Past Trails: Nature Study Group

When my boys were younger, we got involved in a wonderful nature study group as part of our homeschool.  We met every Friday, and explored some wild place in the area, often sketching what we found.  Sometimes formal lessons were taught by youth and adults in the group, and by expert in the community.  Other times the lessons came from impromptu teaching moments on the trail.

We hiked at Wildcat Den, studied Indian burial mounds at Albany Mounds, went letter boxing and geocaching, hiked in the snow at Scott County Park, and studied mussels at Pigeon Creek.  We climbed muddy hillsides at Illiniwek Forest Preserve, observed birds and learned about native plants and turtles at Nahant Marsh, and had a presentation on bats by a Davenport parks & rec. instructor.  We studied geographic features at Black Hawk State Park, caught toads and frogs at Eastern Avenue Park, and laughed our heads off over a ferret video in LeClaire.  We made mint tea at Devil's Glen Park, studied animal gaits and went snowshoeing at the Wapsipinicon Environmental Center, and visited the Vander Veer Botanical Gardens multiple times.  We studied rocks and fossils at the Fryxell Geology Museum, went start gazing at Augustana College observatory, studied snow at Crow Creek park, and attended a star program at the Bettendorf High School Planetarium.  These were just some of our outings.

Here's a picture of the group one spring day in 2008 at Credit Island.  I remember this day.  It was beautiful out, and we took a long walk at the tip of the island.  We saw American White Pelicans and soaked up the sunshine and camaraderie.

Nature Study Group, Credit Island, April 2008

These weekly outings rekindled my interest in the natural world, and helped me appreciate the beauty around me which God has created.  This group was a lifesaver for me, and a delight.  I loved getting out, and meeting the other ladies, and seeing all of our kids playing together.  Friendships were formed in this group that still remain today.