a nature journal is a place to record your thoughts, feelings, and observations about the natural world; but it is so much more than that! Keeping a natural journal is a means of developing a greater awareness of nature and your interconnectedness to all creation. The peace and tranquility that stems from this newfound awareness inevitably leads to a greater appreciation and caring for Mother Earth, and future generations will reap the benefits of that caring!
Henry David Thoreau, an American philosopher, poet, and environmental scientist, wrote, "We need the tonic of wildness..." The dictionary at www.merriam-webster.com defines tonic as: "one that invigorates, restores, refreshes, or stimulates" and cites this example: "A day in the country was a tonic for him." By keeping a nature journal, you can tap into that refreshing, restorative tonic as you focus on seeing the natural world more clearly. Consciously observing nature causes you to slow down, get quiet, and become absorbed in what is going on around you; and recording your observations captures the moment in time and builds your relationship with nature.
How do you go about recording your observations? The choices are endless and personal, and that is part of the fun of nature journaling! You may choose to jot down simple descriptions of what you see, or you may choose to compose a poem or write a short essay.
You
might
include sketches, photographs, pressed flowers or leaves, a bird's feather, or even a nature-themed article clipped from the newspaper. You could embellish your pages with fanciful borders created with leaf rubbings or rubber stamps. You may try your hand at beautifying your entries with creative lettering techniques. The point is: the choices are yours. Use your imagination!
Over time, you may find that you favor a certain format. Perhaps you prefer to place the date, location, and current weather in the upper left corner of each journal page; or perhaps you prefer each page in your journal to be completely different than the one before. There are no requirements and no one to impress. The freedom is inspiring! Shed your inhibitions! Never sketched a flower before? Sketch one. Never written a haiku? Write one. Don’t be afraid. Wrinkled pages, crossed out words, smudges, and imperfect or unfinished drawings are all part of the process. I've had many a page blurred by raindrops as well as bent by wind. What matters is that you are embracing nature ― connecting with something much larger than yourself. In doing so, calm, quiet strength, like the deep, steady roots of a tree, envelops you. Rachel Carson, American writer and marine biologist, stated, “Those who contemplate the beauty of the Earth find reserves of strength that endure as long as life lasts.” Well said.
So, what do you
need to begin?
Again, the choices are endless and personal. A piece of paper and a pencil would do just fine. You could gather your completed pages into a binder for future reference. You will more than likely, however, prefer a hardcover journal or sketchbook that will withstand the wear and tear of being used indoors or out. The type of paper may be important to you. Do you prefer smooth or textured? Lined or unlined? I prefer the versatility of a sketchbook in which the paper is unlined on the top half of the page and lined on the bottom half. Try different types of pens (felt-tip, fountain, gel, etc.) and pencils (hard, medium, soft, colored, with or without eraser, etc.) to find what you feel comfortable with. Don’t get too hung up on the decisions. The important thing is to begin!
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What is a nature journal?
Three leaf shapes on one tree? Has to be root-beer scented sassafras!
Treat the earth well. It was not given to you by your parents; it was lent to you by your children.
- African Proverb
311 Freeport Road
Blawnox, PA 15238
Phone 412-828-5393
Fax 412-828-5394
LetsTalkBirds@aol.com
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Tuesday - Saturday
& By Appointment
Quite simply,
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When you utilize all of your senses to drink in the great outdoors, ideas will flow naturally onto the page. Do you see a ruby-red cardinal sitting on a snow-covered hemlock branch? Do you hear the springtime trilling of a male toad at the pond trying to attract a mate? Do you feel the soft, velvety leaves of lamb’s ears, a perennial garden favorite? Do you smell the heady aroma of your blooming lilacs? Do you taste the wild raspberries before the birds devour them? Opportunities abound for observing and studying nature! By incorporating your feelings, moods, and perceptions into your journal entries, you will create a lasting remembrance of your connection to the grand scheme of life. Need some ideas to jump-start your thought processes? Try exploring some or all of the following topics:
- Seasonal changes (hummingbirds arriving, leaves falling, icicles dripping...)
- Birds (silhouettes in flight, feeder food preferences, natural food preferences...)
- Flowers (bloom dates, seed heads, foliage...)
- Interactions (bees on clover, squirrels gathering nuts, moths near lights...)
- Sounds (blue jays squawking, raindrops pattering, crickets chirping...)
- Scents (thyme between the stepping stones, damp leaf litter, a nearby skunk...)
- Textures (tree bark, moss, dried mud...)
- Mushrooms (shapes, colors, stages of growth…)
- Butterflies (caterpillars, host plants, flight patterns...)
- Insects (pollination, defense mechanisms, as predators and prey...)
- Clouds (movement, shape, color...)
- Trees (leaf buds, nuts, silhouettes...)
Ask questions!
- What is that sound?
- What is he doing?
- Where is she going?
- What are they eating?
- Who is singing?
- Who eats this?
- Who lives here?
- Who made these tracks?
- Who made this hole?
enjoy obtaining additional inspiration and guidance from the following books:
Hinchman, Hannah. A Trail through Leaves: The Journal as a Path to Place. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1997.
Holden, Edith. The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady. New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1997.
Leslie, Clare Walker, and Charles E. Roth. Nature Journaling: Learning to Observe and Connect with the World Around You. Pownal, VT: Storey Books, 1998.
Mottashed, Susie. Who Lives In Your Backyard?: Creating A Journal That Opens Your Eyes And Heart To Nature's Nearby Wonders. Boulder, CO: Heart Publishing, 2005.
Lorraine, Ferra. A Crow Doesn't Need A Shadow: A Guide to Writing Poetry from Nature. Layton, UT: Gibbs Smith Publisher, 1994.
Go outside or look out your window with your nature journal and pencil in hand, take a deep breath, slow down, get quiet, and become absorbed in what you see. Begin recording your observations in whatever way you feel comfortable - sentence fragments, outline sketches - just begin. You’ll be glad you did!
I'm headed outside now. Happy journaling!
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Website designed & hosted by The Songbird Sanctuary LLC 2008
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All sketches appearing on this website by Janet Bronder.
