Saturday, March 17, 2012

Spot the Salamander

 March has brought unusually warm weather to our area. Because of this, several events have happened earlier than usual. My crocus and daffodils are popping up all over the yard, the pussy-willow catkins are already starting to flower, I saw my first robin, and the spotted salamanders began their annual migration.
 
According to our local park ranger, Taro, every year, the salamanders leave the woods and make their way to the vernal pools where they were born. I had a chance to see these pools teeming with life on a warm night. Of course, when we came back for our homeschooling class, the temperature had dropped about twenty degrees. This made it much harder to find the salamanders.


Sometimes you have to lift up logs and stick your hands in stinky muck so that your child can marvel at the wonders of the natural world. 


I happen to think it's worth it.

And then I had the chance to marvel at my child. I suggested she go wash her hands so that she could take a picture of the salamanders we found. When she came back, she brought a wet towel for my own hands. I didn't even have to ask her to do it.

4 comments:

CSPeterson said...

Great moment for both of you! and a very cool photo as well. Salamanders are such amazing creatures!

Anonymous said...

Sweet things happen when we fall in love with nature. It's our nature to come up with unexpected gestures. We're just like salamanders diplaying beauty. How about that?
I love you all,
Dad

Inner Elder said...

What a great lesson from nature! No wonder we humans like to return to home base. Great picture of the salamander. Isn't it a pleasant surprise when we see our teaching come home to roost. Of course she is kind and considerate - her teacher is the best! Love, Mom

Stephanie said...

What a magnificent salamander! I love this: "Sometimes you have to lift up logs and stick your hands in stinky muck so that your child can marvel at the wonders of the natural world." True -- though I have a tendency to lose touch with common sense. ;-) I once led my kids into a marshy lake looking for critters. The result was way more muck than any of us wanted, plus my older daughter came out with a leech attached to her. (I won't even talk about the ticks.) On the way home, I was chatting about leeches and how they were used for alleged medical purposes through the ages. My kids are going to need SO much therapy! :-P

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