am so thankful that we have the opportunity to go outdoors whenever we want and spend time in nature instead of being cooped up at a desk all day.

We also read about a popular swimming hole near where we live called the Mill Pond.  This is Sam's favorite place to swim in the summer.  I can't stand to swim there because the water is COLD!  It is actually part of Big Cove Creek that flows into the Coosa River. It used to be called Tawannah Springs. Legend says this was named after an Indian princess who grieved herself to death after the death of her cousin Noccalula.  I never heard this before!  We love Noccalula Falls and had no idea the Mill Pond had a legend tied to the falls.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Today we learned a lot about Ireland including the traditions of the shamrock including the old tradition of "drowning the shamrock", including one in a bride's bouquet and a groom's boutonniere.  We learned about Saint Patrick himself and the issues of Catholic farmers vs non-Catholic landlords and the potato famine that killed so many men, women and children and resulted in many people fleeing Ireland.  S made a really cute picture with many St. Patrick's Day items in it.  We looked at the clover in our yard (even though of course it is not the same plant as shamrock but the closest to it we have) and S even found a four leaf clover!  We had a fun hunt for a pot of gold.  Of course at lunch we had baked potatoes.  We all wore our green today!