We're reading through One Small Square: Swamp.

It's meaningful because of our recent visits to Cypress Gardens while we were in South Carolina. (My sister bought us this book at the Cypress Gardens gift shop with her employee discount, actually. Thanks, Loretta!)

I really like this book series. I think I will collect them one by one (or get them from the library) and use them to help me plan field trips and make the trips more educational. The books give you things to look for when you visit these ecosystems, tell a little about the animals that live there, etc.

The swamp book we are reading now talks about two different kinds of swamps, not just the cypress swamps like the one we saw in South Carolina, but also mangrove swamps found on warmer coasts.

We are going back to South Carolina in a week. We may get a chance to visit Cypress Gardens again while we are there. But, we've already been there twice, so we may try and do something else while we are in South Carolina next time. Maybe we could go to the Seashore while we are there... The beaches in South Carolina are much different than those we visit often while living here in the northeast.

From South Carolina, we are also heading on to Florida. We will be there a day or two after our cruise, so I am researching to see if I can find a mangrove swamp for us to visit while we are there. It will all depend on how close we are to one and how much extra time we have during the days, etc. But, it would be nice to take advantage of our proximity to that unique ecosystem while we are in Florida.

I am also considering purchasing the One Small Square: Pond. There's a pond relatively close to us at Ansonia Nature Center. We could visit it when we get back to Connecticut at the end of April. I think it would be fun to read the book and then go to the pond a few times to see what we can find.

And, I may get the book for the Backyard and Woods, too. I mean, we have a backyard of our own... and we have woods we like to hike through at Kettletown State Park.

Now, the Arctic Tundra... that may be a little harder to manage.