Nature Journals

I’ve been reflecting on the nature journals that I used to post on my old blog today.  They started off as a way for me to document what I saw in my local area as I went out and about with Mouse, my JRT.

I’m going to trial this journal out in such a way to discover if any (and hopefully all) of the following happens:

That I can keep the journal going over winter
That I learn more about the names of things in nature that I discover
That I become more at one with nature, and get outside even more frequently than I do already
A good excuse to practice photography on a regular basis

I did manage to keep the journal going, once a week, over the winter and beyond (another two years in fact).  And on reflection, I’d forgotten just how much I enjoyed not only the experience of nature but the observing and recording of it too.

At the woods I spotted wild primroses which I was pleased to have seen.  They have such a calm yellow to them.  Also spotted were the masses of wood anemones that are either in flower or about to ratchet it up with their blooms.  Again, such delicate flowers but they sure do pack a punch when you seem them on the floor of the woods, like a mass carpet.

So, I’m wondering if I should pick this up again?  And what exactly makes a good journal?  I  tended to focus on weather and when it wasn’t all that good for tromping outside I’d end up reporting on the birds and flowers on my own garden.  Can that even be classed as nature journaling?  And is it worth doing anyway?

Looking online there are numerous workshops detailing and presenting how to journal for all ages, so it must be popular.  And there are all sorts of ways to journal – drawing, photography, scrapbooking.  But whichever way the journal is attempted the reasons are always the same:

What is nature journaling?
Nature journaling is the practice of drawing or writing in response to observations of nature. This practice results in the creation of your own unique nature journal. Both the practice and the end product are important.

The practice slows you down, increases your mindfulness (or clears your mind), and increases your attention to detail and appreciation of beauty. It helps you to notice the details in nature, and improves your recognition of different species, and your understanding of where and how they live. – Paperbark Writer

My drawing skills aren’t that good but then again I’ve never really practised them so maybe starting up a new journal is a good opportunity to do both?

Curiosity is the key to any journaling and nature is no exception.  How many times have you wondered what a plant is called or why it flowers when it does?  To look back on previous entries to compare the weather or record a bird noise in the hopes you can identify it in a book back at home?  So it doesn’t really matter if that is being recorded in a park, along a riverbank or in your garden.  Nature is everywhere.  The real skill is to slow down and observe it.  Which is what really takes time to do if, like me, you’re constantly rushing about and forgetting to notice the small things right in front of you.

There is a lot of support to be found online about starting a journal, questions to ponder when you’re outside like; how big is the tree?  What can I hear and what can I see on the ground in front of me?  But there is another step before all of those questions need to get asked –

Get outside first!  I need to make a date with nature.  It could be 20minutes or it could be a whole day of trekking.  But I’ve gotta go outside to start observing.  And (I say this to myself more than you, my lovely reader), bad weather shouldn’t be off-putting.  Indeed it’s a perfect excuse to observe how nature responds to it and I don’t want to miss that.

I’ll let you know how I get on.

Thank you for reading.

Image by mbll from Pixabay