Ambling through the forest searching for a slipper
A lady's pink slipper, velvety soft, lost among the fallen leaves
Forgotten till the spring rains came once more to the northern woodlands.
Every year, for the past thirty-two years in the Spring I take my wee ones out into the forest to search for a lady's slipper. Last week I promised the children we would go on such a quest. But the rains came and an amble through the forest behind our school was not an option. Anticipation grew as the days got more dreary.
"Today can we go and look for the lady's slipper?" someone would ask at circle time. Speculation was on the rise. "Who was the lady?" "Why did she lose her slipper?"
Finally, the sun came out. After practicing for our Concert yesterday morning, I knew the children needed to "run off" some energy and so off into the woodlands we meandered. When I showed them the first lady slipper, in awe they gazed. They were not the least disappointed that it was not Cinderella's. I quickly explained the reason for our search and they listened with rapt attention.
"Long ago, when I was your age, I found these beautiful pink flowers growing in the woods behind my house. I gathered many and with pride brought them home to give to my Mom. When my two older sisters saw the bouquet in my hands as I walked into the backyard, they teased me and said they were going to call the police because it was against the law to pick these woodland flowers. I threw the flowers on the ground and ran down the cellar stairs to find Mom's spade so I could dig a big hole in my sand box to hide the evidence. That night I couldn't sleep for fear the police would come. Sobbing loudly, Dad came into the room to find out what possibly could be wrong.
"I don't want to go to jail", I blubbered and explained why the police might arrest me."
Needless to say, he calmed me down...but the memory of that day is still fresh in my mind. It is still illegal to pick lady slippers in Massachusetts and so each spring we bring the classroom out into the forest for the life lesson of the day.
The lady slipper we found in the forest is a member of the wild orchid family.
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A 1935 law entitled an "Act to Protect All Wild Azaleas, Wild Orchids and Cardinal Flower" reads:
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Comments: 32
Yes, lady slippers are protected with good reason. We have a lot of the yellow ones but I have not seen the "showy lady slipper", the pink one, for years. I know there are some around.
John...skip over to Carver and my children will show you a secret place where pink lady slippers can be found in abundance.
I'm sure there are plenty at the Ridges north of Bailey's Harbor. But just south of Egg Harbor when the yellow lady slippers are in bloom they practically carpet the woods!
I am so glad you got the opportunity to take the kids out, to search for The Lady's Slipper, amid all the blasted rain we have been having. This year in our yard we have about 25 of them. Cameron looks forward to seeing how many we get every spring.
Jess, I was smiling when we were on our quest. The children were so excited..."I found a family of seven, here".
I had never heard of them - lovely photo essay
Thanks Kimber for stopping by....lady slippers are only around for a brief two weeks in the northern woodlands.
I'm so glad you didn't have to go to jail!
Can you imagine me in jail? I would go batty. But older sisters DO say the most incredible "stuff" to their younger siblings.
Beautiful article.
Jim, I was going to say the sme thing about them in MN. I have not seen them in years..
I don't think I've ever seen a Lady's Slipper close up. I need to go on the trail !
Lovely lovely!
Sistah Bob - this was wonderful and as much as I love flowers, I'm so glad many are protected - I loved seeing these pictures of these kids enjoying nature and the Lady Slippers!!! thanks for the morning smile!!! Salud
Well, you taught me something new also. I know when we lived in PA, it was against the law to remove any plant or tree from the woods or State Parks. I've never seen a lady slipper but I keep looking.
Thanks so much for posting to my group.
I'm so glad you give the kids this lesson to appreciate and protect. I was told very early if you picked them there wouldn't be any more.
A lovely and delightful photo essay. It looks like the children are enchanted with the Lady's Slipper. :)
Ever since you did an article about 'em last year, I've been looking for Lady Slippers down here. No luck. Hmmmm... Maybe they don't travel over water.
Elizabeth ,I'm glad you weren't arrested ! LOL! This is a great article ,thanks for sharing your outing with the children . the Lady's Slipper is beautiful.
This is the perfect way to find and appreciate the orchids ... we have similar laws in West Oz regarding the picking of wild flowers. I recall as a child doing what you did - picking the orchids just to take the beauty home. Our favourite was spider orchids.
I hope other teachers will take their classes out into the woods when you have retired, Bob.
You'll have to show me spider orchids, Magi. Will they be in bloom in the Spring?
Google them, Bob, to see if you like them. There should be some of them around in spring ... the question is where and how to find them - it has been a long time since I went orchid hunting.
Mag, I don't think we should have to travel far...I googled "spider orchids of western Australia" and found all kinds of sites with just gorgeous pictures and then I found a site about King's Park:
One of it’s recent projects was to return all bush in it’s grounds to it’s native plantings by removing all “foreign” plant introductions.
On Sept. 21st -24th 2005 The Kings Park Native Wildflower Show is its great garden event which broadcasts its advocacy of growing native species.When we visited the show the sun was shining down on a huge tented village ,resplendent with flags, set on the edge of a bush area with a vast colourfully planted native garden.
Though this article was written in 2005...it looks as though we just need to tramp over to King's Park.
King's Park, Bob, is only a relative stone's throw away from Forrestfield. These orchids - and plenty of others - are also found in the Dwellingup area ... which I'll show you anyway. But they can be difficult to find.
Mag, we'll find them.
Wonderful photos and story. I wish that I could take my students out into such a magical woodland. Thank you, Elizabeth. About nine days and counting now, is that right, my friend?
Nine days and counting ,Jennifer. We get out the 18th.
This is so darling! And a good lesson learned.
Thanks Sherrie for stopping by.