Entymologist or Gardener?

(Not so) Baby Gardener with painted lady butterfly

 

My nephew has been gardening since he was a year old. This spring he helped me plant All Blue potatoes, radishes and carrots, and onions. He was pretty excited to see a picture of his radishes already up, much to the Gardening Twins dismay. (Their seedlings are still in a window sill at their house.)

 

For his birthday his mama got him 5 butterfly chrysalis. They have recently hatched. He has been pretty excited. He had even taken them on vacation worrying that they would hatch without him, not wanting to miss the big show. He even has favorite insects, typically beetles. He tells me he is 'not loving" the lady bugs that seem to be everywhere, though. Once when gardening, I came across a praying mantis. He was enraptured. He was very gentle and treated it like something precious, which it is. 

Close-up

At four, I am amazed at his understanding of the natural world and the questions he asks. I often wonder if some children lose this quality, or never had it? What sort of world would we have if all children were exposed to gardening and the natural world in the way my nephews have been. Would we have a better planet?