Springtime Explorations

Last week, to go along with our study of ecosystems, I took my students on a field trip to a local wetland (yes, college students get to go on field trips too!). This wetland is an industrial area of town and was used as a dump until the 1960's. It's amazing to see how the land has recovered from the years of abuse, and now supports a whole variety of plants, birds and wildlife. The area is not completely pristine, however. Many invasive species have moved into the area, and keeping them under control is a constant managerial issue.
We were extremely lucky to get a beautiful warm and sunny day for our adventure (a real Portland rarity these days) and seeing everything in bloom made me jittery with anticipation for summer. After the students left, I spent about 20 minutes just wandering around alone. No students. No children. No husband. Just me and the plants. I think that is the first time I have really been alone in a long time, and it felt nice.
I also decided that I am going to keep a plant photo journal this summer as a way to learn the plants that surround me. While I do know many of the species that I encounter in the area, I am far from knowing them all. This summer I hope to take pictures of the plants I find along my hikes and learn their common and latin names. Maybe this will fizzle out, as summer always seems to go by too quickly, but I hope to at least gain some ground in the world of botany. I would love to be able to teach my kids the names of the plants in their environment. Do you know the plants commonly found in your area? Do you share that knowledge with your children?