We all have childhood memories, those magical flickers of the past, from the innocent days. Whether it was poking at grasshoppers with a stick, or watching an inchworm on your arm. The world was full of little wonders. When splashing in a puddle was just fun and life was carefree. 

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As parents, we try to cultivate our children's imaginations and keep their curiosity thirsty. Encouraging them to look closely and appreciate how incredible all the living things are and ask them questions about them. This engagement with nature is absolutely precious and will stick with them for the rest of their lives. Knowing the life histories of all the beings we share our space with is knowledge worth knowing.  

 

When was the last time you sat and watched the bees visiting flowers? 

Was it a bee you saw or was it a bee-mimic?

When was the last time you did it with a child?

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The deep connection with the wild we once had, when our survival depended on it, is now myth and legend. We have isolated ourselves from nature and spray chemicals to keep it at bay. We vilify nature as "pests" and "weeds", when in fact we are witnessing imbalances caused by our own impacts. 

 

The relationships we once had revolved around plants. The seasons when plants would give bounty in return for seed dispersal. The gifts of wild berries in times of plenty. The knowledge that fires would regenerate an ecosystem and bring large herbivores the following year. 

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 Plants are what make a forest, or a prairie, or a wetland.

Plants are the heart of it all. They connect the sun and the earth and the water. They are the foundation for all life on earth. 

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What we plant in our yards matters. 

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Are my plant choices contributing to the ecosystem?

 

Are my plants a part or apart from the food web?

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