This has been a month of wildflowers for our family. The quote from the Handbook of Nature Study that I put on the front page of this month’s newsletterreally sums up my feelings well.
“Thus by beginning with the child in nature-study, we take him to the laboratory of the wood or garden, the roadside or the field, and his materials are the wild flowers or the weeds, or the insects that visit the goldenrod or the bird that sings in the maple tree, or the woodchuck whistling in the pasture.”
We aimed at going out to look for wildflowers and we were rewarded with meaningful nature study. The incidental things that came into view when we slowed to observe the flowers closely brought other subjects into view as well. The insect on the flower, the birdsong as we walked, and the snake and newt that crossed our paths.
Don’t ever imagine that you can study in nature one subject without being drawn into seeing the relationships between the amazing things happening around you.
Here is the results of our color hunt from the Wildflower and Weed Study Grid (May 2016 Newsletter). I have picked my favorites for each color for you to enjoy.
Light Pink
Dark Pink
Yellow
Orange
Red
Purple
Lavender
White
I am still keeping my running lists of wildflowers that we find by hike in my little journal. It is very helpful to stop during a hike and make some notes as we go along. Also, afterwards, sitting with the images and a field guide, we try to identify any flowers we didn’t recognize during the hike. I have learned about a few new flowers this month by keeping careful track of the wildflowers seen.
This is such a gorgeous colorful time of year in the garden. I thought I would do a little update on my Garden Planning nature journal page and share how my April 2016 recap page is coming along.
At least this is the plan as of today…I know when the actual planting time comes I will probably adjust a bit but this gives my husband an idea of what irrigation I will need for him to set in up in each box. The one box is labeled as the “herb box” which it used to be in the past but now it is just a regular box…it will probably always be known as the herb box.
I’ve left some blank space for recording experiences as we finish up the month. I find that keeping the page going during the month is the best way to assure that it will actually get done. I used some watercolor pencils, gel pens, and a ruler to create my page.
We have enjoyed the sweet, sweet days of early spring this week. A little shower of rain and abundant sunshine after that have made for the world of spring to magically open up around us. My gardening days have begun and along with that comes a renewed inspiration to get my nature journal supplies out and create a record of the things around me.
We have early spring bulbs with a fragrance from heaven. I cut a few to put in a vase for the counter behind my kitchen sink. It makes for a beautiful visual and scent as I do my chores. You can see more ideas for enjoying your Early Spring Bulbs in the Outdoor Hour Challenge from a few weeks ago.
We have many blooming bushes and plants in our yard…here are a few of my favorites. Use the ideas in the Signs of Spring Outdoor Hour Challenge for your early spring nature study.
It was fun to create a Signs of Spring 2016 nature journal page while I was outdoors. It made me more aware of the surroundings and the many ways we can use our senses to experience the early spring. I could hear the birds singing in the neighborhood, the bushes were moving slightly in the breeze, I saw some sort of insect fly by, and I could feel the warm air and the sunshine on my skin. There is no better way to mark the beginning of the season!
I hope you can get outdoors and mark the change of the season in your world…try to make a detailed record of the day.
“Every place, creature, or event in the natural world provides an opportunity for wondering and writing.”
If you have a child that is finding it difficult to add some creative writing in their nature journals, this is just the resource you NEED. I am going to keep it alongside my Handbook of Nature Studyvolume to remind me to pull it down whenever I have a hard time putting words alongside my nature sketches.
This month I have been working my way through this nature related book, A Crow Doesn’t Need a Shadow.I have had it on my shelf or a long time but it hasn’t been given justice as far as implementing the ideas on the pages. [Please note there are Amazon.com affiliate links in this post to books I purchased with my own money and am happy to share my honest review for here on my blog!]
I am so happy that I took the time to look more closely at this book. It is a great inspiration for a nature journal which I desperately need…I’ve been going through a dry spell as far putting words on paper. It reminds me just how much I love to play with words and nature inspires much word play.
This book focuses on the writing of poetry in a way that you can help even the youngest writer to get started. You will be gathering words and building on those words in an organized way. The sections are step-by-step instructions on how to write a particular kind of poetry and there are plenty of examples from children of all ages to sample and inspire you.
There are whole sections dedicated to keeping a nature journal.
My favorite parts of each “lesson” are the Questions and Thoughts to Explore and the Suggestions for Writing. These give concrete suggestions for completing the poem writing ideas.
You can use this on a field trip or in your own backyard!
This book is part of my Nature Book Project for 2016.
Note some of the links below are Amazon.com affiliate links.
The giveaway is over but I invite you to read all about this encouraging nature journal product and then click over to Nadene’s website to order your own copy.
I know many of us are always trying to find ways to add some spark to our child’s nature journaling experience. We sort of get stuck in a rut with just a quick sketch and a caption…which is a perfectly fine way to keep a nature journal. But, sometimes it is fun to mix it up a bit and try something completely different.
Perhaps your child hates a blank page or they don’t think they sketch well.
Are you looking for an inexpensive downloadable nature journal product that your whole family will enjoy?
It was super easy to download the file, read the printing instructions, print the pages, and then get started with the prompts in the journal. The prompts do not need to be done in any order so you can pick a page that fits your nature experience of the day.
I used my comb binder to bind up my journal but Nadene says in her instructions that you can “staple, bind, tie, or secure” the pages instead. You might want to try this method: Rubberband and Paperclip.
Most of the pages can be completed in just a few minutes so plan on completely more than one during your outdoor time.
Children can use this book independently if they can read.
Not all of the pages require drawing…some are of a more creative suggestion! I love the variety of ideas in this journal!
This product is inexpensive and can be printed as many times as you want for your family
There are few supplies you will need with this journal but all are common household items you most likely already have on hand.
I love this nature journal idea so much that I asked Nadene if I could review and then giveaway some copies of this for my readers. She generously has supplied three copies of the Smash This Nature Journal #1 for me to share with three lucky families! Enter below using the Rafflecopter gadget…..easy to enter with just a comment answering a nature journal question.
Giveaway is over – Congratulations to the winners!
Don’t miss this giveaway which will end on Thursday night at midnight. I will randomly choose three entries to win their very own copy of this download and announce the winners on Facebook on Friday. I will also contact you via Rafflecopter (email) in order to deliver your electronic prize. a Rafflecopter giveaway
I know there are a lot of new readers here on the Handbook of Nature Study and many of you have never downloaded my free printable that outlines 3 easy steps to encouraging better nature study experiences. This printable includes suggestions for progressive nature study using practical ideas, a printable chart, and a reminder checklist for your nature journal.
Whether you are beginning your nature study adventure or you have been on the trail a long time, take a look at the ideas we tested and found valuable in my own family.
Sometimes using a simple thing like an arrow on a nature journal page pumps up the interest factor and helps create a focus. I hope this entry will help you see how using an arrow feature on your page is a simple but effective tool for your family.
Nature Journal Page Ideas – Arrows!
Draw attention to a point of interest on the page.
Use the arrow to highlight something in the sketch.
If you would like to contribute to the board, you will need to follow this Pinterest Board and then leave me a comment letting me know you want to be added. Important: If you contribute to the board, you need to include in your description the prompt it is featuring.
Sample: Our The Window Nature Journal
If you don’t include a description using one of the monthly journal prompts, I may remove it. This is not a board to post general nature journal pages. It is strictly for pages created using one of the twelve monthly prompts as part of this project.
Please note that you are not committed to make a journal each month…participate as you can and share your results to encourage others.
This week we are going back to the basics by encouraging everyone to include some drawing in their nature journals. This challenge from the very first series of challenges is one that your family can complete periodically to keep your pencils and minds sharp, looking for ways to draw something interesting in your nature journal.
Members here on the Handbook of Nature Study have access to this challenge (#3 in the ebook) and its corresponding notebook page in the Getting Started ebook. Make sure to look up the challenge in the ebook, print the notebook page, and then make time to complete the suggested activities soon!
I’m either really late with this month’s entry or really early for next month’s entry…oh well. This month has flown by in a good way filled with lots of rainy days but a few opportunities for some outdoor time as well. Read below about our brush with a tornado!!!
We took a rather spur of the moment trip to Nevada to refresh our minds and it was picture postcard perfect as we drove up and over the Sierra Nevada. The roads were clear but the mountains were beautifully covered in a layer of snow. We were cold the whole weekend long with temperatures dipping down to 9 degrees…really cold for this California girl. We bundled up and took some walks, shopped in this incredibly large outdoor store (Scheel’s), and ate lots of delicious food. It was a perfect combination of indoor and outdoor fun.
This is my January photo from my office window and it pretty much sums up our month…rainy! I have been keeping track of our rainfall totals and so far we have racked up 26 inches of rain since the first of October! We have also had a dusting of snow, two hail storms, and believe it or not…a tornado!
Yes, back on December 24, 2015 we had an alert on our phone to take cover because there was a tornado in our area. What??!! This was a first and we decided to take shelter in our basement but the tornado ended up going in a different direction and only came within about 5 miles of our house. I have to say that it was exciting and sort of scary at the same time. In our world, we don’t usually worry about a tornado!
There were some sunny afternoons this month that allowed a few long walks with the husband and our faithful Labrador. This was a muddy hike to the river but we very much enjoyed the warm sunshine and seeing some green for the first time in a very long time. This past few years have not allowed our usual grass crops to green up very much and I am so looking forward to see our beloved California foothills covered in green grass and colorful wildflowers. I’m ready now!
I’m adding a little something different this month as part of my Outdoor Mom’s Journal, a book review. The first book I have read as part of my Nature Book Project is Discover Nature Close to Home by Elizabeth P. Lawlor. This is a fantastic book with a long list of topics that you may find very near your home: maples, pines, seeds, squirrels, starlings, goldenrod, galls, lichens, vines, chipmunks, spiders, centipedes, fungi, ants, and earthworms. This is such a practical guide to nature study that focuses on things close to home. I love the variety of topics, the straightforward information, and specific activity ideas.
Whether your family spends a few minutes a week outside or hours at a time, share what is going on in your world. I hope you have enjoyed your October nature adventures.
How Do You Join?
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 week 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….
I added nature journal pages about….
I am reading…
I am dreaming about…
A photo I would like to share…
Throwback to Yosemite National Park January 2014…..the winter trip when it was cold but not much snow. I have seen photos of Yosemite in the last week and they have a ton more snow this year.
I will be posting my Outdoor Mom’s Journal entry once a month. Look for it during the first week of the month each month.
I am thoroughly enjoying my Project Feederwatch counting this year…we added a few new feeders that are closer to my viewing window and that makes counting super easy. Even watching our “ordinary” birds gives me such pleasure. Here are some images from my counting days of my fine feathered friends.
Finches!
Loving our mockingbird and watching him visit every morning to a particular tree and then to a blackberry vine in the corner of our yard…always sitting at the top.
I caught this sparrow with his mouth full of seed. Love his feet too!
This is one of the woodpeckers that visit our feeders and trees just about every day now. They aren’t very big but they are beautiful birds.
Here is my list of birds that have come to visit during the months of November and December.
November and December Bird Lists
White-crowned sparrow
Dark-eyed junco
House finch
White-breasted nuthatch
Western scrub jay
Anna’s hummingbird
Spotted towhee
Northern mockingbird
Evening grosbeak
American robin
Mourning dove
Nuttall’s woodpecker
Lesser goldfinch
Titmouse
Northern flicker
European starlings
California towhee
Bewick’s wren
Fox sparrow
What birds did you see this month?
These are affiliate links to products I have used and love.
