Quarterly Update #1 ~ Nature Study Goals 2016




It is now April and time for the first quarterly update on my nature study goals for 2016 (you can read about them here). The first three months of this year were filled with winter weather which was not always very inspiring to me, but I still found some topics to journal about, places to explore, and things to learn more about. 

In my nature journal 




Each month, I wrote about Nature Art + Music Appreciation in my journal, including a copy of the painting I studied. I blogged about those and you can read about each month's art + music I studied here, here, and here

In my journal, I also write a monthly book lists of the nature books I read for myself and titles I read aloud to Celeste. 

Here is a list of the topics I studied and wrote about by month:

January: 

  • Bird watching list 
  • Black-capped Chickadee study with a colouring page 
  • Red Squirrel notes with drawing 
  • Red fox notes with drawing 
  • Icy nature walk with photos 
February: 
  • The Great Backyard Bird Count list 
  • American Crow colouring page
  • Rocks study - metamorphic, sedimentary, igneous with drawings 
  • Rock Observation Chart 
March: 
  • Lichens study notes
  • Part of "To My Sister" poem by Wordsworth 
  • Sketch of the pond from my morning walks



Books I read 




- Wicked Bugs (read my review here
- Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts & Pieces of the Natural World by Julia Rothman (read my review here)
- How to Be a Wildflower: a Field Guide by Katie Daisy (review coming up!)

Trails and Nature Routes I explored

- East Royalty Nature Trail, Charlottetown
- Hillsborough River Walkway, Charlottetown 
- Brackley Beach, PEI National Park
- Waterfront Boardwalk, Charlottetown 
- Breadalbane Nature Trail, Breadalbane 

I often take photos with my iPod during our nature walks. I share these often on my Instagram @lifeonisland. I hope you enjoy seeing these too! 

I plan on choosing a few photos from each month and making a mosaic to share here on my quarterly update posts. It will be fun to see the seasons change through these little mosaics. 
Enjoying January in Nature



Exploring Nature in February 


Nature in March 

I am happy with the progress so far in my goals. I know with spring arriving truly on the island (hopefully soon, it is snowing today..), I will be inspired to spend even more time outside in nature. I also want to focus a little more on topics to study through the Handbook of Nature Study monthly newsletters, the Nature Connection book, as well as follow more regularly the daily prompts from the Mud Puddles Nature Lab! 










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