Be joyful though you have considered all the facts
The first Outdoor Hour challenge is simple. Read pages 1-8 (did that, read my “book review” here) and head outdoors! The focus is Comstock’s principle that “In nature-study the work begins with any plant or creature which chances to interest the pupil.” So yesterday we went for an hour-long walk around our block and we …
Continue reading “Outdoor Hour Challenge #1 and Field Book Drawing”
We have one month of Rioting for Austerity under our belts. Let’s see how we did. 1. Gasoline: down but still a long way to go: 19% We’ve been extra careful with our driving. DH has gone into work a little more often than usual, but for the rest we’ve managed to consolidate our driving …
Continue reading “Riot for Austerity: Month 1 – Chippin’ Away!”
Though I am still feeling sick, we went outside. It was a good day for it and Amie really wanted to. It was bright, with some clouds moving in, a few gusts of wind but otherwise not too blustery, and unseasonably mild (mid 40s). We bundled up and went for a long walk around the …
Maybe you recall Amie’s observational drawing of her “Owlie bank” last week. It wasn’t finished yet. We returned to it over the weekend and she water colored it in. She has taken over my habit of trying the paint in the margin, to see whether it’s the right color. Is that the right orange? She …
Continue reading “Owl Observational Drawing/Painting is complete”
Besides birds, we have also been observing the resident squirrel eating our three ears of Indian Corn and guarding it from other squirrels. He/she somehow got it down from our porch light. Amie was enthralled by how he carried a kernel in his mouth, ran along the balcony ledge, then down and through the drain …
I’m not going to give too much away. I’m going to try. If you know us, please look away, or not too closely, or don’t look at the pictures (okay, I won’t put any pictures). Sigh… We are making all our Christmas gifts this year ourselves and out of materials we already have (most of …
I’m warm because I’m sitting in the sunlight, but it’s coooold out here: 20 F this morning (there’s no wind). The Red-Bellied Woodpecker that is supposed to be in Florida is still here. Can it really be our bird feeder that keeps him here? The day before yesterday I believe I saw a new bird: …
Sharon – without knowing it, apparently – started The Competence Project: “I challenge each of you to pick some area of your skill set that’s kind of weak and strengthen it. And when you feel like you’ve gotten competent, well, pick a new skill. “ One of my visions for our new place was to …
I am thinking of participating in Barb-Harmony Art Mom’s weekly “Outdoor Hour” challenges, which follows Anna Botsford Comstock’s book Handbook of Nature Study. Gotta get hold of the book first, though. I’m waiting to get it through the inter-library loan. This, by the way, is why they call him the Red-Bellied Woodpecker (click on image …
While perusing the marvelous Camp Creek Blog and emailing Lori about some of her entries there about observational drawing outside, I happened to mention (and realize, to begin with) that when Amie draws “from something” outside, she will attain a realism that is (to me) uncanny. Like the drawing we did a while ago at …