MARSTONS MILLS—Many of us view pollen as an allergic annoyance, but retired educator Tim Johnson calls that yellow powder a miracle.
"Plants need to go through this process to create seeds, and those seeds lead to more plants," Johnson said.
Armed with handmade marionettes which include a hummingbird and a monarch butterfly, Johnson engages children as part of a new series he developed with the Barnstable Land Trust.
The weekly Pollinator Pals show and hike happen Tuesday mornings at the Michael R. Kramer Center at Fuller Farm through August 8.
"It occurred to me that this series of shows would be so much more intriguing to kids if they could actually hear the monarch talk," Johnson said. "An object that is not kinetic at all can easily be transformed into a character that you think is real."
Morning Edition host Patrick Flanary spoke with Johnson, who brought along H.B. the Hummingbird and Mona the Monarch for the conversation.