Yes, I am noticing some more themes of nature. I found some tent caterpillars on one of my trees the other day, they had rolled up the leaf and surrounded it with a kind of "web", it was very strange looking. The tent caterpillars use their "tent" as a safe hide out from predators and the elements.

One of the themes I've noticed while nature journaling is the impact of human activities on wildlife. Sometimes it is freeway noise and sometimes it is the frequency of humans (sometimes with dogs) using trails near where animals live. Some animals, like the pond ducks I wrote about, got really close to people, especially if people brought food. Other birds, like a little sparrow and some crows only came to the same area if people were farther away.

I’ve definitely been more observant whenever I’m outside, even if I’m not journaling.

Observing and drawing in this class. For the hummingbird I used my limited colored Prismacolor Pencils, and the Raven is done with a variety of  Faber-Castell Graphite Pencils.

I live in Oregon and love to hike in the Cascade Mountains, rarely do I sit alone and meditate. Liz inspired me to do just that and journal about it. Thank you - this was quite the experience.

I think I need to ask myself more questions, get me thinking about the finer details of the subject.

May 1, 2021  Hot/sunny 8:45 am Ev. Nat. Pk. Long Pine Key Observation 1. What was that pair of small grey-green birds that flit between the pine trunks? Sometimes upside down. Very busy. Not black and white warblers, not nuthatches or brown creepers (out of area). Silent. What are they looking for? Where did they come from? Are they on the way to somewhere? Who are they? Observation 2. He was on the ground - a black bird. Way on the other side of the parking lot. Oh, a purple grackle. Then he flew at me. He's coming right at me. Will he stop? Should I duck? No. I'll sit still. Whew, he landed about 3 feet from my picnic table on the ground. Was he begging from me? But no, he wanted a big red bug! How had he seen that from so far away? Why did he pick on that?   He hopped to the van and went around it. Walked into the woods behind me. I heard his little footsteps in the brown dry leaves. Then he was gone. So, other questions - What else does he like to eat out here? Grackles often go in flocks, so where are his friends? Is this his usual feeding routine? Half an hour later he reappeared and went into a clump of bushes. Exited. Followed by a squally fledgling. Oh my, could he be a she?

Themes seem to pop up with everything I look at!  The overlap of themes was overwhelming at first, but I decided to just roll with it - nature isn't black and white, after all.  For example, when comparing the size and location of two groups of similar ants, my possible explanations and further questions involved form & function and systems & energy flow.

This was one of a few pages I did during the "themes" lesson.  In this case I was looking at patterns in the camellia petals.  I was noticing how the petals near the center lined up radially away from the center.  I also noticed that in the tip of each petal was a slight thickening that showed when the light came through the petal.

For my nature theme, I chose form & function. 

I I made my sketch of the beetles (below) and came home to look up what they were.  These are box elder bugs, and I love the markings.  They appear to be harmless to the trees, seeds, and leaves that they feed on.  This time of year seems  very unlikely for the seedpods, but according to other commenters I found online they do also eat other leaves, dung, and dead insects.  Pretty much anything.  Doing this thematic exercise helped me to appreciate and learn from the insects rather than just be annoyed they chased me from my creekside sit spot!

I was looking for a seat by the creek in a nearby park, but found far too many insects flying around, which is unusual.  They were clustered thick on the ground in places, and flying everywhere.  

Walk in the park, overcast skies with the sun peaking out now and then, temperature in mid 70’s.  The turtles were out on logs all over the pond. Some logs had 10-15, some fewer. One log had two, one had just one. Why so many turtles to a log? For companionship, for warmth? Are they spacially aware they are so crowded?

During a recent wandering at the downtown waterfront in my hometown, I noticed how the snow at the base of trees, deciduous and coniferous, melts in a ring around the base. Why? I thought that perhaps the tree itself, being alive, would exude some heat (however minor). So I looked at manmade/non-organic objects but they too often had a ring at the base so that can't be the reason (or at least not the whole reason). What about solar energy heating the bark? A drip line from the tree's branches perhaps as I noticed that evergreens had larger rings around them than their deciduous counterparts. But that could also be from reduced snow that falls at the base due to the tree's canopy? Time to do some research.

I became really absorbed with drawing the individual capillary like patterns on this leaf, which when i was done resembled both a lung and a river system, beautiful pattern! I walk past this plant everyday, and have never stopped to really look at it - I am really enjoying this opportunity to finally pay attention to the complexity of something as simple as a leaf.

We just had a big northeaster with snow, rain, wind so not possible to go sit outside.  Will go out shortly to watch the ocean. See how the various winter waterfowl (e.g., eiders, buffleheads) are weathering the storms

Nov 23, 2020 - Lamanai, Belize Example #1 - Leafcutter Ants working during the day. Example #2 - Bat falcons only eat a bird's head. Brain and eyes taste good? Maybe Cornell can shed some light on this for me? Thanks.