Nature study in the city

Jemimah and I spent last (very hot) Saturday at the Indigenous Milarri Gardens at Bunjilaka. As we wandered around the trail, learning about the plants and waterways significant to the Aboriginal people of our south-eastern corner of Australia, and the traditional uses of indigenous plants, it struck me that nature study really could be this easy.

We watched the eels being fed in the pond. We nibbled on spearmint flavoured River Mint leaves, we admired the architecture and the Aboriginal art.

Sometimes nature study can be just this easy. No notebooks, no lectures by mum, no field guides. Just a whole lot of looking, and feeling, and smelling, and listening to the birdsong. And just being together. Mummy and daughter. That was the best bit of all. She's growing up so quickly, my girl - she'll be twelve next week. How can that be?

I'll take as much time with her as I can get.