Nature Study Outing - Wading in Fall

Another trek to the creek this week, as the kids were super excited to wear their rain boots this time and explore the water's edge.  The kids wear their boots to play outside in the backyard year-round, but for some reason, I haven't had them wear their boots on our nature study outings.  I suppose because we do a lot of walking and climbing?  Anyway, my friend's son brought his last week and spent a good hour wading through the shallows, so I promised mine they could wear theirs too this week.  And my friend and her children agreed to meet us there for round two.

It was chilly--not exactly the perfect conditions for wading--but by some kind of miracle, no one fell in!  They had muddy socks and soggy boots when we got home, but according to them, that bit of discomfort was definitely worth all the fun they had.

My toddler kept a close eye on us from the upper banks...

Bridget with Binoculars :)

... until big sister brought her down to join us.

And though most of their time was spent in the muck and water, they also managed to have some fun with trees...

 ...and the leaves below.  Can you see the TWO boys here?

Here he is a bit closer--happy, happy, happy!

We may not get snow here, but we can still make "leaf angels." ;)

We came home with some special finds by little hands, as always:

:: a cattail

:: a sycamore leaf and a walnut leaf

:: a long acorn

:: a wisteria pod

:: two laurel leaves: one covered in white mold and one without

:: bits of moss and lichen

This was our third week in a row at this park (and I'm sure we have been there over twenty times now in the last year or so) and we always see something new.  Today: a coot swimming along with the mallards.  We've seen plenty of coots in other places, but never one here.  The kids waded as far as they could into the pond to watch him as he headed behind the trees and over to the rest of the flock--which were all mallards too.  They decided he must have gotten lost on his way somewhere.  And I have a feeling our rain boots will be going with us from now on!