There are so many ways to explore as you spend time outdoors.  I have always loved the sea, the woods, the mountains, . . . . , and summer is a perfect time to breathe deep and soak them in.  When I was in fourth grade, I used to roam the woods with a wildflower field guide like this one.

Now there are so many cool apps you can take along on your phone!  Has your family tried any?

During one of my early morning swims at Highland Lake, I got out my Merlin app, and it identified two pages of birds singing in under a minute of recording that day, these plus common loon, wood duck, American goldfinch, gray catbird, and pine warbler.  I never would have been able to identify all of those just by ear.  Using Merlin has helped me learn the calls of many more birds this summer.

So . . . . this week’s challenge is to do some nature exploring and find out something new to you.  Maybe try an old-fashioned rock field guide, an online plant identifier, taking a walk with a NH/VT expert you know, or . . . . Share your discovery in the comments, or have your parents e-mail me anything you’d like me to post.  Happy NH/VT exploring!