Early Spring 2010 - Enter the Land of Dirt and Bugs
Dear Friends
I don't think there is a worm left in our yard that hasn't been turned. My son has discovered the joys of digging in the soil, and every rock, block, and grain of sand has been flipped in his search for underground creatures. At any given time I am sure to find a container of dirt in the yard, a new 'home' for his bugs until he releases them back to the earth. I think his fingernails will always have dirt embedded underneath them, despite my attempts with a nailbrush and a firm scrubbing every night.
I used to enjoy digging and getting dirty too, back when I was called a 'tomboy,' rode an oversized bicycle around the neighborhood, and didn't come home until the streetlights came on. I spent spring days after school outside with my mom's trowel, digging big holes in the yard (which I know my mom appreciated!). I'd happily scrape my trowel deep enough to reach past the sandy top layer, through the moist dark layer, down to the red clay treasure until it was too hard to dig anymore.
This spring, may we all have time to dig a little deeper and get our hands messy alongside our kids. By gardening, bug hunting, and exploring in the dirt together, we not only connect with our children and to the earth, we are also reminded of the outdoor memories of our own childhood. Remember the delight of holding a leaf that was bigger than your head or the fascination of watching an earthworm or caterpillar wriggle in front of you? And of course you could just take a trowel and dig as deep a hole as possible, not with any purpose, but just because you can!
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