Wonderful Discoveries

Yesterday Maggie, Carie, and I had a lovely time at the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center in Sioux City. We joined with over 40 homechooling parents and children from Northwest Iowa to participate in a class on birds, a guided hike through the forest, and a scavenger hunt in the nature center to locate the various birds on display. We enjoyed lunch outside at picnic tables overlooking bird feeders and a beautiful wooded area. After lunch we had another class on reptiles and amphibians. The kids got to touch all sorts of things during the classes -- birds legs and feet, a turkey bone, a turkey wing, snake skins, a turtle shell, an alligator head, and a live ornate box turtle. Did you know that it is against the law to keep a box turtle as a pet in Iowa? Just across the border in Nebraska it is OK. Go figure.

Around the nature center were several trails, so we went hiking afterwards with our friends from Orange City with whom we had travelled. The steps got a little tricky with my friend's stroller; nothing the two of us couldn't handle, though. The children has a great time running ahead and making discoveries -- a tree fallen across a swale ("No one should climb across that tree."), a tree bereft of its branches and charred to its base, and many little white snail shells. What a delight it was to be walking around surrounded by beautiful sights, sounds, and smells! Birds were singing lustily, the wild flowers were blooming gloriously, and the trees were rich with new maturing leaves. God's creation is so wonderful!

Psalm 100 (NIV)

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

Worship the LORD with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the LORD is God.

It is he who made us , and we are his;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;

his faithfulness continues through all generations.