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Posted on August 30, 2021 by Barb — Leave a comment

Renee’s Garden Seeds: Summer 2021 Results

Renee’s Garden Seeds

Summer 2021 Results

Link to her website: Renee’s Garden Seeds

What a fantastic year for the garden! We have so many success stories to share and positive results as the season is in full swing. Renee’s Garden seeds were a huge part of the colorful and vibrant garden our family and friends have enjoyed as they visited this past month.

Read below for the specific seeds we planted and the results we achieved.

Renee’s Garden Seeds List

4^th of July Heirloom Cornflowers

Wow! These have really produced an abundance of flowers in the garden. I love the shades of blue and red and so do the bees!

Lace Mantle Sweet Williams

I get more compliments about this particular flower in my garden than any other flower. Their striking colors are so pretty! I count these as a huge success.

Rainbow of California Poppies

We had more blooms last year but there are still quite a few of the rainbow-colored poppies for us to enjoy. For some reason, they are leaning and reaching outside the garden box. I really need to figure out what’s going on there.

Lemon Queen Sunflowers

As always, we’ve had a bumper crop from the Lemon Queen Sunflowers. They’re not only a favorite of the bees, but they’re also a favorite of mine! The soft yellow is such a happy color.

Classic Slenderette Bush Beans

We planted these beans in pots at the beginning of May. I started with 3 plants when we transplanted them but ended up with only one healthy plant that produces blossoms and beans. I must be honest. These were an experiment to see if they can grow in our climate. The success of this one plant made me realize that I can grow beans in my garden and I have a great plan to be sure to have more plants thrive next year. As of today, the plants are withering from a couple of nights where the temperatures dropped to near freezing. Not sure I can justify the effort to grow these in my Central Oregon garden with such a small window of productivity. I did look back in my records though and we harvested lots of this variety of green bean from our garden in California. So, the failure here is a matter of habitat and climate and not the seeds.

Astia Container Zucchini

We had plenty of success with these seeds sprouting and growing, putting on blossoms, but no fruit at all. I think it may have to do with the cooler nights we have which make it hard for these to thrive. I wouldn’t count this as a failure of the seeds, just our garden zone.

Cinnamon Sun Sunflowers

I love these sunflowers so much! They add such a deep burgundy pop to the otherwise very yellow sunflower bed. Another thing I love about them? They make awesome cut flowers. I’ve had a vase continually filled with their happy, vibrant flowers.

Scarlet Runner Beans

These were started in May in pots and transplanted to the garden in June. We eagerly watched as the plants grew up the twine, put on flowers, and then produced pods that you allow to dry on the vine. Many mornings I look out the window and see the hummingbirds visiting the scarlet red blossoms. What a perfect addition to my garden!

Early Blooming Beekeeper’s Garden

This was a winner from last year’s garden. We added another packet of seeds to the box and once again they are a spectacular display of colors and shapes. I did make the mistake of allowing some volunteer sunflowers to grow in with the seeds. These have overshadowed the flower mix and I think perhaps the flowering of some of the varieties. Nonetheless, there have been plenty of bees and butterflies visiting the rainbow of flowers.

Knee High White Cosmos

These are some of my daughter’s favorite flowers in my garden. I love the vintage feel of this variety of cosmos.

Valentine Lemon Sunflower

This is one of the sunflowers that I sprouted and gave to friends. We’ve all had success growing them in our gardens and their slightly smaller flower head and multiple heads on one stem make them a great cut flower.

Heirloom Pepperbox Poppies

This is a favorite from the last few years here in Central Oregon. I now can’t imagine a flower garden without these poppies! I saved seed from last year’s crop and scattered it early in the spring to see how many would grow. Well, I’m happy to report that I have quite a few of this variety of poppy in several areas of my yard. The bees can be found daily buzzing and sipping from the red blossoms. If you would like a showy display, give these seeds a try.

Renee’s Garden seeds are the foundation of our flower garden. I’ve already made a list of new things to add next year to promote a wider range of colors, shapes, and heights to my flower beds.

I highly recommend purchasing from Renee’s and seeing the gorgeous results for yourself. I do receive a small amount of seed from Renee’s Garden as a promotional gift. In addition to her gift, I purchase many of the seeds myself. I know they’re always of the highest quality.

I also recommend following her on Instagram to see all of the new products available as they are released. #reneesgardenseeds

Are you interested in using the Handbook of Nature Study for a study of garden flowers? I’ve compiled a list of the topics from the book and coordinated them with the Outdoor Hour Challenges. I hope this is helpful for your family!

Handbook of Nature Study Flowers chart with Outdoor Hour Challenges

Posted on August 27, 2021 by Barb — Leave a comment

Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge: Mint Herb Nature Study

Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge

Mint Herb Nature Study

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.

Outdoor Hour Challenge-Herb Ebook: Download the cilantro sample here.

Use the discount code GREATDAY to receive $10 off your Ultimate Naturalist Library membership. Valid until 9/10/21.

Posted on August 25, 2021 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Mom-August 2021 Prime Summertime Delights

Outdoor Mom

August 2021

Prime Summertime Delights

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.

family table 2021 — 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…
I added nature journal pages about…
One last image…

Posted on August 23, 2021 by Barb — Leave a comment

Ultimate Naturalist Library Membership- Sale and Discount Code!

Ultimate Naturalist Library Membership

Sale and Discount Code!

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:

Plans for the Outdoor Hour Challenge: September 2021 through December 2021

Members to the Ultimate Naturalist Library will have access to all the ebooks, newsletters, and printables until 12/31/2021.

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.

Please take advantage of the discount code to gain access to the complete library until 12/31/21.

Discount code: GREATDAY

This code will give you $10 off an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership.

This code will expire on 9/10/2021.

Posted on August 20, 2021 by Barb — Leave a comment

Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge: Sage Herb Nature Study

Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge

Sage Herb Nature Study

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.

Outdoor Hour Challenge-Herb Ebook: Download the cilantro sample here.

Posted on August 19, 2021 by Barb — Leave a comment

Plans for the Outdoor Hour Challenge: September 2021 through December 2021

Plans for the Outdoor Hour Challenge

September 2021 through December 2021

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.

Posted on August 13, 2021 by Barb — Leave a comment

Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge: Thyme Herb Nature Study

Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge

Thyme Herb Nature Study

Get started with your study of thyme by using the links below.

¨ Learn more about thyme on this webpage: What is Thyme?

¨ Learn how to grow thyme: Thyme Tips.

¨ Here’s a YouTube video: How to Harvest, Dry and Use Thyme.

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.

Outdoor Hour Challenge-Herb Ebook: Download the cilantro sample here.

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:

Cilantro
Basil
Bee Balm
Oregano
Dill
Thyme
Sage
Mint

Posted on August 6, 2021 by Barb — Leave a comment

Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge: Dill Herb Nature Study

Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge

Dill Herb Nature Study

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.

Outdoor Hour Challenge-Herb Ebook: Download the cilantro sample here.

Here are the specific topics included in this ebook:

Cilantro
Basil
Bee Balm
Oregano
Dill
Thyme
Sage
Mint

Posted on August 1, 2021 by Barb — Leave a comment

August 2021 Nature Study Plans – Outdoor Hour Challenge

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.

Posted on July 30, 2021 by Barb — Leave a comment

Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge: Oregano Herb Nature Study

Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge

Oregano Herb Nature Study

Words to Describe Oregano’s Taste–Which ones do you agree with?

Pungent, earthy, green, minty, slightly bitter, lemony, peppery

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.

Outdoor Hour Challenge-Herb Ebook: Download the cilantro sample here.

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.
There are 6 coloring pages.
Sample: Print an ebook sample here: Cilantro Nature Study

Here are the specific topics included in this ebook:

Cilantro
Basil
Bee Balm
Oregano
Dill
Thyme
Sage
Mint

Renee’s Garden Seeds List

Use the discount code GREATDAY to receive $10 off your Ultimate Naturalist Library membership. Valid until 9/10/21.

Please note you can purchase a membership right now for $35 using the code GREATDAY. Code expires on 9/10/2021.

Outdoor Hour Challenges for families since 2008!