We set out to look for and observe some mosquitoes (as part of the OHC Mosquito nature study) a couple of evenings this week with no luck. I know…sad to NOT observe any mosquitoes which is a weird thing to say. We even sat by the little slow moving stream where we thought for sure we would find some mosquitoes but there wasn’t a single mosquito to be seen.
Instead, we decided to look at all of the interesting things we could find along the trail and here are a few of our images.
The deer are all coming in close to town because of the drought. This one was peacefully grazing along the trail in a meadow.
The Queen Anne’s Lace is blooming all over the place…not very tall this year but lots of flowers to enjoy.
There are Sweet peas blossoming as well…seen slightly in the background of this image.
Here is a side view of the Queen Anne’s Lace…so very interesting!
The Toyan berry is blossoming right now…this will be covered in red berries come the late fall.
The Manzanita is developing berries…I love the way they look.
I have the privilege of taking care of two little boys this summer…a little each week. We are going to be doing some of the Outdoor Hour Challenges together since they are avid outdoor kids and love anything that creeps, hops, and slithers. I took over some pond water for them and along with the water I also got four little fish in the jar. These boys spent some time finding a little aquarium, cleaning it up and watching the fish. I was not successful in capturing some mosquito larvae like I had hoped but the boys still had a blast with the little fish. It is going to be a fun nature study summer with them.
We have been spending lots of time outdoors in the evenings so maybe we will eventually see some mosquitoes.
Summer time brings a more relaxed rhythm to most of our family life. That doesn’t mean we can’t still be including some outdoor nature study time with our children. It can be as simple as taking a walk and asking them to look for three interesting things or to take a picnic lunch outside to eat under your backyard tree. Weaving in some family time outside together is a valuable part of any summer bucket list and it takes just a little effort on our part.
Here are some fun First Day of Summer nature study ideas for you to keep in mind for next week. Be sure to mark your calendar!
Summer starts on June 21, 2014!
1. Camp out in your backyard: Since the first day of summer lands on a Saturday this year, plan a sleep out in your own backyard. Spend some of your evening gazing at stars, listening to insects, or take a flashlight walk.
2. First Day of Summer Flower Field Trip: Take a trip to your local garden nursery and let you child pick a plant to add to your backyard garden or patio container garden. After you plant your flower, sketch it into your nature journal along with the name of the flower and the date you planted it. You can combine this activity with this Garden Flower Nursery Field Trip ideas and printable.
3. Twilight at the Zoo: Many zoos have an evening option during this time of year. Check their calendar of events to see if your zoo has a special event for the first day of summer.
For other first day of summer activities from the archives, see this entry: First Day of Summer 2012.This entry has several easy ideas along with printable pages for you to use with your family.
Share you First Day of Summer 2014 activities with the up-coming blog carnival!
If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #5. Take the opportunity this week/month to start a running list of trees in your local area. Keep a list in your nature journal or use the notebooking page in the ebook to get started with this long-term project (in the back of the ebook).
You are welcome to submit any of you blog Outdoor Hour Challenge blog entries to the Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival. Entries for the current month are due on 6/29/14.
Please note this entry includes Amazon affiliate links.
“Because of their beauty and scientific value, special need exists for the protection of our native wild flowers and shrubs. It is understandable that these uncultivated plants should attract the visitor, but in too many instances he is not satisfied to enjoy their beauty as they exist in their natural habitats. All too frequently he picks flowers in large numbers, only to discard them faded and wilted a few hours later.”
Handbook of Nature Study, page 460
I have enjoyed watching this special area of the national forest as the plants and flowers make a comeback after years of people tramping through them as a short cut to the picnic area. It warms my heart to see the abundance of wildflowers this year, lavenders and yellows and reds justbeginning their showy display at the beginning of June.
Just beyond the restored area, you will find the glorious beach and shore of South Lake Tahoe. This is our familiar spot…the one we come back to during all four seasons just to soak in the beauty of this magnificent place. This particular day was a busy day with the parking lot full and the beach dotted with families enjoying the sunshine and the water. We opted to walk along the trail just up from the beach along the tree line where we could hear the birds and stop every now and then to observe a pretty flower or tree.
I was surprised to see that the Snow plantwas in all its glory during this hike. I recently learned that this plant is native to the west coast and cannot be found in other parts of the U.S. The first thing you notice is its bright red color, no mistaking this plant for much else. The whole plant is red and it makes these curving spiral parts around the flowers. It is unusual in that it doesn’t have any chlorophyll but gets its nutrients from fungi found in a conifer forest. (read more at the link above if you are interested in learning how that work).
This plant was really blooming along the trail and in the forest. I found it in my field guide, Slim Solomon’s Seal. It looks like it has a lot of other common names but this field guide is particular to my specific place so I am hoping I got it right.
The Applegate’s Paintbrush is dotting the landscape….making little red spots on the mostly green and brown forest floor. Just like someone painted red flowers in for interest.
I am having trouble identifying this flower…thought it was Graceful Cinqufoil but now I am not sure. I wish I would have taken a photo of the leaf because that would have helped me out. Lesson learned.
This is a new flower for me as well. I found it in my field guide…Sulphur Flower. I was surprised to read that this flower is in the buckwheat family, same family as the rhubarb.
This year the Corn lilies are amazing! They look so healthy and the area near the creek is just packed with them. I love the leaves with their soft greens.
Here is a glimpse at the area where the Corn lilies are growing thickly. I think the other plant with the different leaf you see in the photo is going to be Cow parsnip.
I spent way too much time trying to identify this flower…need to start again when I am fresh. Still, a beautiful color of lavender-blue!
This is my happy place where purple, yellow, and green mingle together to make the perfect spring wildflower bouquet…the one I don’t actually pick and put into a vase but rather I take some photos and recall the wonderful afternoon spent hiking around the forest with my hubby.
We ended the day with a picnic and then a drive over to Emerald Bay lookout to gaze at the green waters of the bay in the evening glow. We may be spending our anniversary weekend here camping under the pines and dipping our toes in the freezing cold water. We have our 30th anniversary next month and that is something to celebrate! It is the perfect place for us to share on this anniversary since we got married not far from this spot all those years ago. It holds special memories to us as a couple and as a family.
Hope you enjoyed seeing a little of our hike and the wildflowers that painted the day.
Grand Canyon National Park is a place that should be on everyone’s bucket list! There is no way to completely understand the majesty and splendor of this unique place without visiting it in person. I have made two trips to the Grand Canyon in my lifetime, one in the winter and one more recently in the spring.
My daughter and I were on a roadtrip across the United States and we chose to make an afternoon/evening visit to experience the canyon and surroundings together. We visited the South Rim but someday we hope to experience the North Rim. We were on our way from Las Vegas, Nevada to Flagstaff, Arizona and the national park is sort of an in-between spot. It would be easy to do a half day in the park from either place.
We knew we had limited time so we went right to the trail upon arrival. We parked our car and were able to walk the short distance to the trailhead of Bright Angel Trail. This is a trail that can take you all the way to the bottom of the canyon and to the Colorado River. We, of course, didn’t have time for that particular adventure since they recommend that you do not try to hike down and up on the same day. You can spend the night down in the canyon at Phantom Ranch (see the national park website for more information and options). If you have four hours or less in the park, you can view this video to get some more ideas for experiencing the Grand Canyon in a short time: Grand Canyon with less than 4 hours.
There were so many things to look at as you hike down the trail and at this time of year there weren’t many people on the trail. The air was warm but not uncomfortable, even hiking in the middle of the afternoon. My daughter and I had fun taking lots of photos and chatting with other hikers when we stopped for water breaks.
If you are interested in geology and learning more about the rocks of the area there are several informative signs and I saw lots of interesting books in the Visitor’s Center book store.
I was hiking in my regular hiking shoes but my daughter was wearing her Nike shoes…both worked great for this particular trail.
Another view from the trail as we hiked…no bad photos in this national park!
I was surprised by the number of birds we encountered on our hike and then as we later walked along the rim of the canyon on the Rim Trail. We utilized the free shuttle bus system within the park to get from one side to the other easily. This is a great feature since parking can be a pain. You can read more about the shuttle here: Grand Canyon Shuttle System.
This part of the park was a little more crowded since it is near the parking area, the Visitor’s Center, and the shuttle bus stop.
The most amazing time of day was at sunset. We stood at the lookout spot near Bright Angel Lodge and silently watched as the sun sunk down in the west and the light changed the canyon to pink, lavender, and a deep purple. Neither of us wanted to leave…we made a promise to come back some day and spend much more time exploring this awesome place on earth.
“There is no better way to interest the pupils in mosquitoes than to place in an aquarium jar in the schoolroom a family of wrigglers from some pond or rain barrel.”
Make sure to note that in the Follow-Up section of the challenge on the blog there is a link to a set of mosquito themed notebooking pages that you can download and print from the NotebookingFairy.com. (Thanks Jimmie!)
Don’t forget there is a Nature Journal Topper in this month’s newsletter that can be used to create a simple nature study experience related to the study of mosquitoes. (Note the newsletter is available to all subscribers and to those that are Ultimate or Journey level members.)
Print out this mosquito coloring page for your nature journal. Or you can use this line drawing as a model for your own nature journal drawing.
Getting Started Suggestion:
If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #8.Take a few minutes to go through this challenge and then take a close look at any insect (dead or alive) that you have on hand using a magnifying lens. Make sure to record your observations using the notebook provided in the ebook.
I am getting started on my Summer Grid nature journal from the June 2014 newsletter. Included in the newsletter this month are several printables that you can use with your family to create fun and interesting nature journals without a lot of fuss.
The Summer Fun Grid can be cut and then adhered in the journal as a tickler for June nature related activities. I like to keep a record of the journal items all on one page.
You will also find the Nature Journal Toppers to use with reluctant journalers…simple to cut, adhere to the page, and then complete the desired activity to journal about. See an example in this entry: Spring Cattails.
Here is a blossom from my Tulip poplar tree…the one I am going to visit each week as part of my grid study. There were bees buzzing around today and I also found some aphids on the back of one of the leaves.
It just took slowing down to note something pretty incredible!
I hope you find time to try some of the grid ideas and to use the Nature Journal Toppersthis month.
If you do not have the newsletter and you are not already a subscriber, you can enter your name in the box at the top right of the Handbook of Nature Study website. You will receive an email you need to confirm and then an email will be sent with the newsletter link.
Just a random post with some First Day of June Photos for you to enjoy!
We have had a mystery plant growing along the fence line. It turns out it is a delphinium, growing this year instead of last year when I planted the seeds. I always love a good mystery plant and this one is gorgeous. I wonder what happened to the rest of the seeds from the packet…maybe they will grow next year.
Our hydrangeas are starting to bloom along the side of the house, shaded in the afternoon they just keep coming back year after year. I love a no nonsense plant that will just really take care of itself but provide copious amounts of flowers to cut and enjoy on the kitchen table. I love the shade of purple they are this year.
Many of the day lilies are already showing their blazing colors…it is so early for them to be in bloom but I will not complain.
Just another day lily…
I am hoping this is an apple year after our disappointing harvest last year. We have lots of granny smith apples growing in the backyard sunshine…dreaming a crisp tart apple come autumn!
We finally spotted an ant colony along our walking trail. I used my shoe to scoot the big rock off the top of the hole and about a million ants came scurrying out. They were rather large ants that had displaced a lot of soil to make their living quarters. It was a little late to include in last month’s Ant Study but it was still fascinating to watch them.
Here is a better image to see how much dirt/gravel they have moved out around the hole. I took a little video to give an idea of how many ants were running around the hole.
I am so looking forward to the month of June and it warmer weather and long hours of daylight. I have so much gardening to catch up on but it is a labor of love.
Please read the following explanation outlining how to get this month’s newsletter.
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.
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 June so be sure to download it before 6/30/14.
Contents of this edition of the newsletter include:
4 articles with practical advice and tips for taking better photos of nature, even an article to help you with iPhone photos!
Nature Journal Toppers
Summer Fun Grid
Recommended study links
Please note that Ultimate Naturalist and Journey level members have access to several 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.
This has been a very busy traveling month for our family. My daughter and I visited four national parks and one national historic site. What a great trip!
While I was gone, you were all busy with your May nature study and some of you have sent in your entries. I invite you to take a look at this month’s entries and encourage each other with your family outdoor time. Thank you to all who sent in your entries!
Our family’s entries from this month’s study (in case you missed one):
Carol from Journey and Destination shares their excellent cat study, Nature Study and Outdoor Hour Challenge, and journal with the carnival. You will also enjoy seeing more of their Southern Hemisphere nature study subjects and nature journals.
Alex at Life on a Canadian Island has submitted their Squirrel Visitor in the Garden entry for you to enjoy. This challenge was to find a mammal to study and they featured this one instead of a cat…love the story.
Photo Credit: Janet at Pursuing Joy in the Journey
Potpourri
Barbara over at Schoolhouse on the Prairie is sharing their Spring Nature Workwith a continuing year-long tree study of their cottonwood tree. They also share their robin’s nest story and some beautiful peonies.
Kerry from Keeping Up With The Kordishs shares their Nature Study in May postwith the carnival. I love that they are pressing all the flowers they find in their yard. Take a look!
Janet from Pursuing Joy in the Journey shares their Spring Oak Tree Study with carnival readers. They completed their study with a notebook page..well done! They also have shared their entry, Great Tits Have Moved In! and it includes some amazing photos!
Alex from Life on a Canadian Islands is keeping us updated with their Window Nature Study – May entry. Looks like spring is coming to PEI.
Eva Varga would love for you to view their Florida Nature Study entry. It is always wonderful to include a little nature study as you travel.
Don’t forget to share your blog entries with the Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival. All entries done in June are eligible for the next edition. The deadline for entries is 6/29/14 and you can send them directly to me: harmonyfinearts@yahoo.com or submit them at the blog carnival site (link on the sidebar of my blog).
