John Latimer came to visit us for the last time this year. John is a retired mail carrier who has been following changes in nature (phenology) for the last 30 years. He has a Tuesday morning radio show on KAXE radio, 91.7 fm in Grand Rapids. We have been calling in our nature notes for the last 10 years.
Today John took us on a little walk through the woods to look for signs of spring. We noticed emerging ferns (fiddleheads), blooming bloodroot and hepatica, and almost blooming cowslips. We saw a few warblers and found mayfly and mosquito larva in the creek flowing through the forest. We also observed the trees that are finally budding out. John said the aspens are almost 3 weeks late. Spring is finally here!
I'm not sure if I ever told you this, but once a few years back I had taken our younger kids to a Science Expo type thing at the GR middle school and John Latimer was there. I had never met him, but he asked if I had twin boys at HC school - he had worked with them in your class & could see the resemblance in my own face. What a stellar observer!
ReplyDeleteI was excited to find wild ginger & wild oats blooming Thursday evening. What a difference a few days of sun can make.
It feels so odd that Spring is finally here and we have just three days of school left!