The first graders have been so excited — “She has flowers! And fruits! . . . And spiders!!!!” That last comment was followed by screaming, running, pushing, smashing, and one kid yelling “It’s poisonous!” and another yelling “It bit me!” I don’t think they get out in nature much.
@margonaut That is the subject causing much teeth-grinding. I wanted the native dogwood, which bloomed a month ago, but the PTA generously ordered the tree when I was out with my broken shoulder last year and all they specified was “white.” This one is the Chinese dogwood — related but not native. Ironically there is a huge native one growing on the side of a small cliff behind where Dottie is. It’s too tall for the kids to see though and the edge of the hill/cliff is a little precarious for these little angels.
Dottie IS exciting, though I understand your preference for a native dogwood. I agree that students don't get outside much. My sister-in-law told me that her grandchildren can't play outside because their mother fears they will be kidnapped.
@wiesnerbeth I had no idea there was such a thing as a Chinese dogwood. And how interesting that it blooms later. Well, that can be a learning experience for the kids too.
@margonaut Who knew, right? The flowers are a bit different and there are more of them. Last week I saw something called a gray dogwood, which is native and in the same family, but doesn’t look like either of the other ones. I had never seen the gray dogwood before — or maybe I had, but thought it was something else. It looks a bit like a viburnum, maybe?
@wiesnerbeth my goodness, I thought dogwoods only came in the varieties of "pink" and "white", LOL! Let me tell you, dogwoods are big in Paducah. They have a Dogwood Trail through town in the spring, everybody lights their trees up and it's just beautiful to drive around and see them. One year when I was a teen, the directional Dogwood Trail sign at the end of our street got knocked down. My best friend and I sat out in folding chairs and told people where to go. "Dogwood Trail, to your right sir!" (very dramatically) about a zillion times. Every now and then we still laugh about it.
@margonaut I love this story! Now I want to go to Paducah even more. Maybe I should start planning a trip now for next spring. My first graders would LOVE that I went on a Dogwood Trail!
