Seasonal observations, nature notes, and homeschool reflections from the week outdoors.
Field Notes · Early August
Early August brought wildfire smoke into our area when the winds shifted. The smoke was heavy and thick, so we stayed inside. We noticed that creatures were still busy outdoors, even when the air was bad. Fortunately, the winds shifted again by the end of the week, bringing cool, clean air. We were able to head outside, find new flowers blooming, and harvest seeds to grow next year.
What We Noticed
In our backyard:
- A citronella bloom! It is our rare plant
- The red dahlia is blooming now
- Our goldenrod is almost golden
Next door:
- Apple and dogwood trees are both fruiting
- We can see a mimosa tree with pink blooms over the fence
Weather Conditions
It was very smoky for five days, and hotter too. The sun looked red in the morning through the thick smoke, and the evening light looked different too. It didn’t seem like it should be bedtime.
Then we finally had clear blue skies with cool, clean ocean air.
Field Notes
I found a friendly woodlouse in the backyard with tiny green spots.
I build a creature home in the yard with rocks, tree bark, and soil. I wrote a mark on a slate rock to make my name stone.
Seeds I harvested today:
- Carrot seeds from last year’s plant
- Two types of peas
- More chive seeds too
Wondering About
Can we keep the wild bunny as a pet in our yard?
Reading Together
- Summer Color – Dianna Murray
- Ladybugs – Gail Gibbons
Find our related seasonal book lists and story reflections at our blog: parMINDary.com
