Prairie Wildflower Identification Hike {#NatureBookClub}

It’s September already! Can you believe that it’s time for another Nature Book Club link up? It’s week 5 in our homeschool year and we are moving right along as the season changes and Fall is almost upon us. We have been learning about bees and pollinators most of the Summer and as we head into Fall we are focusing on Botany and medicinal plants with our DIY Herbalism Course series. This ties in nicely with September’s theme of Prairie Wildflowers since Goldenrod is what we have seen most!

We try to get outside and enjoy nature as much as possible and since the end of Summer is is here I thought a Prairie Wildflower Identification Hike was in order! Many of our county or neighboring county parks have areas of prairie that we can enjoy and explore.  A few weeks ago we were about an hour away and stopped at a park that was new to us and found a patch of wildflowers.

Right next to the patch of Grey coneflowers (which turn grey ones dried) was a smaller patch of Purple coneflowers.

This week I decided to take my younger two boys to a park that they had never visited in hopes of finding some prairie wildflowers. We visited Greenville Falls State Scenic River Area.

We noticed a lot of Goldenrod along the road while heading to the park entrance! We parked and got out of the car and both boys commented on the Goldenrod. Then Lil’ Red found a tiny orange and brown butterfly which was flying around too fast for a picture. We decided to pick a trail to hike down a little bit. Since it was getting hot we picked the trail that looked like there was going to be more shade.

We found some taller purple flowers along the path. Once we got home we look on a Common Wildflowers found at Tallgrass Prairie National Park chart and discovered that it looks like an Aromatic aster!

 

Next we found some tiny white flowers growing closer to the ground and have not been able to identify them, yet. While resting in the shade and listening to the birds and crickets Lil’ Red found a Dandelion which he picked for me before I knew it! (Oops. We were visiting a natural area and we usually do not break the rules even if it’s to pick a pretty flower but we have been picking dandelions from our yard all Summer long so it’s just a habit now.)

Wildflowers, Blooms and Blossoms is the book that we picked as part of the Nature Book Club for this month. We have seen lots and lots of Goldenrod all over this year and I was excited to see it in the Wildflowers, Blooms and Blossoms book.

Welcome to Nature Book Club Monthly Link Up No 9.

Nature Book Club is a monthly link up beginning on the 20th day of each month.

September’s theme for #NatureBookClub is Prairie Flowers.

Be sure to check out the other Co-hosts as they share some prairie flower crafts and projects!

Here are the co-hosts, their choices of books, and activities for the month:

Prairie Habitat Clipart and Coloring Pages based on America’s Prairies and Grasslands from Barbara at Handbook of Nature Study

Notebooking Pages based on The Prairie That Nature Built from Jenny at Faith and Good Works

Nature Journaling based on Wildflowers of Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks: A Guide to Common & Notable Species from Eva at Eva Varga

Online Nature Book Course based on The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush from Dachelle at Hide The Chocolate

Flower Suncatchers for Toddlers and Preschoolers based on Miss Lady Bird’s Wildflowers: How a First Lady Changed America

from Erika at The Playful Scholar

Flower Printable Pack based on Prairie Flowers: Learning Activities and Lessons to Inspire Creativity! from Sharla of Minnesota Country Girl

Flower Paintbrushes based on The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush from Cassidy at Freshly Planted

Sunflower Decoupage Vase based on The Sunflower House from Katrina at Rule This Roost

Link Up Guidelines

• • Choose an engaging nature book, do a craft or activity, and add your post to our monthly link up.
  • The link up party goes live at 9:00 a.m. EST on the 20th of each month and stays open until the last day of the month. Hurry to add your links!
  • You can link up to 3 posts. Please do not link up advertising posts, advertise other link up parties, your store, or non-related blog posts. They will be removed.
  • By linking up with us, you agree for us to share your images and give you credit of course if we feature posts.
  • Also, join our new Nature Book Club Facebook Group!

Nature Book Club theme for OCTOBER: Gourds, Pumpkins and Squash