Families enjoy nature at their own pace

YOUNGSTOWN — It was supposed to be a slow walk on the Ford Nature Center’s trails in Mill Creek Park.

“We waited so long for spring to come, and it’s going by so fast,” Marilyn Williams, a naturalist with the center, told the group that had gathered behind the building today to participate in the Spring Scavenger Hunt.

“We should all slow down,” she continued. “Enjoy the day. Feel the sun and wind on your faces.”

There would be no collecting, she said of 20 items on a list they were all handed – people were to take pictures of the items with their camera phones instead.

Some of the items would be easy to find – such as No. 12, three different tree leaves; and some harder, like No. 2, a dandelion (as it happens, the nature center’s lawn was freshly mowed.)

After learning the rules, the group, mostly families with children, were sent off to the trails for up to two hours to scour for their 20 items and to have that nice, slow, encounter with nature.

For the complete story, read Sunday's Vindicator and Vindy.com