We did our first volunteer stint at the wildflower garden today! The teen service group has been working there already, we just have not been in town when it happened.
We weeded and planted for a couple of hours, then had lunch and chatted a while, then Verna Gates from Fresh Air Family did an hour long storytelling class for the younger kids and an hour long wild edibles and medicinal plants class for the older kids. I learned a few things, but it was mostly stuff I already knew. But that was cool, too. It was nice to hang out with Nona (the lady who is over the garden) and discuss ideas and walk around and talk about what to do next in the gardens. I am pretty excited about being a part of the grounds crew! The kids are excited about going back, too. They really do get in to helping out, I am glad to have the chance to expose them to more this year.
I usually quit wildflower looking in early May, I am glad to have a reason to keep my eyes open this summer and to have some folks around who can help ID what I am looking at!
Showy evening primrose
I used to call these 'teacup roses' in my head when I was a kid, they bloomed right before school let out for the summer!
I used to call these 'teacup roses' in my head when I was a kid, they bloomed right before school let out for the summer!
Indian pink
Canadian anemone
Phlox
Spiderwort
John was horrified to be taken off by Jake and Nona. Nooooooooo!
Horsetail
Columbine
Solomon's Seal
Weeding!
Chan, punked out and driving
Loading weeds! We pulled 3 of these loads in 2 hours just in the front!
After lunch, Nona loaded up the younger kids and took off to see the ducks.
The older kids played that hand slapping game that I don't understand the rules to.
Don't know yet!
This is a myrtle
A type of violet
Oregon grapes
Pezizaceae
up, up, up, up!
Bergamot
Phlox unfurling
The younger class, I wandered off to the picnic tables and wrote a while and the teens disappeared to talk elsewhere.
They reappeared in time for our walk and talk.
Marshmallow
Yellow Iris
Ginger bloom (little brown jug)
I believe I may have spotted a wild monkey.
Nona ran up the hill (she's 82!) and dug a bloodroot root for us to look at. I licked it, like a total ninny. It was SO nasty, tasted horrible and my tongue felt weird. In my defense, I was TRYING to get it wet enough so I could draw on Ben's face with it.
Bloodroot root. It really is orangey-red.
Indian cucumber
He is not on his tiptoes. He's just THAT tall now. *sigh*
More talking, that's Verna in the pink.
Chan is right beside her, the boys...I found a moment later.
We loaded up and headed out to get groceries. The kids agreed they want to head back over and work again soon! Final shot, here is the pic taken by a local man who did a little blurb for us on his community page:
