Last week while I was busy talking to school kids about nature and national parks, hubby and the kids got busy and got out in one!
Because I'm such a fantastic super-dooper homeschooling mum, I handed them a booklet of plants they would be likely to find and told them to go forth and find and photograph. So they did! This is what they found:
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So of course, their first photo would be of poo.
Scats to be more scientific - possibly wombat. |
And less gross pics:
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| Silvertop ash (Eucalyptus sieberi) |
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| Hairpin banksia (Banksia spinulosa) |
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| Rough tree fern (Cyathea australis) |
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| Finger hakea (Hakea dactloides) |
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| Sydney peppermint (Eucalyptus piperita) |
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| Old man banskia (Banksia serrata) |
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| Scribbly gum (Eucalyptus sclerophylla) |
Hubby tested them in the car on the way home and they remembered soooo many plants (and on occasion the scientific names too!).
There was also lots of lovely scenery (which I missed, because I was indoors with 120 Year 3 and 4 children):
And apparently (led by the Big Kid) they went behind the fence and under the waterfall (la la la - I did not hear you tell me that...)
and he let Video Boy to sit on fences over a big cliff (Dads do it soooo differently to Mums!!):
In any case, they had a lovely day, learnt a lot and got to spend some "quality" time with their dad and some not-so-quality time with their mum in the car. Next time I might get to go with them!
And here I've been, all these years, hiking about amongst "trees" and "plants"!! Never knowing—just like all those rocks I walk on by the sea—their deeper history, and their secret names. Hmmm, would a very clever homeschooling Ingi ever like to post a link to pdfs and pamphlets about "trees" and "plants" and "rocks" too? It would feel like a treasure hunt to go out, this time with all the secret info and hear what the bush has to say for itself. :)
ReplyDeleteThese photos are SO lovely. I'm glad everyone had such a great time (and survived their escapades behind the waterfall and on that fence!!!!). Next time, I hope you get to be 'out' rather than 'in', my friend. :)
Mmm...can't find any links to PDFs (obviously closely guarded information!). However, I just bought the booklet for $3.50 at the Visitors Centre before they headed out. I'm prepared in advance like that! I will have a look for a good recommendation for a field guide. I wouldn't recommend "Flora of the Sydney Region" unless you have a botany degree and are good at classifying flora...
DeleteIncredible country we live in:) Oh heart in my mouth, Dad's are indeed different!
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty special, isn't it? And I'm extra lucky, because they PAY me to work there :-)
DeleteAnd yes. What I don't know won't hurt me, as far as Dad's are concerned! LOL!
Those views are gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteAren't they just? It's a beautiful part of the world!
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