August Art Update

"Your life is already artful - waiting, just waiting, for you to make it art." Toni Morrison (1931-2019)

R.I.P. Toni Morrison (1931-2019)
by Cindi Moynahan-Foreman

April: I'm Distracted By Spring

2017 Spring Palette

So it has begun. Finally. Spring has finally "sprung" as they say

Earlier, I wrote about  Keeping A Nature Journal in Ottawa and I included a long list of links to other web sites that have great information on the natural history of the area.

In this post, on Earth Day 2017, I want to share a few of my sketches and tweets that I have created so far (and what I have learned) and some practical suggestions to help you create YOUR "Nature Journal" pages.

The Waxwings at Ottawa City Hall are always a treat (Link to tweet)

I could hear the mourning doves on my morning dog walk (Link to tweet)

The sound of gulls - a sure sign that the snow is melting and spring has arrived (Link to tweet)

Seeing this little guy on my patio was such a great surprise (Link to tweet)

Sometimes I take note of nature events that I heard from the http://www.ofnc.ca/ (link to tweet)

I love to learn something new about a familiar bird - like Macy's Department store gave us finches! (link to tweet)

Events can also be added to your nature journal (Link to tweet)

Spring bird-watching with The Ontario Field Ornithologists at Petrie Island (Link to tweet)

Keeping a Nature Journal - a healing practice (link to tweet)

Creating A Nature Journal for 2017

I am currently experimenting with templates for my journal pages. I have to keep reminding myself that nature journals ARE NOT supposed to be pretty (though they could be if you wanted them to be)

The real purpose of my nature journal is to pay attention to what is going on around me, to be curious, and to learn more about the "repeated refrains of nature" as Rachel Carson so beautifully said.

I thought it would be useful to develop a template for myself based on the nature prompts suggested by John Muir Laws  and also used by BEETLES (Better Environmental Education, Teaching, Learning & Expertise Sharing)

A fun visual way to remember these nature journal prompts 

“I notice, I wonder, it reminds me of.”

!?=

The first draft of my Nature Journal template

Here's an example of a page that I completed recently after a long dog walk using photos that I took on my cell phone.

My most recent Nature Journal page using this draft template

If you are starting to nature journal, please give this template a try and let me know what you think of it.

I thought you might enjoy watching a group of children practicing the ?!= method of nature observation.

You might also enjoy:

•  5 Reasons Why You Should Nature Journal http://www.natureoutside.com/5-reasons-why-you-should-keep-a-journal-and-my-secret-for-how-to-do-it/
• Journaling: Connection with nature can bring happiness and health https://www.losaltosonline.com/special-sections2/sections/your-home/54239- 
• Nature Journaling as Meditation http://remainsofday.blogspot.ca/p/nature-journaling-as-meditation.html
• Google Image search of Nature Journaling pages by others
• A downloadable .pdf book "Opening The World Through Nature Journaling"  http://sdchildrenandnature.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/CNPS_NatureJournaling_JMuirLaws_96p_2012.pdf
• A downloadable .pdf book: Nature Journaling Binder http://thewatershed.org/pdf/Education/NatureJournalingWebversion.pdf
• Language Making Nature http://www.languagemakingnature.com/blog/2016/5/22/nature-observation-and-journaling 
• Nature Journaling: John Muir Laws and the Art of Slowing Down, Sitting Still, and Paying Attention https://baynature.org/article/nature-journaling-john-muir-laws-and-the-art-of-slowing-down-sitting-still-and-paying-attention/
• Greg in San Diego:  I notice..., I wonder..., It reminds me of... Nature Journaling  http://sandiegogreg.blogspot.ca/2016/11/i-notice-i-wonder-it-reminds-me-of.html