Our Country Diaries for 2004

Years ago another home school mom told me that each year has it own special "flavor." I have often remembered that comment and as I look back I see that 2004 was flavored with the spice of nature study and field walks.

This is what happened to spark it off...

“The more I study nature, the more I am amazed at the Creator.”
Louis Pasteur

The little cares which fretted me,
I lost them yesterday
Among the fields, above the sea,
Among the winds at play;
Among the lowing of the herds,
The rustling of the trees,
Among the singing of the birds,
The humming of the bees.
From "Out in the Fields With God"
By Elizabeth Barrett Browning

(the photo above includes Mexican Hats, Spotted Bee Balm, and a few other wildflowers)

"I've long wanted to be motivated to be more organized with our nature studies, but not too organized, like using a curriculum for nature study. It wasn't until after I checked out A Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden from the library, that I became very inspired.

You know how some things just click; that was how this was. I decided that we'd do our own nature diaries with monthly entries this year for 2004. Here are my plans in the works; they may change in the next two months, but this is what I am thinking of doing so far. (8 year old's page)

I plan to use hardbound journals with lines or without lines, at least for the older girls. I'll let the children choose. I may let the 4 and 7 yro boys do a paperback shape book. We'll divide the books into twelve sections, one for each month and leave room for a title page at the beginning.

(13 year old's page)

The children will be encouraged to draw or paint studies of wildlife that we see during the month. We'll likely do these at least once a week, but maybe more often as we spot things to place in our books. After they get a drawing or painting on appropriate paper finished, they will glue them into the book.

We'll add poems, verses, definitions, Latin names, hymns, and any other appropriate types of things that will enhance the book. And whatever we find to use, we will send along to you.

(my daughter sketching in the field)

It will be interesting to see how my different children interpret what they see, and what they choose to add to their book. We may even do graphing of temperatures and average daily temps, etc. Who knows what will happen, but I'm excited to see what will be."

(10 year old's page)

For preparation: Look for journals that you'd like to use.

You can also do nice paper and bind it into a book when you are done, but I think I'd rather have ours already bound to start with.

(11 year old's flower diagram)

Look at Millerpadsandpaper.com for blank books, journals, artsketch books etc. Rainbow Resource has nice paperback shape books with about 16 pages that would be fine for littler ones.

Maybe you can also look for the above book at your library too so you can be inspired. Or here is a website with some images from the book. click here

(15 year old's page)

(Mom's page)

At the end of the year in the middle of our second household move for the year, here are my thoughts on our year of intense nature observation...

early in December-- "Ifound my daily writing journal a few days ago! BUT, I am embarrassed to tell you that it was in the bottom of the nature notebook bag so that tells you how much nature study we did this month! Our November entries for all of our Country Diaries are sparse. Our nature walks inspired poetry... Spring has Sprung Spring has sprung, The perfect word. Lettuce peeps Through earth so soft. Leaves on trees, They seem to pop. Bunnies hop Around the yard. Children jump Through grass that’s green. Spring has sprung. I think that means The world is glad And so am I. by Amy Ringger, copyright 2005

At first I was discouraged thinking how my plan for nature study wasn't what I had pictured, but then I realized that we have accomplished a great deal this year, and that this isn't the end of our nature study journey! (read more about the journey in the back issues of our newsletter in yahoo groups) Our Country Diaries will give us something to look back on, to compare to another year, and be a fond memory of our year of two household moves. Just yesterday I found a nature notebook of one of the older boys at age four and showed it to my younger children. They enjoyed looking through their older brother's book."

Spring 2006: Red gaillardia and yellow coreopsis