Lamar Park

Rested.

Get water. Load the bike.

Zip up my fleece.

Let's go!

Glide down the path.

Climb the hill, and run back down.

Laugh and giggle.

Sun slants over the gold and red leaves.

Sky pales and purples.

Dusk settles over Lake Patsy.

Sunset behind us as we leave.

It places a hand of benediction over me and my band of loved ones.

Blessed

With Heart

Thank you Karen and Janie for the pictures you let me use.

Las Trampas Hike in a Bag

As I started up Elderberry Trail at Las Trampas Regional Wilderness on Monday afternoon, the battery on my camera died. I was momentarily bummed until I decided I'd collect a Hike in a Bag to send to my grandson, the preschool naturalist.

I'll ask him, 'Can you find these nature artifacts?'

A yellow leaf with stickery edges, a brown leaf that looks like a flying bunny, 2 insect-yummy bay leaves, see through feathers, lichen sticks, a buckeye, green moss from a tree trunk, a heart rock, acorn with its cap on, and a feathery-ferny leaf.

Then because I always take a picture in my mind of the wonders I see, 

I sketch when I get home. 

5 Senses Hike

I see a family of Black-tailed Deer eating grass and resting on the hill.

Mmm. I smell California Bay Laurel leaves.

'Hoo, hoo, hoo.' I hear Great Horned Owl calling from his tree.

Climbing the trail I am thirsty. Water from my bottle tastes good.

Green moss on the Dark Woods tree trunks feels like your hair when I rub it.

Hiking 

With Heart

Fall Haiku

Yesterday

The grass was raked green.

Last night was longer, colder.

Now bare trees, gold yard.

A Wonder of Nature:

When the days get shorter and the nights colder. scissor cells form in the leaf where the stem meets the branch. These cells keep forming and pushing the leaf away from the stem. Finally a gust of wind or too many raindrops causes the leaf to fall. 

Amazed 

With Heart

Sardis Lake

The Wonder of Nature:

Sharing nature with my daughters and grandsons. 

Early this month we visited Sardis Lake on the Little Tallahatchie River in Northern Mississippi.

We couldn't get enough of taking pictures of nature!

The mist from the spillway made a good backdrop for my enjoyment of the scenery. 

The grandsons were very interested in what the fishermen were doing.

After a picnic lunch and playground time at Lower Lake, we went to the upper side of the dam.

A beautiful clear blue sky is unusual in the South 

where it is usually soft and blue with high humidity.

How could two boys resist such big rocks?

Happily 

With Heart

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a good reason to resume cyber-sharing the wonder of nature with you. Instead of blogging I've been presenting nature journaling with students of diverse ages through observation, sketching, and writing. 

Join me on an observational walk and see how it inspired me to sketch and write.

Neighborhood color.

Morning sun lighting my sweet gum tree.

Sketching

November Leaves

a poem of the senses

Flames of leaves light the trees and burn for days.

A bunch of colorful leaves in my hand go straight to my nose for a whiff of fragrance.

If these were lollipops, my mouth would be watering.

Evidence of Fall reaches my ears as I crunch the path.

Meanwhile I hold treasures of the season and rub their leathery smoothness.

Are you inspired to go outside and take a Five Senses Walk?

Thanksgiving 

With Heart

Denali

Look straight ahead at the big clouds-center. Now look on the left slope of the cloud mass. Then look at the peak on the right side. You're getting a peek at the majestic Denali. In Awe~With Heart

Horned Puffin at Alaska Sealife Center

Rescued puffins walk through paint and across paper to a target as part of their care. Their art is sold to increase funds for their study. Delighted~With Heart