What can the plants and critters in your backyard teach you?

Explore

Exploring Nature

with Grandma Carol

Welcome!

I’m Grandma Carol and I’ve been playing outside in the forest and the fields since I was a little girl. I taught at a Montessori school for decades. I love studying the plants and wildlife in my area. I hope to inspire parents and children alike to have fun outside!

Spring

Learn about the wonderful plants growing in your backyard during spring!

Blog

Jack-in-the-Pulpits Blooming

In the woods behind my house many wild flowers bloom. Jack-in-the-Pulpit is not found everywhere, but here in our woods they grow all over.

Read More →

Trillium Flowers Blooming in April

In the woods behind my house many wild flowers bloom. I found many white Trillium flowers today.

Read More →

Ready to Plant in Greenhouse and Waiting for Solar Eclipse

Today the Solar Eclipse will happen. As I wait, I do more to prepare to plant seeds in my greenhouse.

Read More →

Summer

Exploring the backyard garden in summer is lots of fun! See what’s growing.

Blog

Planting in the Garden in May

I moved some big plants back into the garden as soon as it was rototilled. These are perennials that will grow again every summer. I plant radishes and mist the seeds with earthworm casting tea. This will help the seeds grow.

Read More →

Grandpa Gary Rototilling the Garden

It is helpful to turn the soil over in the spring before planting. Here is Grandpa Gary using a big rototilling machine to do this for me. I am grateful that he helps me.

Read More →

Jack-in-the-Pulpits Blooming

In the woods behind my house many wild flowers bloom. Jack-in-the-Pulpit is not found everywhere, but here in our woods they grow all over.

Read More →

Winter

Learn about the critters you can find in the winter.

Blog

Rabbit Tracks

Follow rabbit tracks in the snow. How do we know they are rabbit tracks? See where it nibbled a bush.

Read More →

Deer Tracks in the Snow

Deer find plants to eat in my yard. See all the fresh tracts after the deer were here during the night.

Read More →

Tree Where Deer Ate Ivy and Opossum Tracks

Only vines and tiny ivy leaves are left on the lower trunk of this tree. Hungry deer ate the large ivy leaves. An opossum walked in the snow and went inside my greenhouse.

Read More →