Dear Nature Journal,
During a rake leafing service project through my church I heard someone say that late Fall is really ugly. What! Her reasoning was that the trees are bare and things are grey and gloomy without snow. I have to beg to differ since grey rainy days are beautiful to me. I think they remind me of "Wuthering Heights" or "Jane Eyre". I also find that when it's grey and dreary the bits of colors and life stand out so much more. Today is was a bit cold (which is worlds better than being a bit too hot) but still comfortable. I was able to get away with wearing my very old black clogs, and my new long plaid skirt. I always feel good in this outfit. I'm sure you would have on to if you could wear clothes journal. Once when I was criticizing a woman's dress my mother said "Maybe that's her favorite dress and it makes her feel pretty." This simple experience has partially changed how I look at people and their houses or clothes. I certainly have things that I like that are unique to me, e.x. rainy dreary days. I'm praying for help with my criticising problem.
Until Tomorrow,
Amelia
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Fall!
I'm going to post and hope you haven't noticed my complete neglect of this blog. So here I go trying to blend in to the desktop.
I adore fall! With the leaves and beautiful cozy clothes. I almost always think of Tasha Tudor's way of life too. This might be because when I read her book she influenced me and the way I think about "old-fashioned" living. Thanksgiving is charming and serves as a slight calm before the Christmas season that has become so fast paced in America. Our house is adorned like the garden outside with pretend leaves swagged in the archway between living room and dining room. I desperately want to paint. It's been far to long since I admired God's creation thoroughly. One of the things about art is that it forces you to pay attention and really see the world around you. My dear art teacher, Mrs. White, always instilled in us the need to SEE the world outside our house, in the garage, or just the little flower growing up through the sidewalk.
Till tomorrow...
I adore fall! With the leaves and beautiful cozy clothes. I almost always think of Tasha Tudor's way of life too. This might be because when I read her book she influenced me and the way I think about "old-fashioned" living. Thanksgiving is charming and serves as a slight calm before the Christmas season that has become so fast paced in America. Our house is adorned like the garden outside with pretend leaves swagged in the archway between living room and dining room. I desperately want to paint. It's been far to long since I admired God's creation thoroughly. One of the things about art is that it forces you to pay attention and really see the world around you. My dear art teacher, Mrs. White, always instilled in us the need to SEE the world outside our house, in the garage, or just the little flower growing up through the sidewalk.
Till tomorrow...
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Beautiful Spring
Spring is here (shhh Winter might hear us and start snowing to spite us) setting the table! Our maple has green flower bunches for the table and the crab apple is starting to get dressed in her prettiest frock. The daffodils are peaking out of their green fans. The ground cover is craning to welcome our new deck in the back yard (thanks Grandpa and Dad). Birds are singing. I love Spring. She is so beautiful and cherry. She always welcomes you and quietly asks Summer to tea.
~Amelia
~Amelia
Monday, March 12, 2007
Yay I Started My Nature Journal
Hello everyone! I finally started my Nature Journal and am very excited about sharing it with you. Here is my first entry.
I am really enjoying Mrs. Comstock's book I read some of my entry to my Dad and he said " I didn't know that book was so funny. I thought is was just a guide type book."
Entry No. 1
Friday 3/9/07 March 9th
This is my first Nature Journal. March has come in like a lion. There was great sadness today because the birth mom of our maybe brother or sister had a miscarriage. Hopefully March and April will bring life and healing. I heard the geese honking today! I’m so glad they’re coming back for the warmer months. It always reminds me of one of my favorite movies Fly Away Home.
Reading: pg. 130-135 from the Handbook Of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock.
What an interesting passage!
“She says that these birds learn a lesson after a few repetitions, and surely her geese were patterns of obedience. While I was watching them on morning they started for the brook vie the cornfield; She called to them sharply, “No, no, you musn’t go that way!” They stopped and conferred’ she spoke again and they waited, looking at her as if to make up their minds to this exercise of self-sacrifice; but when she spoke again the third time they left the cornfield and took the other path the the brook. She could bring her geese into their house at any time of day by calling them, “Home, home!” As soon as they heard these words, they would start an not stop until the last on was housed. In ancient Greece maidens made pets of geese; and often there was such a devotion between bird and the girl that when the latter died her statue with that of the goose was carved on her burial tablet.” pg. 130
I must remember to find a example of the mentioned Greek tombstones and sketch them into my notebook.
Mrs. Anna Botsford Comstock goes on to talk bout the great intelligence of geese (One of the smartest birds and they are even on of the smartest animals among mammals!). Also they are extremely loyal to their masters! Chinese brown geese have orange bills and blue eyes. Geese stay with their mate until one dies. There is an old myth that says they meet on Valentines Day. “ The gander is very devoted to his goose while e she is sitting; he talks to her in gentle tones and is fierce in her defense.” pg. 132 The way a goose defends his family is actually quite funny he grabs on to enemies with his bill and beasts them with his wings until they give up the attack. “ The mistress of the farm told me that he [gander] had whipped her black and blue when she tried to interfere with the goslings.” pg. 132 Geese show such a lovely example of the christian family! Protective father, loving mother, and a strong family life. Geese eat mostly clover, grass, and water veggies. They are very clean animals who clean and oil their bodies with great care. Mrs.Comstock say that the honking I heard was the call of and elderly leading goose and the answers of the flock. The geese are early this year. This proves the Groundhog was right (he didn’t see his shadow). I wonder if he is friends with the geese?
Wild Geese Patterns Of Migration
North- April & May
South- October to December pg. 133
White markings are supposed to be used as “reflectors” to help the flock to stay together when in flight.
One last quote:
“One morning a neighbor of mine found that during the night a wild gander, injured in some way, had joined his flock. The stranger was treated with much courtesy by its new companions as well as by the farmer’s family and soon seemed perfectly at home. The next spring he mated with on of the domestic gees. In the late summer. my neighbor, mindful of wild geese habits. clipped the wings of the gander so that he would be unable to join andy passing flock of his relatives. As the migrating season approached, the gander became very uneasy; not only was he uneasy and unhappy always but he insisted that his wife share his misery of unrest. He spent his days in earnest remonstrance with her and, lifting himself by his cropped wings to the top of the barnyard fence, He insisted that she keep him company on this, for webbed feet, uneasy resting place. Finally, after many days of tribulation, the two valiantly started south on foot. News was received of their progress for some distance and then they were lost to us. During the winter r our neighbor visited a friend living eighteen mile s to the southward and found in his barnyard the errant pair. They had become tried of migrating by tramping and had joined the farmer’s flock; but were never able the determine the length of time required for the journey.” pg. 134
~Amelia
I am really enjoying Mrs. Comstock's book I read some of my entry to my Dad and he said " I didn't know that book was so funny. I thought is was just a guide type book."
Entry No. 1
Friday 3/9/07 March 9th
This is my first Nature Journal. March has come in like a lion. There was great sadness today because the birth mom of our maybe brother or sister had a miscarriage. Hopefully March and April will bring life and healing. I heard the geese honking today! I’m so glad they’re coming back for the warmer months. It always reminds me of one of my favorite movies Fly Away Home.
Reading: pg. 130-135 from the Handbook Of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock.
What an interesting passage!
“She says that these birds learn a lesson after a few repetitions, and surely her geese were patterns of obedience. While I was watching them on morning they started for the brook vie the cornfield; She called to them sharply, “No, no, you musn’t go that way!” They stopped and conferred’ she spoke again and they waited, looking at her as if to make up their minds to this exercise of self-sacrifice; but when she spoke again the third time they left the cornfield and took the other path the the brook. She could bring her geese into their house at any time of day by calling them, “Home, home!” As soon as they heard these words, they would start an not stop until the last on was housed. In ancient Greece maidens made pets of geese; and often there was such a devotion between bird and the girl that when the latter died her statue with that of the goose was carved on her burial tablet.” pg. 130
I must remember to find a example of the mentioned Greek tombstones and sketch them into my notebook.
Mrs. Anna Botsford Comstock goes on to talk bout the great intelligence of geese (One of the smartest birds and they are even on of the smartest animals among mammals!). Also they are extremely loyal to their masters! Chinese brown geese have orange bills and blue eyes. Geese stay with their mate until one dies. There is an old myth that says they meet on Valentines Day. “ The gander is very devoted to his goose while e she is sitting; he talks to her in gentle tones and is fierce in her defense.” pg. 132 The way a goose defends his family is actually quite funny he grabs on to enemies with his bill and beasts them with his wings until they give up the attack. “ The mistress of the farm told me that he [gander] had whipped her black and blue when she tried to interfere with the goslings.” pg. 132 Geese show such a lovely example of the christian family! Protective father, loving mother, and a strong family life. Geese eat mostly clover, grass, and water veggies. They are very clean animals who clean and oil their bodies with great care. Mrs.Comstock say that the honking I heard was the call of and elderly leading goose and the answers of the flock. The geese are early this year. This proves the Groundhog was right (he didn’t see his shadow). I wonder if he is friends with the geese?
Wild Geese Patterns Of Migration
North- April & May
South- October to December pg. 133
White markings are supposed to be used as “reflectors” to help the flock to stay together when in flight.
One last quote:
“One morning a neighbor of mine found that during the night a wild gander, injured in some way, had joined his flock. The stranger was treated with much courtesy by its new companions as well as by the farmer’s family and soon seemed perfectly at home. The next spring he mated with on of the domestic gees. In the late summer. my neighbor, mindful of wild geese habits. clipped the wings of the gander so that he would be unable to join andy passing flock of his relatives. As the migrating season approached, the gander became very uneasy; not only was he uneasy and unhappy always but he insisted that his wife share his misery of unrest. He spent his days in earnest remonstrance with her and, lifting himself by his cropped wings to the top of the barnyard fence, He insisted that she keep him company on this, for webbed feet, uneasy resting place. Finally, after many days of tribulation, the two valiantly started south on foot. News was received of their progress for some distance and then they were lost to us. During the winter r our neighbor visited a friend living eighteen mile s to the southward and found in his barnyard the errant pair. They had become tried of migrating by tramping and had joined the farmer’s flock; but were never able the determine the length of time required for the journey.” pg. 134
~Amelia
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Bird House
A few days ago I was sitting on the couch reading Butterflies by Thomas C. Emmel. It is very interesting and the photographs are amazing. My brother came up to me with a book that showed how to make a birdhouse. Well this started a long trail of internet, encyclopedia, and nature book searches. To find out if robins would live in birdhouses, how big of a hole you needed for woodpeckers, that we really didn't want a woodpecker because of the noise since as Dear Brother said "It would give Mom a headache.", and what we could use to make our birdhouse. We used a milk gallon using an exacto-knife to cut drainage holes, the opening, and the ventilation and patio paint for the outside. We found the idea for a bird feeder and we thought we could use it for a bird house. If the birds don't like it for a house we will cut the holes bigger and use it as a bird feeder.
Artwork from Dear Brother, Dear Sister, and Amelia:
~Amelia
Artwork from Dear Brother, Dear Sister, and Amelia:
~Amelia
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Hello All!
You might have heard of me through my other blog (Bedelia's Spot). I'm planning on doing a Nature/Botany Course. This blog will document my progress. I plan to write often (at least twice a week). Also I will scan drawings and paintings from my physical Nature Journal. Nature is definitely one of the areas in my life that needs to be explored. My mom and I joke that if we had an attached garage I would never go outside. :-) Alas, no more. This project will be three fold: To increase my knowledge of nature (God's wonderful creation), improve my artistic skills, and to keep me writing. I hope you enjoy my blog and find beauty in the everyday view out my windows and of my surroundings.
~AmeliaB
~AmeliaB
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