This and That

A rainy day in April...

I am hoping this is Jewelweed, growing in our backyard. I threw some seeds back there in the fall, and have been watching these leaves grow.  This morning's rain beaded up on the leaves, which I've read is why Jewelweed got its name - the jeweled beads of water adorning its leaves.  While looking, I came across these two in their oozy love dance...and I can't resist a good slug mating.  It's the David Attenborough in me.

I have been amazed at the number of times a day we'll be driving in the car or cooking a meal and Anika will ask, "Mom, do you spell Lily L-L-E?" I don't remember Eliza ever being interested in how things are spelled, not even now, and it is wild how different your kids can be! (I know, you're all going "duh, Debbie", but even though it sounds so obvious, they are so different!)  I was getting ready to throw some potato eyes into this cracked tub, thinking that maybe they'll grow, and Ani offered to be our resident Spud Farmer, and made this sign for the tub.  She sounded the whole thing out, barely stopping to check in with me, so I didn't bother about the E. I mean, who really needs it?

A silver maple branch somehow became our outside version of the seasonal nature table sometime last fall, bearing leaf rubbings and slices of apples for the harvest, and then pinecones and strings of cranberries for winter, and just today I suggested that the girls cut down the wintery things, with the thought that maybe we'd come up with some springy ideas. I'd say they did! It's downright cheery, this little twig.  (For the record, those are flowers and butterflies)