NEW YEAR, NEW HOBBY

Even though it was a chilly winter afternoon my son Alex and I decided we still wanted to go for a walk.

Getting in the car we headed to one of our favorite parks. Parking by the rugby field, we thought the tree lined path that surrounded the field would be the perfect wind break. Once I was out of the car I pulled the zipper of my coat high enough so that the collar was now up around my ears and partially covering my mouth. “Okay, I’m ready!”

As we headed for the path I couldn’t help but notice that there was still some green peeking out at the edge of the path. As I bent down I cradled a beautifully scalloped leaf in the palm of my hand. “I didn’t realized there would still be some green now.” I looked up at Alex. “Isn’t it beautiful?”

Alex looked down. “I guess so. It looks like a leaf.”

I smiled as I got back up. “You know that book your Dad gave me for Christmas?” I brushed some dirt off my pants. “The one about Emily Dickinson’s gardening life?”

Alex nodded as we started to walk again. “Are you liking it?”

I looked around, noticing things I hadn’t noticed before. “I have to say it’s making me see nature in a whole new way.”

“How?”

“Emily kept a herbarium.”

Alex looked over at me. “A what?”

I had to laugh. “I know, I never heard of it either. She collected local flowers and leaves, pressed them and dried them before mounting them in a book. Then she’d write where she collected it from, it’s scientific name, and some general observation she had. That kind of book is called a herbarium.”

I stopped again at the edge of the path and bent down. “Are those strawberries?” I looked at the tiny red fruit laying on a bed of green leaves. I looked back up at Alex. “I can’t believe they’re still here.” I got up and brushed my hands together. “I guess we haven’t had our first frost yet.”

Alex started to laugh. “Okay, Farmer Miele.”

Now I had to laugh. “I guess her book is inspiring me to see more details in nature.” We began walking again, quietly listening to the geese flying overhead when I got an idea. I turned to Alex. “I think I’m going to start a new hobby this year!”

Alex looked over at me. “Doing what?”

“I’m going to make my own herbarium!” I stopped again and reached down to pick a leaf. I held it up to him. “I’ll start today with this wild violet leaf.”

“Are you sure that’s a wild violet leaf?”

I looked again at it’s delicate scalloped leaf and shrugged my shoulders.. “I’m pretty sure it is.” I held it gently in the palm of my hand. “I’ll look it up later just to make sure, but that’s part of the fun! Investaging all my new finds!” I looked over at Alex and smiled. “I have a new hobby!”

“Congratulations!” Alex laughed as he patted me on the back and we began to walk again. “This hobby sounds like it will be a lot more fun than your last hobby.”

I was confused as I looked over at Alex. “Which hobby was that?”
“The one where you collected big rocks.”

I snorted laugh. “I’m still collecting those! I haven’t finished the path I’m making with them that go through our woods to the shed.”

“Oh.” Alex sounded disappointed.

Now it was my turn to pat him on the back. “I know it can get a little embarrassing when I find a good rock and want to bring it home.”

Alex laughed. “I have to admit it will feel less weird seeing you walk around holding a flower or a leaf then when you’re carrying a huge rock back to the car.”

“That’s the fun when you’re out in nature.” We were back to the car and as I was reaching in my pocket for the keys I looked at Alex across the roof of the car and held up my leaf. “You never know what you’re going to find!”