Nature Journal Notes

Wow, I hope people were able to get out and explore some of the bird activity and nest building around their homes over the past week. Everywhere I went, there seemed to be some kind of bustle that revolved around baby birds: goslings following their parents, fledglings begging for food, and adult birds guarding their nests. It's amazing to see all the different stages of development happening simultaneously among the different species. 

Below, a community member experiments with using bold colors to capture a blossoming flower. Thank you for sharing!

This week's task is simple, yet effective. Of course, it is taken from Clare Walker Leslie and Charles E. Roth's Keeping a Nature Journal. The challenge is to take a stroll on the beach, through the woods, in your yard, around your neighborhood, or anywhere, and try to fill your pockets with natural objects you notice while walking. Once you are back home, or wherever you choose to do this activity, empty your pockets and record what you've found. This can start as a written list, but I encourage you to draw everything that you collect. Take time to develop your observation and sketching skills and to capture as many of the minute details of these petite bits of nature as possible.

If you are doing this activity in a home with other people, consider putting your objects on display! You can create your very own cabinet of curiosity for friends and family to look at. Think about all the different ways your objects are connected. Do they share colors? Are they similar shapes? Do they all come from trees? See how many different ways you can organize your collection and if there are any ways that all your items are connected!

Want to do more with your objects? Play I notice, I wonder, it reminds me of. This is a great way to get your mind thinking in new ways about things that we see everyday.

​In your journal, make three sections. One titled I notice, one titled I wonder and one titled it reminds me of. Pick one of your objects to study. Set a timer for one minute for each category (three minutes total) and make a list of what you notice about your object, what you wonder about it and what it reminds you of. Do this for as many of your items as you'd like. 

Thank you for continuing your nature journal journey with us and as always, if you would like to share your journal entries, or have questions or comments, please email us at education.nrt@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!