Nature Study
The hot weather has finally broke enough that I can sit outside at 7:30am without breaking into a sweat. So, viagra sale here I am enjoying my coffee and online time on the patio in the backyard. The temperature is perfect. You know that temperature where it’s not hot and not cold, patient it’s just right. There is a slight movement in the air that I would hardly even call a breeze. It’s more like nature is breathing.
Our backyard is flanked on two sides by woods. There are houses on the other side, search but if I turn my chair to face the woods, I don’t even know I am in a neighborhood. The creek to the south of the yard and the many varieties of fruiting trees and shrubs make this a great spot to view wildlife. We’ve seen deer, raccoon, opossom, beaver, mink, rabbit, chipmunk, snapping turtles, toads, and a huge variety of birds.
This morning, I am greeted the high pitched rattle of a flock of cedar waxwings who have invaded the dogwoods and black cherry trees to snatch their berries for breakfast. Right now, I am watching an adult as it flits between 2 or 3 younger birds feeding each one. They are big enough to fly, but haven’t yet learned to feed themselves.
The young robins are hopping in the grass. Their streaky breasts set them apart from the adults. They are hopping and doing a little pecking at the ground, but don’t seem to be making much progress in the breakfast department. Soon, the adults fly in and show the young ones how it’s done.
There is a little chipmunk about 10 feet from me at the edge of the yard making all kinds of racket. I know I am in his way. He likes to streak across the patio from the tall grasses in a bed of mulch to the base of the huge fall-blooming clematis behind me. He makes me laugh.
I love these mornings. Each one is different. The temperature and humidity changes from day to day causing different animals to be out and about. It’s never the same thing twice. It only takes a few minutes each morning to appreciate what God has created and all its diversity. I want my children to have the same appreciation. So, we’ll be adding some more nature time this year. Not so much in a formal nature study. More like sit and listen, sketch and eye spy kind of things. It will be just a few minutes for the kids to observe and learn from nature without making a big deal about it.
Have you ever thought of teaching nature appreciation? How?
I am a backyard gazer as well! We catalog the birds we see, and keep up with the wildlife. In fact, yesterday, we sat out front watching a gopher making a new mound. Just a chance to quietly commune with God.
We kept a backyard bird journal one year, too. It was a great learning experience for the kids to see what birds were present in each season.
Wonderful post…I can almost feel the breeze! 🙂
Our homeschooling routine includes one day a week of nature study. We are currently working our way through the book The Nature Connection by Clare Walker Leslie. It is a journal-style book, split into chapters by the month of the year. It has a little bit of biology, botany, ecology and art in each section. My boys enjoy getting out in the backyard to do their activities.
I love this. I was raised in a way that wasn’t like a classroom of teaching about nature but we just noticed it. I thought that’s how every one was. We saw a bird so we looked it up. That kind of thing. I hope to pass that on to my kids and maybe a few adults that I hang out with. Today we are checking the rain gauge my son got for his birthday and doing an Oreo moon phase study in anticipation of viewing the blue moon tonight.
Sounds like nature study to me! Charlotte Mason-type nature study is simply observe and record. Sit and watch, then write about it or sketch it out. Have fun with it!