Over the last few days, the boys and I learned that there's no guide like a Granny guide.
We had occasion to see and learn so much while we spent some time hanging out in the woods with my grandmother. See, she's spent her whole life in those woods, so she knows them pretty well. She's on a first name basis with the trees - sassafras, hickory, pine, and pin oak. She knows their personalities - "this one wants to take over the yard," she says, "and this one likes to let it's lower branches die out so it can concentrate on growing taller."
She knows which vine is a friend and which is a foe. She knows which plant will make a pretty flower and which one is sure to deliver a caterpillar or four. She wouldn't consider herself a naturalist or an expert of any sort; she's just been paying attention. Needless to say, when we're walking by her side, we do a lot of paying attention too.
One of the first things Granny told my guys when we arrived at her house was that "the nettle's up... stay clear of it! It has a big bite!"
She pointed it out to each of my guys and described in detail how much it stings when all those little pricklies not only poke your skin, but also release an acid that burns and itches something awful.
"If you can get past the bite," she told us, "it makes a real good nut." She's right too - Wikipedia backs up Granny's story. Turns out though that Bull Nettle is not actually a member of the true nettle family. It's seed is edible, but unlike true nettles, it's leaves and stalk are not. Real nettles are very healthful eating though. They've even been known to help with arthritis and high blood pressure. People make them into magic color changing tea, soup, even pesto! I had a few painful run ins with bull nettle as a child though, and I remember that sting too well try eating its nut or any of it's distant cousin's leaves any time soon.
She pointed it out to each of my guys and described in detail how much it stings when all those little pricklies not only poke your skin, but also release an acid that burns and itches something awful.
"If you can get past the bite," she told us, "it makes a real good nut." She's right too - Wikipedia backs up Granny's story. Turns out though that Bull Nettle is not actually a member of the true nettle family. It's seed is edible, but unlike true nettles, it's leaves and stalk are not. Real nettles are very healthful eating though. They've even been known to help with arthritis and high blood pressure. People make them into magic color changing tea, soup, even pesto! I had a few painful run ins with bull nettle as a child though, and I remember that sting too well try eating its nut or any of it's distant cousin's leaves any time soon. I'm not above foraging for berries though, and Granny knew just where to find some too. Only a few though, because a late frost killed off most of the blackberry blooms this year.
Poor guy - that late frost, paired with a penchant for eating in the field, meant that his bucket stayed pretty much empty.
Granny showed us mole trails, named off roadside flowers for us, and wowed my men straight out of their britches by introducing them to the sensitive plant.
These little vines close their leaves up tight if you brush your finger across them or blow on them. It's very dramatic and sure to have any kid squealing and touching every leaf in a 50 yard radius.
We learned more on a single walk with Granny than we could have studying every field guide on our shelf. So if you've got a grandparent near by, or an older neighbor that knows his way around a wooded path, invite them out for a ramble and keep your eyes and ears open!
