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Unexpected nature journal moments can happen anyti

Unexpected nature journal moments can happen anytime.

I was trimming away a couple spent rose flowers when I noticed a green beetle. Looking closer I saw a pink inchworm! Then, a cluster of earwigs nestled in at the base of petals startled and started wriggling. Ok, this last one freaked me out momentarily!

Woah- the pink inchworm was the coolest.

I felt badly that I had just removed their world. Wow, a WORLD in a rose!

I laid the rose down at the base of the plant so that they move to another rose. I usually leave the fading blossoms on the plant because I like to watch the progression from bud to seed head.

I’ll have to examine more carefully when I prune the roses!

I grabbed my nature journal because I wanted to remember this— Notice the colors are not perfectly matched. My inner critic pointed that out. But I know that the drawing on the page is a record of the experience.

It holds my observations and thoughts, and will jog my memory what I look at the page. So, perfect color match is not necessary. I can use words to describe how the true color might have been.

I do a lot of nature journaling and I still have the inner critically voice judging me. But more and more I can recognize it, and remind myself of what IS important.

Did I notice? Did I take a moment to truly see what is there?

Can anyone relate to this?

#naturejournaling #sparkinnature

FREE_ Nature Journaling wildflowers! Learn how to

FREE_ Nature Journaling wildflowers! Learn how to see more details in flowers and record them in your journal.

Live today! Check the calendar for Sunday June 20 at 9:30am Pacific time: https://sparkinnature.com/events/
#sparkinnature #naturejournaling

Slow drawing this evening with my daughter was exa

Slow drawing this evening with my daughter was exactly what I needed to calm and get centered!

I took the work day off to spend time with my daughter and dog at the river, had heartfelt conversation on the drive home, she requested that we do art together to finish the day. what a gift from my teen!! Boy did this ever feel like Mother’s Day.

Thanks Amy Maricle for the inspiration - my ferns morphed into kelp. I started with waterbrush then tried out watercolor brush pens I got from my sister. Loved these— they will become a Father’s Day card!

I recommend slow drawing with
#mindfulartstudio

Summer coastal wildflowers. This coastal Indian pa

Summer coastal wildflowers. This coastal Indian paintbrush flower (Castileja species) in fiery red stands out among the grey-greens and yellows on the sand dunes.

Although I didn’t get a chance to put it in my nature journal yet, I did spend some time examining and enjoying its beauty.

I’ll be leading a live online nature journal session focused on wild flowers on Sunday June 20, 2021. We’ll be celebrating our local Garland Ranch 22nd annual Wildflower show.

Open to all- please join me! Check my calendar for the zoom link-

http://sparkinnature.com/events/

#sparkinnature #naturejournaling

A favorite place for a walk. There’s so much to

A favorite place for a walk. There’s so much to see from down low (ferns and herby plants), eye level (huckleberry and oak), and sky level (pines and dripping lace lichen).

Bird song fills the air this forest of Monterey Pines standing tall among the twisty limbs of Coast Live Oak. I wish you could be here with me to smell and feel the forest!

What do you notice when you watch this video? Notice about what you see or hear and notice about yourself- feelings or sensations?

#sparkinnature

I’ve been feeling an urge to come back to this M

I’ve been feeling an urge to come back to this Monterey pine forest. I used to come here daily before the pandemic when I was working nearby. Now, occasionally do I walk among the tall ones exploring the meandering trails.

I drove out there recently, wandered among the pines, oaks and huckleberry. It was like visiting an old friend- the familiarity and joy of the smells, sights, sounds….

As I soaked in the nature around me, I felt myself relax into this place— and found a nice place to sit. I pulled out my journal and documented what captured my attention.

Loose sketches of a few trees, sounds of birds, thoughts and impressions.

Is there a natural place that you miss? Someplace you’ve been wanting to see again? It can be a spot on your property, in your neighborhood or nearby. Share where that is, and try to visit it.

If you want to nature journal online with me, the Monterey Bay Nature Journal Club meets online June 13 and June 20 this month. Check calendar for details-

Monterey Bay Nature Journal Club
http://sparkinnature.com/events/

#SparkinNature #naturejournaling

I’ve been actively using my *senses* during neig

I’ve been actively using my *senses* during neighborhood walks. I know these angel’s trumpet flowers smell absolutely heavenly, so I went over to smell them.

<<One warning>>- This plant is very toxic if ingested- so don’t eat it or taste it!

I noticed that this yellow variety is much more fragrant than the white flowers my neighbor has. The surface of the trumpet-like flower was fuzzy like velvet. 5- part symmetry, and pretty ruffled petal edges.

I wondered who would pollenate - who could get nectar from this long corolla (tube of the flower) and why so toxic? Is it more that deterring herbivores? Hmm...

I wouldn’t recommend handling too much, or getting the juice on your hands (if you pick flowers)- or have your pets eat them.

I got some from a neighbor a year ago and dissected it for a nature journal entry! I did not know about it’s toxicity at the time—I discovered when I did a deeper dive of the plant. I did not have any ill effects even though I had juice all over my fingers- phew!

I don’t need to hear any scary stories of who’s been poisoned. Just know that there are plants and animals that are hazardous- but no need to be afraid of them all.

Just be aware of your actions, and learn about your local natural hazards so you know how to enjoy them respectfully and safely!

What have you smelled this week??

On a walk, bright lemon yellow cactus blossoms cau

On a walk, bright lemon yellow cactus blossoms caught my attention. I've been actively incorporating smell and touch in my nature journaling so I thought I should investigate further!

I reached over, first looking carefully for spines, then touching the petals and smelling the flower. No fragrance, but the petals were surprisingly thick and waxy. I loved the texture and color, and had many wondering about the flower and the cactus.

What's one new thing you've touched in nature?
#sparkinnature #naturejournaling

FREE: Summer Nature Journaling with Melinda Nakaga

FREE: Summer Nature Journaling with Melinda Nakagawa

Melinda will be doing 4 live introductory sessions on nature journaling with the Monterey County Free Libraries.

Perfect for anyone looking to learn how to start collecting your summer nature discovery memories! For Teens and adults

Choose One:
Wednesday, June 9th 6:00 pm
Wednesday, June 30th 6:00 pm
Monday, July 19th 6:00 pm
Saturday, July 24th 10:00 am

Supplies are limited. You must register ahead of time to get the Zoom Link.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Register here: https://bit.ly/3tkCPly
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A belated Mother’s Day gift from my mother. A go

A belated Mother’s Day gift from my mother. A gorgeous hydrangea with green and pink stripes!

I want just thinking about how I’d simplify this to record in my nature journal. I'm usually not interested in doing highly detailed realistic paintings— and this also feels so Busy.

Perhaps I’ll let myself off the hook with journaling it and just enjoy looking at it, noticing how the colors change as it blooms.

That’s one of my themes these days— not to feel guilty for NOT journaling something. I’m choosing to focus on BEING instead of always DOING so much.

How about you? Do you take time out to stop doing and just BE? What does that look like for you?

#sparkinnature

Anything can inspire a nature journal entry. Fruit

Anything can inspire a nature journal entry. Fruit or veggie, house plant, bark or smells, or even bug-eaten leaves!

If you slow down, and move deliberately and see if there is something common that you an examine, you might discovery the extraordinary in the ordinary!

If you are new to nature journaling and looking for a course that offers gentle guidance in a small group setting where you can feel comfortable to try new things, see my course, Spark your Curiosity.

Registration is now open. See the link for more info.

https://spark-in-nature.teachable.com/p/spark-curiosity_L1_July21

The other night I watched part of the lunar eclips

The other night I watched part of the lunar eclipse. It wasn’t my intention to track the movement, but it was so bright out of my bedroom window I could open my eyes periodically and sketch in the dark.

The first page is what I did live- just the outlines while I observed, and added color and title the next day. The clouds moved in just as the moon was reaching the full eclipse and we had cloud cover the rest of the night so couldn’t see anything else.

Today I decided I wanted to know more about this special lunar eclipse, so I found a great website and video from NASA.

This type of page is a way to take a deeper dive into something that grabs your interest. It’s in process- I’d like to add more of my questions and facts about the eclipse.

I don’t know when I will complete it. Maybe never- but ok with that.

You don’t have to complete all your pages— don’t make it another task you have to do.

I’m practicing letting go of my “have-tos” and focusing on “want-it’s”.

Take each moment in, enjoy what’s there, notice deeply, and have fun. There will always be another chance to fill another page.

https://moon.nasa.gov/news/161/super-blood-moon-your-questions-answered/

#sparkinnature #naturejournaling

Nature has miniature treasures all over The place,

Nature has miniature treasures all over The place, if we slow down to look.

I found these tiny plants by my feet at the edge of a trail.

Next time you’re outside, look closely at the ground. What do you see? Moss, weeds, insects, stones, signs of animals?

What nature discoveries did you make when you look closely at the ground?

#sparkinnature #naturejournaling

A neighborhood walk - I noticed these neat lavende

A neighborhood walk - I noticed these neat lavender-mauve roses— a color I don’t see very often. And it has just a few petals, and not much fragrance.

What ordinary plant can you look for that has unusually shape or color or growth pattern?

Can you stop and smell the roses?

Here’s a page we did in our Spark you Curiosity

Here’s a page we did in our Spark you Curiosity Nature journaling class. A comparison of two similar yet slightly different subjects allows for better seeing the differences between them.

This trains our eye to discern subtleties that we might not see if we were looking at just one of them.

This is also a great way to learn how to tell the difference between two things for identification.

You can do this with two flowers, two leaves, shells, cones, fruits, beetles, etc.

What two things can you compare in your journal?
If you’d like to join the course check link in bio for classes.

#naturejournaling #sparkinnature

I love how other people's nature discoveries can c

I love how other people's nature discoveries can change the way you see the world. My friend Bethan was telling me about all the colors in the leaves of eucalyptus. They are not native to California but wildly abundant.

I had not noticed that the leaves change colors-- and that they do it all year long, not just in fall. So curious. And now, when I drive by or walk by a eucalyptus, I look more carefully to see what colors are there.

Sharing our nature discoveries whether through storytelling or nature journaling is a powerful way we can make a difference in another's life and open up a new appreciation.

What ordinary nature do YOU have in your nearby nature that you'd like to share with us?

I woke up this morning with an inkling to go sit i

I woke up this morning with an inkling to go sit in nature and observe the Brandt's cormorant (marine birds) colony nearby.

I sat and just observed them before I did any journaling. Taking in the feel of the breeze, smell of the ocean, sounds of the terns overheard, the texture on the water surface, the color palette.....It calmed me down, and I felt much more centered and connected to this place.

When we start with just slowing down to nature's pace and observe, we see things that we would miss if we were hurried or busily drawing.

It was so peaceful to watch them--most were sitting on their guano-seaweed nests, panting to keep cool and/ preening (cleaning feathers). There were a couple birds who were actively foraging for fresh new pieces of seaweed to add to the nest.

It was nostalgic for me-- reminding me of my time living on the Farallon islands as a seabird researcher.

I saw one nest with chicks so far! They are so prehistoric looking--just like their dinosaur ancestors!

I look forward to returning again to see the growth and development of the chicks in the colony.

What do you see in your nearby nature? What happens if you just slow down and take in nature with all your senses?

Share with us what you discover!
#sparkinnature #naturejournaling

What ordinary tree do you have in your yard or nei

What ordinary tree do you have in your yard or neighborhood? Now, go out today and take a look.

Does it have leaves? How to they feel: soft or hard? Color: pale green or brown? Any flowers or fruit? Any insects?

My nearby English walnut tree has these sweet little flowers-- the beginnings of walnut fruit! I recall seeing them when they are bigger, but never really paid attention to this stage.

Earlier this spring, the male flowers, catkins emerged with pollen- and not long after noticed these female flowers. You don't have to know botany or any special botanical terminology. Just step outside and say hello to a tree.

Share photos and what you discover with us!!
#naturejournaling #sparkinnature

This Sunday, May 23 at 9:30am Pacific. Come learn

This Sunday, May 23 at 9:30am Pacific. Come learn about plankton, see the diversity and beauty, practice nature journaling what we see!

Free nature journaling session on Zoom.
Open to all levels, everyone welcome!
https://sparkinnature.com/events/

#sparkinnature #naturejournaling

Sometimes I am not able to nature journal when I'm

Sometimes I am not able to nature journal when I'm out in nature and I'll do a memory journal entry.

On this day, my intention was to walk the dog. So, I made mental notes on what I was seeing (saying your observations aloud will help you remember them for later) and took a few photos for reference and to jog my memory. Later that day or next day, I'll pull out my journal and sketch from memory or photos and add my observations.

This was from a recent walk where I focused on my sense of smell and touch.

What did you see out in nature this week? Can you sit down an jot down your notes? It doesn't have to be a complete page-- even just written notes can become a very valuable evidence for later learning.
#sparkinnature #naturejournaling

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