Author: Barb

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Monterey Monarch Habitat…and More

Monterey 17 Mile Drive Oct 2014 (15) Monarch Habitat
Somehow this post got started and then never finished or posted. I think it was just waiting for me to have some important reason to share it….today is the day. 

Way back in October I visited Monterey and Pacific Grove (California) for a wedding with my son and we had a few minutes to stop and check out the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary which unfortunately didn’t have any monarchs yet.
Monterey 17 Mile Drive Oct 2014 (17) Monarch Habitat

We walked around and looked in the trees and along the trail but not a single butterfly to see. We were just too early in the season.

Monterey 17 Mile Drive Oct 2014 (18) Monarch Habitat

Yesterday, I read an article from the Washington Post on monarch butterflies. The title had caught my eye, “Activists seek endangered status for monarch butterfly”. The article reminded me of our visit to the sanctuary and nudged me to actually finish and post this for you to enjoy.

Monterey 17 Mile Drive Oct 2014 (19) Monarch Habitat

Did you know that over the past 20 years, the monarch population has fallen by as much as 90%, according to the Center for Biological Diversity? I find that statistic shocking! The reason for the decline is partly because of dwindling supplies of milkweed along the thousands of miles of their migratory route and the illegal deforestation of their winter habitat in Mexico. Of course, the monarch butterflies that overwinter in Pacific Grove face their own perils. Reduction in the groves of coastal trees that provide cover and the reduction in native milkweed are of major concern to the California migration of monarchs.

Monterey 17 Mile Drive Oct 2014 (16) Monarch Habitat

The Xerces Society website has a list of things we in California can do to help the monarch butterflies, including the planting of milkweed and participating in the Thanksgiving Monarch Count. The results for the 2014 count are available here: Data Western Monarch Count. Shocking numbers!

I hope you take some time to educate yourself about the seriousness of this issue. Resolve to share this information with your children so that they know how important it is to conserve not only the local milkweed habitat but to encourage others to do the same.

What would the world be like without these beautiful creatures? Sad day if we lose these special insects.

Monarch Butterfly in GardenWe have monarch butterflies come through our garden….we have tried unsuccessfully to grow milkweed but I am determined to give it a try again this year!

 

 

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Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter – January 2015 Book Baskets

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter January 2015 Book Basket cover button

January 2015 – Book Basket Edition

Please read the following explanation outlining how to get this month’s newsletter.

The newsletter link is not in this email but will come separately. There may be a delay in your receiving the email so please don’t email me until the second day of the month if you haven’t received the link on the first. For some reason, some email providers take longer to receive the newsletter email.

If you don’t receive the separate email with the download link, you probably aren’t subscribed to the blog yet. This will take less than a minute to do if you follow the steps below.

If you are a subscriber and you haven’t received your newsletter email yet, check your SPAM inbox. Some subscribers have found the email buried in SPAM inbox.

If you need to subscribe:

  • You will need to go to the Handbook of Nature Study, look to the top right corner for the box to type in your preferred email address, and then confirm the email that comes to your email inbox.
  • Once you subscribe, you will receive a thank you email from me with the download link.

This month’s newsletter link will be available only during the month of January so be sure to download it before 1/31/15.

Remember! All of the archived and current newsletters are available as part of the Ultimate Naturalist Library…every level!

Contents of this edition of the newsletter include:

  • 7 book basket related articles (3 reprints from the archives)
  • January planning page
  • January Nature Journal Toppers
  • February preschool nature table ideas, printables, and activities (including a Monet art project)

Please note that Ultimate Naturalist and Journey level members have access to members only printables each month in addition to the newsletter printables. You will need to log into your account and then go to the “Other Releases” section.

 

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Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival – December 2014

OHC Blog Carnival

December is traditionally a slow nature study month in our home. Not just the weather, but so many things to distract us from our normal routine. We were able to take a few hikes and a snowshoe day this month which reminded me how much I am energized by being outside. Don’t forget that your children may need some outdoor time even in the winter months. Use the Outdoor Hour Challenge ideas to get started and then make the time to share some fresh air soon.

Our family’s December entries from this month’s study (in case you missed one):

I invited past Outdoor Hour Challenge participants to submit their favorite entries from 2014. I thought this would be a fun way to include some spark for nature study planning in the new year. Enjoy the carnival!

Favorite Nature Study Entries 2014

Photo credit: Angie from Petra School
Photo credit: Angie from Petra School

Angie from Petra School has been a faithful follower of my blog and a regular participant in this blog carnival. I love how she incorporates nature study in her Oregon habitat with her two sons even as teenagers. She is a joy to read. I invite you to read her favorite entry from 2014: Winter Mammals at the Coast.

Photo credit: Janet from Pursuing Joy in the Journey
Photo credit: Janet from Pursuing Joy in the Journey

Janet from Pursuing the Journey has submitted some wonderful entries over the past year. I have picked up on her enthusiasm for her local nature projects and wish we had something similar here. Please take a moment to pop over and read her favorite entry from 2014: More Mammal Recording.

Photo credit: Eva Varga
Photo credit: Eva Varga

Eva Varga has submitted a current entry to this edition of the carnival. Here is her submission: Winter Nature Walks. Eva has been participating as a blog carnival participant and as a newsletter article writer for a very long time. We have had the opportunity to meet in person since she is a fellow Californian. You may interested in knowing that she is also the author of science curriculum for children: Science Logic.

 

 

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!
OHC Blog Carnival

Don’t forget to share your blog entries with the Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival. All entries done in January are eligible for the next edition. The deadline for entries is 1/30/15 and you can send them directly to me: harmonyfinearts@yahoo.com.

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Nature Study Goals 2014 – Final Recap

Nature Study Goals 2014 @handbookofnaturestudy

Concluding Thoughts

Overall I think I did pretty good this year in reaching my nature study goals. A few areas I could have done a better job but those goals can rollover into 2015. We were able to do some amazing traveling during 2014 which was very unexpected and exciting. So, what started out as a rather wacky idea to make nature study goals way back at the beginning of 2013 has actually been just what I needed to push me in creating the opportunity to grow and learn as a person deeply interested in discovering and then learning more about what I see in my natural surroundings.

December 2014 Final Results

#1- Visit two new national parks in 2014. Complete.

#2- Identify and journal three new birds. Complete.

Completed the Bewick’s Wren, the Clark’s Nutcracker, and now the Killdeer.

#3- Identify and journal three new rocks. Completed only one but will continue on again in 2015.

#4- Three new hikes. Complete!

#5 Visit a new-to-me nature center. Complete.

#6- Post a nature photo of the week for the entire year. I came really close to accomplishing this goal! I did 48 of the 52 prompts. If you are interested in seeing the Pinterest board with all of the images from the year, you can pop over to Nature Photo of the Week 2014.

#7- Camping in all four seasons.

We made summer and autumn camping trips easily. After much thought and discussion with my husband, we decided we really don’t have any desire to go camping in the winter. Call it wimping out or whatever you want but we would rather go camping when the conditions are warmer and the days are longer. Our spring camping trip will happen in 2015!

Grand Canyon May 2014 (3)
My daughter and I had our cross country road trip.
Shelving Rock Falls May 2014 (2)
Our family had some time in New York, Vermont, and Connecticut! This was at Shelving Rock Falls in New York.

 

Half Dome Top
My boys climbed Half Dome!
IMG_1932
My son went on an extended trip to Peru.

 

I will be posting my 2015 after the new year rolls in and I get them down on paper.

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Winter Berry Hike – Fungi Too!

toyon berryWe had a chance to hike to the river this week to look for winter berries. The only ones we observed were the bright red toyon berries that lined the trail in certain spots. This is a shrub that we have studied in depth in the past and although it is not in the Handbook of Nature Study, we used the internet to discover what birds or animals eat the berries.

I found information that says that there are many birds,  coyotes and bears eat the toyon berries which help to disperse the seeds.

Here is my Toyon Berry (or Christmas Berry) entry from last year.

This hike though was all about the variety of fungus that we have emerging from the ground in our area since the rainy season has officially started.

IMG_8820So these look like Emetic Russula that my field guide says are present in all western forests. In the comments in the guide it says that they are usually regarded as poisonous and have an extremely acrid taste that would discourage you from eating them anyway. I will just enjoy their bright pops of red on the forest floor as I hike along.

Here is a glimpse into some of the other more interesting fungi we spotted as we hiked. It was actually a little overwhelming to try to see them all…it was a perfect fungi walk!

IMG_8795 IMG_8791 IMG_8790 IMG_8785 IMG_8781 IMG_8777This is my favorite…the trametes versicolor or turkey tail. Don’t you just love it?

The woodlands of our area are coming alive right now as the rains bring on the green grasses and beginnings of the early wildflower plants. As we pass the first day of winter and the days gradually get longer and longer, I feel the pull to be outdoors again even in the cold temperatures. This is actually one of the best times to be outside in our area if the sun is shining. Hats and jackets are required to keep warm but as long as you keep moving or stop only in the sunshine, it is a glorious time outside.

As this year draws to a close, I am reviewing my Nature Study Goals for 2014 and anticipating those for 2015. Stay tuned for those posts soon!

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December Bird Study and Nature Notes

Our December bird study has been accomplished by participation in Project Feederwatch.

We didn’t see a Belted Kingfisher for that particular Outdoor Hour Challenge. As much as I travel in California, I have never seen one in real life. I used the location and species application over on the Great Backyard Bird Count website to local possible locations for future observation. It looks like that we can find them within an hour’s drive of our house which is encouraging.

Anna hummingbird

Here are our details for Project Feederwatch so far in the month of December.

  1. Anna’s hummingbird-1
  2. Western scrub jay-2
  3. Titmouse-2
  4. House finch-12
  5. Junco-9
  6. California towhee-2
  7. Spotted towhee-3
  8. Sooty fox sparrow-2
  9. White-crowned sparrow-8 (no house sparrows yet!)
  10. Mourning dove-2
  11. Downy Woodpecker-1
  12. Mockingbird-1
  13. American robin-5
  14. Lesser goldfinch-6
  15. Western bluebird-3
  16. Northern flicker-3
  17. European starling-6
  18. White-breasted nuthatch-1

Spotted towhee Dec 2014

Other Nature Notes

  • Aside from counting birds this month, I have been keeping track of rainfall. Yes, we have had rain! Our rain gauge has measured a total of 11 inches of rain since 12/1/14. We have been so dry that we don’t mind the rainy days at all!
  • We have had some beautiful orange-pink sunrises in the last week with the stormy clouds.
  • The last of the autumn leaves are down from the trees.
  • My Zygocactus has started to bloom.
  • We have several rose buds on the plant.
  • My early spring Narcissus bulbs are blooming! I think they are a little mixed up about the season.

Narcissus

 This year I am pretty much on my own for weekday nature walks.  I am scheduling in at least two long walks a week because walking and thinking are so very refreshing. Just getting outside in the air to observe the season takes a little effort but it is never disappointing. Let me how you are able to keep your nature walks going during the winter. I will be writing an article for an up-coming newsletter about the benefits of regular outdoor time for families.

How is your December looking?

 

 

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Nature Study Continues – Winter Nature Study Ebook

Outdoor Hour Challenge Winter Nature Study Continues ebook

Included in the Outdoor Hour Challenge Winter Nature Study Continues Ebook:
  • 11 new challenges centered on the Handbook of Nature Study 
  • 29+ notebook pages (regular and advanced options) and 13 coloring pages
  • Ten Charlotte Mason style exam questions
  • Full color images for 10 challenges in the ebook (separate pages so you can choose whether to print them or not)
  • Complete instructions for each challenge included additional links, videos, and resources
  • Nature journal suggestions
  • Complete list of supplies needed
  • 72 pages in the ebook!
  • Download and view a sample her: OHC Nature Study Continues Winter Sample

Here is a list of the specific challenges included in this ebook:

  • Rock Study – Feldspar
  • Star Study – Orion
  • Crystals
  • Fungi Study – Scarlet Cup (Saucer)
  • Bird Study – Flicker
  • Mammal Study – Cattle/Deer
  • Wildflower Study – Bloodroot
  • Garden Flower – Violets
  • Wildflower Study – Hepatica
  • Wildflower Study – Dutchman’s Breeches and Squirrel Corn
  • Garden Flowers – Bleeding Hearts

I am happy to announce the release of the long awaited Outdoor Hour Challenge Winter Nature Study Continues ebook! You are going to love the fresh new challenges to try in your family as you work your way through the weekly topics. I have been eager to start them as I put them together, gathering lots of fun videos and supporting resources to use along with the Handbook of Nature Study lessons.

Which edition of the Handbook of Nature Study do I need?

You will need to have a copy of the Handbook of Nature Study to use with the suggestions in the ebook. You can purchase a copy from Amazon.com or you can use an online version. The version of the Handbook of Nature Study I use is ISBN 0801493846.

Each week I will be sharing one of the challenges here on the blog which means you can follow along without a membership if you subscribe to my blog. You can subscribe by entering your email address in the subscription box at the top right of my website. After you enter your name, you will need to confirm your subscription by responding to the email that will come to your inbox.

Where Can I Get The New Ebook?

This ebook will not be sold separately but will be added to the Ultimate and Journey levels of membership here on the Handbook of Nature Study.

If you are a member of the Ultimate or Journey levels here on the Handbook of Nature Study, you will find the ebook listed in your library after you log into your account. The ebook version available to members includes all of the notebook pages, coloring pages, and color images. I highly recommend purchasing a membership for all the added benefits for each and every challenge.

Handbook of Nature Study Ultimate Naturalist Library

 

 

 

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Family Rock Study – Looking for Mica

Mica has been our rock seeking list for the past two years. Remember when I was trying to find, collect, and journal about all the rocks in the book Rocks, Fossils & Arrowheads ?

This was part of my Nature Study Goals in 2013.

Rock study book journal list

I wasn’t completely successful in 2013 and now in 2014 I finally pushed us to get out and find some mica close to home. It is actually muscovite which is abundant in California and in the county where I live. I can’t believe how much time I have spent looking into this rock. I am just not a confident rockhound.

Here is a glimpse into our mica rock study.

mica

So some sources said we have muscovite mica and some say mica schist. I am not completely sure what the difference is between the two (if any). I will just call it mica.

winter cattails

We visited our cattail site and took a look at the changes to the plants during the past few months.  You may wish to start or continue your own year-long cattail study. Make sure to mark your weekly planner for a date coming up soon.

bracket fungi 1

We were able to spy some cool bracket fungi.. a little late for our official bracket fungi study but still so very interesting.

bracket fungi 2

There was water collected in the top that was shaped like a cup.

Well, that was our mica rock walk and study. I am still trying to come up with a better way to identify rocks without taking hours and hours. Any suggestions are appreciated!

 

Just a note to all my faithful readers.

I will be sharing how my Nature Study Goals for 2014 turned out and posting my 2015 goals soon. Look for a printable for your to use to record you nature study goals here on the blog soon.

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Lassen Volcanic National Park – Tips and Images

 

Lassen Volcanic National Park Tips and Images @handbookofnaturestudy

Last summer my husband and I were able to visit Lassen Volcanic National Park in Northern California. We were camping at near-by Eagle Lake and this seemed like the perfect day trip for us. We had been to this national park in the past, I am guessing in 1996. This time we were going to take in the highlights and hike a few easy trails.

Lassen National Park 2014 (5)

Of course, stopping at the visitor center was a must since we needed to get some suggestions for hiking and to see the exhibits. We spent a few minutes talking to the ranger at the information desk about how to make the best use of our time. Equipped with some ideas, we set off on the road through the park, traveling south to north. The entire road through the park is about 29 miles.

Lassen National Park 2014 (6)

The first place we stopped was the Sulphur Works. The signs were very helpful and told both about the geology of the area and the history.

Lassen National Park 2014 (8)It is pretty impressive to see the mud pots bubbling and steaming with stinking vapors. The yellowish parts are where the sulphur is exposed.

Lassen National Park 2014 (10)

Here is another view of the Sulphur Works area. The hydrothermal features of Lassen are not as extensive or impressive as the ones found at Yellowstone National Park but still very interesting.

Lassen National Park 2014 (20)

From the same parking lot, you can take off on a hike up to Ridge Lakes. If we had more time, we would have hiked the two mile round trip trail to see the lakes. The first section of the trail was beautifully bordered by ferns and wildflowers galore. Gorgeous!

The next major stop on the road is the parking lot and trailhead to Bumpass Hell. We have done this trail before and would be a MUST SEE for any first time visitors. We took our very young children on this hike so I know it is possible to do this as a family. The reward is a view that is rare and unique. You need to note that this trail is only open for part of the year so check the national park website for opening and closing dates.

You must watch this video on YouTube: Lassen Volcanic National Park – Bumpass Hell.

We chose instead to have a picnic lunch at Lake Helen.

Lassen National Park 2014 (29)Lassen National Park 2014 (29)

This is an amazingly blue lake with crystal clear water. We sat in the sunshine on this day and marveled at all the geological history surrounding us.

Lassen National Park 2014 (27)

Here is another view of the lake. Believe it or not, there were some people who came and jumped in this lake for a swim. The water was ice cold making it hard to understand the attraction but we enjoyed watching them swim across the lake and back.

Lassen National Park 2014 (40)Lassen National Park 2014 (40)

The drive through the park included some amazing vistas. We took our time and explored this meadow a bit and then headed to the devastated area.

Lassen National Park 2014 (42)

We walked the nature trail here at the devastated area, reading the signs and imagining the volcano’s eruption last century. This is a perfect place to learn about this particular volcano and see some rocks and other geological features up close.

Lassen National Park 2014 (43)You can see the actual volcano in the distance from here. On this bright sunny peaceful summer day it was hard to imagine the violent eruption that happened so recently.

Lassen National Park 2014 (44)

The nature lover in me thoroughly soaked in the information about the rocks and geology shared on the interpretive signs. This is the perfect place for families to visit before, during, or after a study of the earth’s rock cycle.

Lassen National Park 2014 (52)

Near the entrance station, there is a wonderful lake to stop at and walk around. Manzanita Lake was a busy place on this particular day with picnickers, fishermen, and walkers.

Lassen National Park 2014 (1)

We sat at the lake’s edge long enough for me to sketch the scene in my nature journal. What a perfect way to end our day!

Lassen National Park 2014 (16)

I hope you get to visit this national park sometime with your children…put it on your list!

Things You Probably Want to Know

You can read more of my national park tips in these entries:

 

 

 

 

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Nature Study Continues-Winter Nature Study Topics

Outdoor Hour Challenge Winter Nature Study Continues ebook
Get ready for the soon to be released Winter Nature Study Continues ebook!

Want a sneak peek at the topcis? These are all completely new topics and will help your family with your winter nature study activities.

  • Rock Study – Feldspar
  • Star Study – Orion
  • Crystals
  • Fungi Study – Scarlet Cup (Saucer)
  • Bird Study – Flicker
  • Mammal Study – Cattle/Deer
  • Wildflower Study – Bloodroot
  • Garden Flower – Violets
  • Wildflower Study – Hepatica
  • Wildflower Study – Dutchman’s Breeches and Squirrel Corn
  • Garden Flowers – Bleeding Hearts

This new ebook will be loaded into the Ultimate Naturalist and Journey level memberships soon!

If you aren’t a member yet, you still have time to join and have immediate access as soon as it publishes.

Handbook of Nature Study Ultimate Naturalist Membership

Outdoor Hour Challenge Winter Nature Study continues Coming Soon