“We all have need to be trained to see and to have our eyes opened before we can take in the joy that is meant for us in this beautiful life.”
Charlotte Mason ~ Volume 4: Ourselves
Category: Autumn
Happy Michaelmas!
Happy Michaelmas!
Have a beautiful day.
Autumn Pond Study: Exploring Nature With Children
This week in Exploring Nature With Children is ‘Autumn Pond Study Week’.
Here are some helpful links to get you going:
- Life in a pond Study Guide
- Pond water under the microscope
- How to draw ducks: profile view. John Muir Laws
- How to draw ducks: The head. John Muir Laws
Happy exploring!
Our Nature Journals Week 38
The autumnal equinox: Ragwort, Rose Bay Willow Herb, and an oak leaf. The year moves on toward winter.
Rose spotted a Kingfisher on our equinox walk, so that was all very exciting!
In my Calendar of Firsts, I sketched the Tufted Vetch. I love how pea-like it is!
Happy exploring!
Adopt The Pace Of Nature…
Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Happy Autumn Equinox!
Autumn…the year’s last, loveliest smile
William Cullen Bryant
Autumn Equinox Week: Exploring Nature With Children
This week in Exploring Nature With Children is ‘Autumn Equinox Week’.
Here are some helpful links to get you going:
- Autumn Equinox explained (video)
- Creating a Watercolour Nature Journal Page ~ A Tutorial
- Autumn picnic recipes
Happy exploring!
Preparing For The Harvest Moon
Please read on for some important information regarding the date of this year’s Harvest Moon:
The Harvest Moon is the name of the full moon closest to the Autumnal Equinox. In the Northern Hemisphere, the Harvest Moon usually falls in September, but about once every four years it occurs in October. This is one of those years!
Being English, I like to use the Old English names for the full moons, and I get my informations from the website of the University College London.
Thus, the summer moons are as follows:
- 9th July : Hay Moon
- 7th August : Grain Moon
- 6th September : Fruit Moon
The autumn moons:
- 5th October : Harvest Moon
- 4th November : Hunters Moon
- 3rd December : Moon Before Yule
The Harvest Moon is given the title, as it allowed the farm hands to continue to bring in their harvest by moonlight, when the sun had gone down. The Harvest Moon will often appear larger, brighter, and a warmer colour than other moons, due to the seasonal tilt of the earth.
Having said all that, some people name the September moon the Harvest Moon, whenever the full moon falls, so it’s entirely up to you how you choose to go about this. Due to the seasonal tilt of the earth, the moons at this time of year are all usually full and golden.
If you do choose to go with the October Harvest Moon, here’s how I suggest adapting ENCW (though as always, please do pay close attention to what is happening in nature where you live, and adapt as you see fit.)
September
- 4-10th September Week One: Seeds
- 11-17th September Week Two: Mini Beast Hunt
- 18-24th September Week Four: Autumnal Equinox (Equinox is on the 22nd)
- 25-1st October Week Two: Pond Study
October
- 2-8th September Week Three: The Harvest Moon (Harvest Moon is on the 5th)
- 9-15th October Week One: Autumn Leaves
- 16-22nd October Week Three: Tree Study
- 23-29th Either a break week or October Week Four: Pumpkins
- 30-5th Either a break week or October Week Four: Pumpkins
Happy exploring!
Calendar of Firsts ~ Week 49
Week 49! I cannot quite believe I have only three pages left to complete in my Calendar of Firsts.
Unfortunately I have not been able to carve out time to make another video, and as we head toward Christmas, I see that becoming even less likely. I am hoping to create a video showing a flip though my journal after Christmas.
Lots of rain here this week. (Forgive me, I am English and our main preoccupation is weather.) Mornings are either warm and damp, or cold and dry, the latter being much more preferable! The feeders have been very busy, and we have had wee flocks of Starlings. I found this bird such a challenge to paint, and whilst I am not entirely happy with my sketch, I did get to observe this bird such a lot whilst working in my journal. Which is largely the point of nature journaling, is it not.
I have also noticed lots of moss over the last few weeks, so I added a quick sketch of the rather unimaginatively named ‘Ordinary moss’.
What’s happening in the natural world where you live?
Happy exploring!
Calendar of Firsts ~ Week 47
This week I have sketched a Magnolia branch from my garden. We have two Magnolia trees, and this one always loses it’s leaves first. It is full of buds and literally only a couple of leaves are left, whilst the other tree is still full of golden leaves. I also sketched the sliver of waning moon from Friday morning. Everything was covered in frost; the air was cold and still. Jupiter was lined up so beautifully with the moon.
Weather-wise, we have had heaps and heaps of rain, along with a few perfect, late autumn, golden, frosty days.
What’s happening in the natural world where you live?
Happy exploring!