Out-door-life takes the child afield and keeps him in the open air,
which not only helps him physically and occupies his mind with sane subjects,
but keeps him out of mischief.
It is not only during childhood that this is true, for love of nature counts much for sanity
in later life.
This is an age of nerve tension,
and the relaxation which comes from the comforting companionship found in the woods and fields is,
without doubt,
the best remedy for this condition.
Anna Botsford Comstock
The children all sensed right away yesterday that IT was THE DAY for CATCHING things out of the ponds. So we spent almost the entire day outdoors. We went inside to work on some school and to eat. At about 3 in the afternoon we all came in to rest, but when we got up we went right back out.
We saw so many creatures yesterday that I wonder if we all dreamed of them in our sleep last night.
Davy, quietly on the hunt for tadpoles and frogs.
We have two ponds on our property and the children spent most of their time around the “long pond.” They walked around and around it, looking, searching, and catching with bare hands or with a net.
Turtle
Frog, in Grace’s hands
Bullfrog, isn’t it amazing?
Seth was so calm and sweet. Yes, being outdoors really does keep this 2 year old boy out of mischief.
He didn’t want to touch any of the creatures, but he was so excited to see them. It’s a special thing for me, this spring, to watch another boy enjoy God’s big world. Last year he was too little to understand very much (although we included him then, too).
The frogs were kept in the wheelbarrow.
They have incredibly large mouths!
The big bullfrog got away and then floated, stunned, for a while on the water. After it “came to” it dove away again out of sight, poor thing.
I think the reflection under him is so cool!
The industry of these children was amazing. I wish all my friends with youngsters could come over for a day like this, with us. They were working together to catch as many things as they could, but each enjoyed it in their own way.
Caleb’s happy smile
Caleb and Dave, looking at their zoo of pond creatures.
They had little fish in one bucket, tadpoles in another.
Ethan and Grace are convinced this is the same snake they’ve been catching for years. His name is Ferdinand and when they first caught him he was only “this big” (they hold their hands out to show me). He’s growing. Yesterday he was kept in a big metal garbage can, with water and rocks.
Toads
Bluets
We also saw ducks, geese, goldfinches, purple finches, a hummingbird, hornets, and a newt.
It was a wonderful day.
As I finish this up, I am thinking about my boys, who have eaten their morning eggs and cheerios and are right back outside again. This is an exciting part of spring for us because every year many, many toads come to our ponds to mate and lay eggs. The air is filled with the sound of their calls………..it’s a gray, damp morning but still good weather to be OUT exploring and enjoying God’s wondrous creation.
PS, I just went out on the porch and even our cat is catching creatures! Only he’s EATING them. LOL On our “welcome mat” I found one frog leg and one frog EYE. LOL
Good to be Home 
Oh the joys of being a youth again!! We had fun as children in my family too, as we waded the creek.
How fun!!!! Your outings are alway so incredible to me. I still remember the gifts Grace left for the fairies a few years ago (or so?)…..I was telling my friend Mike about that the other day…because he loves the woods and stories of fairies. ;)Your home is magical…really. 🙂
Oh dear, I guess you know what’s for dinner to night (frog legs). Haha. I love the new header and allll the pictures in this post. Especially of the toad floating. So cool. You have captured so many dear memories that you and your children and grandchildren will treasure for years to come. Seth is looking so grown up these days … I think it’s the longer hair. Enjoy this day sweet friend!! 🙂
i love all of the critters. how fun. except for say…ferdinand. him i can do without. 😉
All was well until we got to the snake….that made me have heebie jeebies. : ) looks like something my Payton would LOVE to be apart of.
this is like a dream for most children! you and yours are so very blessed.thanks for sharing your adventures with us!
How fun! That is such a healthy thing for kids to be able to do!! Especially boys…lol. The creatures are amazing. Ferdinand definitely gave me the heebie jeebies though. 🙂 Funny that the cat is in on the fun too. And he even brought some back for you! 🙂
it is interesting how the cat enjoys the animals a little bit different then the kids 😉 and always so strange when they bring their prizes to their humans for praise…my friend has found a couple of mice on her pillow dead as gifts from her cat ;)wow…what a great group of wildlife you guys were able to amass together..that bullfrog is HUGE i’m not sure i’ve ever seen one that big. wow.
What a blessing to be where you live. Such a fun place to grow up!That is one giant bullfrog. I too like the refection.My girls and I enjoyed looking at all your pictures. Have a great day. =)
Thanks you for this post…my kids loved it! Especially my 4 year old, Gabe!He loves doing this very same thing with his dad at his grandparents house! (One has a pond, and the other has a creek and a river! :o)) He loved all the pictures!
Very cool!! (except for Ferdinand the snake…eek). I’d love to spend the day with you and the children…mine would Love,love catching frogs. Those bullfrogs are amazing.
I really don’t want to show this post to Cameron. He will be so jealous. I will, however. I love the frog pictures, and the expressions on the little boys’ faces. Such a wonderful life you are providing for your children.
Let me just say that I don’t believe your children suffer from that malady known as “nerve tension.” 🙂 Love seeing all the fun! Gonna make some myself, real soon!P.S. Caleb looks JUST like his daddy.
hi shanda…….now that is what i call a lovely day. God has made a beautiful and interesting world for us, and i love how you always take advantage of that with your family.
i’ve been away for a few days and am just catching up on blogs, so i wanted to let you know i loved your easter family photo and reading about the baseball games. happy spring indeed!
this post was so refreshing! i remember playing in the pond in the woods behind our house growing up. things i miss, especially now that i live in the city!
The bluets were so out of character of the rest of this post with frogs and snakes and such! This is every boys dream right here..spending a day catching things!!!
Looks like spring has come to stay for you! I remember the spring and summer nights at our old house that had a little fish pond and how the toads would croak and then all the little tadpoles and little jumping frogs. so cool!Lol about your cat and the frog 😉 I’ve never known a cat to eat frogs 😮