This week we’ll be studying mint as part of the herb nature study series. This plant is an easy plant to grow for beginners and younger students.
Here are a few observation ideas for you to get started:
Note the mint’s square stalk and the opposite pair of aromatic leaves. Feel the stem. Crush the leaves between your fingers for a more intense scent. Does it smell like toothpaste?
Note the color and height of the stem.
Look at the leaves and observe the shape and veins. What is the texture of the leaf? Taste a few of the fresh leaves if possible.
Observe the flowers if they are present. What is their color and size? Do they have a fragrance? Did you see any insects on the plant or flowers? Bees, hover flies, and tachinid flies all are attracted to mint flowers.
Advanced Study: Grow and then study two kinds of mint. This link has a list of a variety of mints you could choose from: Mint Plant Varieties.
Remember that the rest of the challenge is available to Ultimate and Journey level members here on the Handbook of Nature Study.
You will need to sign into your Ultimate or Journey level membership to see the herb ebook download.
Once you download your ebook, you’ll have complete access to the challenge. This includes additional links, resources, study ideas, and printables.
Please note you can purchase a membership right now for $35 using the code GREATDAY. Code expires on 9/10/2021.
Waking up to birdsong has become my favorite part of summer. It starts early! Mid-July it started around 4:30 AM and it has gradually become later and later, until those morning serenades have stopped. The departure of so many of the dawn singing birds has been replaced by a nip in the air and shorter days. How does that happen so fast?
You may wonder how I know that the birdsong starts so early. Well, we spent most summer nights sleeping in our backyard tent. The birds would be so loud that they would wake me up! I heard many a nighttime owl duet from the resident great horned owls. Then there were the frogs in the river meander behind our house that make a ruckus most nights. Finally, the last few weeks we’ve had the sound of yipping and howling coyotes. It’s hard to believe there’s so much going on outside, but it’s there if you happen to listen.
Late Summer Changes
Most of the robins have flown on, the swallows are gone, the bluebirds are scarce, hardly a red-wing blackbird to be seen. The sounds now are of chickadees, finches, doves, and flickers. I’ve been reflecting on the coming and going of the birds as the seasons change. I looked back in my journal where I noted we saw our first robin and red-wing on March 1, 2021. I remember that day with great fondness, happy day indeed. The summer bird season went by entirely too fast.
As I write this entry, our garden is still in full bloom and I spend many days watering, weeding, and cutting flowers. I call it my garden therapy. I sometimes linger sitting on the garden bench just so I can watch the creatures who come to visit. There are hummingbirds in the flowers, bees buzzing around, and all kinds of birds who come to take a bath or drink from the bird baths. There are a few chipmunks who zip in and around the garden when they think no one is watching. If I’m lucky, there will be a butterfly, or a dragonfly come to check things out.
I make mental notes of what grew well in the garden and what I would like to do differently next year. I create new plans in my head for areas that need improvement and I also make a mental list of the things that failed.
Some days, our kids show up and entice us down to the river for a kayak. We drag the boats down to the riverbank and slip into the shallow water as we make our way downstream. The river is low this time of year and it’s not unusual to see a few fish or crawdads as we float over.
The grasses are still quite green from the thunderstorms we’ve had this month. This means the cows and calves are still living out back where we enjoy their antics as they spend their long summer days grazing and sitting under our trees out back. They often are right along the river’s edge as we make our way down river. We noted a brand new calf with spindly legs and soft brown eyes, we named him Hot Cocoa.
Our new family table, built with my husband’s own hands. We have welcomed many family members to this table over the summer and we will continue the tradition next year.
Now I find myself trying to muster up enthusiasm for the autumn and all the changes that come with it. Most people welcome the autumn, but it makes me feel unsettled. Perhaps it’s because I don’t like change and the replacing of my warm, summer sunshine-filled days with the unpredictability that comes with autumn in Central Oregon. We could have a warm day, a cold day, a snow day, or all the above all in one day.
The falling leaves and withering flowers make me sad. The putting away of the lawn furniture and the potted plants and taking down the flower baskets….so melancholy.
I have in the past found it helpful to make an Autumn Bucket List of things I look forward to doing to make the season a little more positive in my eyes. So, I will do that this year in anticipation of trying to put some joy in my autumn. Maybe that will take my mind off the winter season which is cold and long here in La Pine. I can always hope anyway.
This summer is drawing to a close and I have saved up some memories to pull out on long winter days. This mom is grateful to have had a garden to enjoy this year and a place to spend my days close to the plants and animals who share my space. I also appreciate the ability to share it all with you dear readers.
You can follow me on Instagram to see more of our outdoor life here in gorgeous Central Oregon.
Want to join in the Outdoor Mom post?
Answer all or just one of the prompts in a blog entry on your own blog or right here on my blog in a comment. If you answer on your blog, make sure to leave me a link in a comment so that I can pop over and read your responses.
During our outdoor time, this month we went…
The most inspiring thing we experienced was…
Our outdoor time made us ask (or wonder about) …
In the garden, we are planning/planting/harvesting…
We’ve had a great summer here in Central Oregon. There have been so many things learned about new birds and plants! I hope that you had a great summer of nature study too.
At the start of this last season here on the Handbook of Nature Study, I’m offering a large discount to new members. Please read the information below because I need you to be aware that the website and the member’s library will only be available until 12/31/21. At that time, I’m going to be going into full retirement and shutting the website off.
Note: If you did not read the post about the plan for the Handbook of Nature Study for the rest of the 2021 calendar year, here’s a link that you should read:
Sage is a common medicinal and culinary herb in the mint family. It is attractive to bees, butterflies, and birds. Sage is a wonderful addition to your garden and is easy to grow for even beginning gardeners.
Sage is a drought tolerant evergreen plant or shrub that grows approximately 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide. It can become a woody shrub if you don’t keep it trimmed. You can grow sage in well-drained areas of your garden that have lots of sun.
Here are a few ideas for observations to get you started in your sage study:
What is the height of the sage stem? Feel the shape, color, and thickness of the stem. Note the arrangement of the leaves on the stem.
Look at the sage leaves and observe the shape, color, and size. What is the texture of the leaf? Taste a few of the fresh leaves if possible. Crush a few of the sage leaves in the palm of your hand to bring out the aroma.
Remember that the rest of the challenge is available to Ultimate and Journey level members here on the Handbook of Nature Study.
You will need to sign into your Ultimate or Journey level membership to see the herb ebook download.
Once you download your ebook, you will have complete access to the challenge. This includes additional links, resources, study ideas, and printables.
Last year I announced that I would be retiring soon, and over the past year there was a slowing down of posting and creating new materials here on the Handbook of Nature Study. During this next season, my Friday posts will be some of my most beloved ideas to assist families in their continued nature study. These entries will hopefully inspire you to create your own nature study plan with fundamental ideas that have worked both for my own family and for many other families who have participated in the Outdoor Hour Challenge over the years.
Transitions are always hard. I appreciate your understanding. Our family continues to deal with elder care and health issues. These responsibilities prevent me from devoting as much time as I would like to helping families with their nature studies. But I’ve hung on for so long because I truly love what I’ve shared and created via the Outdoor Hour Challenge. These decisions have not come without great thought and consideration.
What Should You Do?
I will be continuing to post my weekly Friday nature posts until 12/31/21. Please make sure you’re subscribed to the blog posts so you will receive my weekly posts in your email box. If these posts are something that helps you in your nature study, keep the emails in a folder for future reference. Each post will have links for you to further explore using materials in the Ultimate Naturalist Library.
Very Important
Members to the Ultimate Naturalist Library will have access to all the ebooks, newsletters, and printables until 12/31/2021. At that point, I will be closing down the Handbook of Nature Study website.
In anticipation of the shutting down of the website, I highly encourage members to download and save any materials you wish to use in the future. I know this is a big job, but I hope by giving you plenty of notice you’ll make time to build your own library with the materials I have created.
Please note you can still purchase a membership as long as the website is up. I’ll be posting a discount code later this month if you’d like to wait for that before purchasing.
P.S. Just as a side note, I did attempt to create a website to stay live on the internet for members, but I had a bad experience with a designer who took my money and then disappeared. I have no budget to try again.
Already a member? You’ll need to sign into your Ultimate or Journey level membership to see the herb ebook download. Once you download your ebook, you’ll find the complete challenge with observation ideas, additional links, notebook page, images, and a coloring page.
In the Herb ebook are eight brand new Outdoor Hour Challenges for you to complete as part of your nature study lessons with your children. These challenges are not based on information in the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock. You’ll be using internet links and field guides to glean information about each topic.
Here are the specific topics included in this ebook:
This week we’re going to learn about dill as part of our herb nature study. Listed below are some suggested observations to make while observing your dill sample. This aromatic and delicious herb is easy to study and is a common item in many produce departments and garden nurseries.
Dill Observation Ideas
Observe the dill plant’s leaves and stem. Measure the height of your dill plant and keep a record as it matures.
Observe the foliage and draw it in your nature journal. What is the texture of the leaf? Crush a few of the leaves and describe its aroma. Taste the dill. Does it remind you of any of your favorite foods?
Observe the flowers if they are present. Can you see 5 tiny petals and 5 tiny stamens? What is the flower’s color and size? Do they have a fragrance?
Measure the flower umbel. Did you see any insects on the plant or flowers? You will often observe small wasps, flies, and hover flies on dill flowers.
Remember that the rest of the challenge is available to Ultimate and Journey level members here on the Handbook of Nature Study. You will need to sign into your Ultimate or Journey level membership to see the herb ebook download. Once you log in, you can download the Herb Ebook for the complete challenge, the notebook page, and the coloring page.
August 2021 Nature Study Plans – Outdoor Hour Challenge
We are finishing off the summer with the rest of the herb Outdoor Hour Challenges! I think that sounds like a perfect way to observe some interesting plants and enjoy a little deliciousness at the same time.
August 6, 2021 – Dill Herb Study
August 13, 2021 – Thyme Herb Study
August 20, 2021 – Lemongrass Herb Study
August 27, 2021 – Mint Herb Study
New Printables in the Members Library
Redwood Forest Habitat Notebook Page: Have you visited or are you dreaming of a redwood forest visit? This notebook page will give you a place to record your observations.
My Summer Nature Walk Notebook Page: After your nature walk, follow up by recording what you noted with your senses.
Last Days of Summer 2021 Grid Page: I can’t believe we are at the end of summer already! Use this grid from the archives to stimulate a little nature study before the season is over.
Snake Field Guide Notebook Page: Use this notebook page to record your snake observations or to keep track of your snake research.
Click the graphic above to view the complete list of printables available as part of an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership.
Members also have access to the Nature Planner pages in their library. Print out this month’s page and use it to stimulate your weekly nature study time.
If you would like to have access to the member’s printables and the newsletter archive, I invite you to join with an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership. Your membership will be valid for one year from the date of purchase. Click the graphic above to see the many benefits of an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership.
Here are some observation ideas from the challenge.
Observe the oregano plant’s leaves, stem, and flowers if present. What is the height of the oregano stems?
Feel the shape, color, and thickness of the stem. Note the arrangement of the leaves on the stem.
Look at the leaves and observe the shape and veins. What is the texture of the leaf? Taste a few of the fresh leaves if possible. Bring in a few leaves and dry them inside.
Observe the flowers if they are present. What is their color and size? Do they have a fragrance? Did you see any insects on the plant or flowers?
Remember that the rest of the challenge is available to Ultimate and Journey level members here on the Handbook of Nature Study. You’ll need to sign into your Ultimate or Journey level membership to see the Herb Ebook download.
Included in the Herb Ebook are eight brand new Outdoor Hour Challenges for you to complete as part of your nature study lessons with your children. These challenges are not based on information in the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock. You will be using internet links and field guides to glean information about each topic.
This 49-page digital ebook has 8 challenges and supplemental activities that will help you learn about some popular and common herbs you can easily grow in your garden.
There are multiple custom notebooking pages for each of the topics. You can choose from simple notebook pages or more advanced notebooking pages.
This year’s results from the Practical Homeschooling Reader Awards have been published in the Summer issue of the Practical Homeschooling magazine. The Handbook of Nature Study and the Outdoor Hour Challenges have once again been chosen to receive the honor of winning third place in the Elementary Science category.
Since 2008, families from around the world have participated in the Outdoor Hour Challenge. There is such joy in writing about things I love and then to be honored for sharing them with all of you. I wish I could personally thank each and every one of you for supporting my passion.
It makes my heart happy to know that so many families enjoy nature study as part of their regular science program. The lessons and skills honed by including nature study as part of your homeschooling week will be used in the years to come.
As a BIG thank you, I’m going to be extending a discount code for you to use towards ANY level of membership here on the Handbook of Nature Study.
Discount code: FRIENDS2021
Use this code at checkout and you will receive $10 off your purchase of a membership. Code will expire 8/9/2021.
If you choose an Ultimate Naturalist Library Membership, this will give you all current 26 ebooks available for downloading.
PLUS, you’ll receive access to the printables library with dozens of notebooking pages and activities for you to print out. PLUS, it will include access to all 76 archived issues of the monthly newsletter.
Now is the time to join so you can start using the resources right away and then for the next year of your membership! I will soon be publishing the year plan for 2021-2022. You can be assured that the plan includes many ideas from the Ultimate Naturalist Library and you will be constantly referring to the challenges, the printables, and the newsletters as part of the upcoming year plan.
Thank you so much for your love and support of the Handbook of Nature Study!
Don’t forget to use the discount code: FRIENDS2021
Late Summer Changes
New Printables in the Members Library
