Like many of the folks who responded I have joined this class during Covid-19; a nature journal seems like a good way to really be in the world and present to it, while still social distancing. The idea of sharing my observations feels challenging and yet absolutely critical as a way to reach out to others; a way to share the world. Since I retired about 4 years ago I revived my interest in describing the natural world and asking questions about my observations. At that time I began to learn to draw and work with watercolors as well. It seems natural to join learning words to describe what I see (from natural history and gardening) and drawing. I suspect putting both words and art to a page will help me "see" much more. All of the journals in the video gave me ideas for my own journal as did the beautiful examples of other respondents. Having tried to journal before I will be loose about the when of my observations-so the idea of a month of contributions and a record of how things change in the month will work well I think. I like the idea of boxing images and key ideas after writing/drawing. One of the things I loved from the videos was that people went back over their experience of drawing and observing and gained new insights. I would like to take a page each month for a reflection on what I have already drawn or written. I loved the description of what the spider was doing and liked the idea of adding specific notations on behavior where possible. The journalists seemed to both work out the colors and "how to draw" along with how to observe and what to observe. This is exactly the juxtaposition of art and science I would like to try out in a journal.

I love being in nature.  I try to  catch as many specifics in my surroundings.  I also love feeding & watching birds.  I saw the course offered on the Cornell site & thought it would be a good way to learn more about my surroundings. I am retired & started journaling about my daily activities, thoughts, feelings ... I also took a watercolor class at my local Art Museum school & I thought the combination of nature journaling made sense. All of the journals were unique & interesting—I really liked the organization of Shayna’s, her use to study with it. I really want to try the idea of a daily or monthly journal os sketches, observations, & specifics/details of what I see. I do not have a specific idea for my journal yet—that will come.

1. I’ve been doing some drawing and painting for fun, and have even taken a painting class, and nature journaling seemed like a great way to combine the fun of drawing with really paying attention to nature and capturing (or attempting to, at least) its beauty in a really personal way. 2. All are really interesting. I liked the inset/boxed-in images approach, and also the attempt to draw one thing per day (though that would be really challenging!). I’m sure I’ll end up with some mix of all these approaches, and it’s probably good to vary and try different things, too. 3. Not yet, but I’m sure I’ll end up with my own style at some point.

1. I've always loved being outside in nature, exploring, hiking, listening to the sounds of nature, enjoying the smells & sights, as a child, with my parents & grandparents. Nature journaling will finally give me an organized place to keep all the memories & older items, (pebbles, dried leaves, twigs, & the old feathers of birds), that my parents and I would watch for. 2. I think that I will be inspired by Shayna Miller (use the boxes for the drawings), Jewel Alston (add a watercolor key to some of my drawings), D.J. McNeil (use simple behavior drawings), & Holly Faulkner mostly (incorporate a monthly drawing, using both watercolors & pencil), but I've learned lots from all the journalists. 3. Surprisedly I do. I live on a 5-acre parcel of land that is bordered by my husband's family farm on 3 sides & the National Forest on the 4th. I grow lots of Native flowers & trees and I have pressed flowers, petals, & leaves that I hope to add some 3 dimensional texture to my journaling pages.

1. My daughter inspired me to begin nature journaling. She and I share a love of birding, and she told me that nature journaling was awakening her creative side. I also feel that "nudge," so I signed up for the class. We live on 38 acres of wooded property. 2. I would like to use my nature journal as a record of observed species, and to practice my drawing/watercolor techniques. It will be fun to review my journals and notice seasonal patterns. 3. I might also record how I am feeling about the animals/plant life/fungi I'm observing/drawing. Being out in nature is a stress reliever for me.

I really like Shayna's use of the boxes to separate the images from the text in an elegant manner.

Enduring the Covid-19 pandemic, I've been trying to find ways to be creative during my time at home. Last month (April), I wrote a song (or sometimes a "song-let") each day. This month, I decided to sketch daily. I have a wonderful book on nature journaling (John Muir Laws' guide to nature journaling) and I'd signed up for this course awhile back, so I thought this beautiful spring morning, May 2, 2020, was a wonderful day to start my next 30-day challenge. I took my sketchbook outdoors and observed a few things in my backyard. I'm looking forward to the days ahead, learning and practicing and, hopefully, developing a good habit.

I have a keen interest in nature and spend many hours alone enjoying the woods near my home.    I do not have any art experience at all but wanted to explore that side of myself.   This course seemed like a good way to combine my interests. I really like the idea of a monthly page in my journal.     Where I live is very seasonal and it would be fun to capture the monthly rhythms with art.    We’ll see how it goes!  Jenny

I just joined today (April 30th) and haven't read through all the replies but empathize with us all for reaching out for focus, art, and observation.    I am an avid bird watcher, sometime artist (when I don't get distracted) and garden person.  I enjoyed all the journals - about how they can be a process, don't have to be a final product, can be focused on shape and pattern (D.J.), beautifully rendered(Holly), enthusiastic about color and shadow (Blue Footed Boobies and rocks - William), organized and synergistic with illustration and writing observations(Jayna), and observing and playing with color and palettes (Jewell).  I also liked Margaret's pondering about the hummingbird and stages of observation.  Onward! Geri

For one sketching is just cool. I really like looking at other people's sketchbook. I teach and absolutely love having students practice their sketching skills. Of course, many think they cannot draw and once I get them started, I am always amazed at what they end up doing. I am convinced this is a healthy exercise not only for the study of natural sciences, but also to keep balance in our fast-paced world. Journaling is an obvious bridge between art and science. I want to improve my observation skills and eye/mind/hand coordination to represent on paper what I see. Choosing one journal was really difficult. I like Jewel's humbleness, Margaret's study of hummingbirds, and Holly's determination all stick out. I overall preferred D.J.'s spider entry. His taking the time to properly observe behaviour and sketching it is closer to what I want to accomplish.

Journaling my thoughts and feelings have always been therapeutic for me. Due to COVID-19, I decided to finally decided to try a new hobby: watercolor painting. This course seems like the perfect way to blend the two. I am a recent graduate of wildlife biology so I would love to use this practice to enhance my field skills and continue to be curious about nature. I liked Shayna Muller's and Holly Faulkner's journals. Many people have mentioned how Shayna used that zoom in approach, which is something I would like to try. I tend to become hung up on layout (blank pages can be intimidating). So I would like to jump in and make it more collage-like and random. Which brings me to my goals for this class. I get caught up in the notion that art needs to be perfect. My goal for this class would be to let go of all expectations and allow myself to feel the simple joy creation can bring.

My friends and I decided to do this course together. This is great because it gives us incentive to stay on track. I have wanted to keep a nature journal for awhile but don't think I can draw that well. I am excited to try and I have come up with a goal which really excites me. My son and I have started beekeeping and I am an avid gardener. Now I am wondering what pollinates all various plants around me. I think it will be fun to observe my garden closely and find out the answers to this question. I like Shauna Muller's journal keeping style because she keeps information in a way I find attractive and logical.

I like the idea of putting similar thoughts on one page, expressing an idea on one page through these pictures rather than a making it a memory of a single trip or visit somewhere. I hope to use this type of journaling to gather and organize my thoughts, and perhaps to express sentiments. I know most people seem to be using this type of journaling to capture a memory, and maybe I'm way off mark, but that's my plan. I used to draw a lot when I was younger, and in recent years have tried some watercolor and acrylic but was really pretty lost about how to go about it. In the last few years, I have been working on my garden, planting natives and butterfly and pollinator plants. I have registered my garden as a Monarch Waystation, and a Pollinator Garden. I have had so many little visitors I was in awe! And now I want to capture my guests, my feelings, my little patch of the world through this journaling and maybe share it with the world. I hope this course will give me some direction and insight on how to make this a reality.

Hi, my name is Nolan. I'm excited to begin nature journaling because it will be a fresh new way to express my love and fascination with the natural world. I enjoy birding and identifying plants, and I think journaling will enhance these activities. I like the first journaler's journal. I want to have a fun and creative fusion of drawings and text to help remind me of these experiences and for knowledge retention. I'm pretty stoked.

I have been retired from government service: case worker, case worker supervisor, probation officer, psychiatric social worker, and finally correction's counselor. I have been restoring my health for the past 5 years: I changed my diet.  I used to keep a large garden before I got ill.  I am looking forward to growing a small garden soon. Grew tomatoes, garlic and onions plus lettuce, carrots and peas. At this stage of my life a Journal will help me organize myself in preparation for the day that will surely come.

1. To Journal like this allows me to revisit the trip, the experience, and those days. I am looking forward to using the combination of the scene and setting, the artistic details or subjects, and then adding notes and observations, or tiny maps, to be better able to conjure up the moment again. 2. The first impulse I have for a direction on a journal style: I think I would be adding pages to the journal as brief pencil and pen sketches with added notes, observations and speculations. I will try to add watercolors of special images, or do color swatches to remember images.  Jayna's description of zooming in for a detail or a color swatch sounds interesting, and will be tried first.

Inspiration: I have alway been a keen observer of nature but have never tried recording what I see artistically--I can see where this would be very helpful in learning species--plants, animals, insects etc...I was interested in the course previously...now with some extra time at home ( there is only so much Netflix one can watch...), I decided to take advantage of the generous free offer and give it a try. Journal Style: All the journals were beautiful and interesting...I really liked the idea of using a "zoom" image for details..I liked the including the date, time, weather, location idea...I like including both observations in detail, quotes, and images--I also like the idea of organizing some pages with boxes  while others may be more free formed... Journalling Ideas...I have played with art journalling a little, I may also add some other paper cuttings or images into the nature journal.

1. What inspired me: Lately, during the COVID 19 epidemic, I have been going into the nearby forest alone and observing, drawing and journaling. I was amazed at what I was learning just by paying attention. I also started to sketch the birds I was seeing, memorizing what they looked like, then returning home to identify them, learn their songs, and sketch them from photos.  I want to continue this rewarding habit and sketch more and more directly from nature.

I saw this course on the website and gifted it to my sister (free!) then decided to buy one for myself. I never had art in school - all music and books for me! But I took a water color class at a community center decades ago, before marriage and kids, and now have some time to try it again. My mother instilled in my family a love of nature and the outdoors. She passed away last year at about this time. Thinking of her and now having to slow down with Covid-19 restrictions have inspired me to give this a try. Without being able to travel, I think it’s time to appreciate the environment I have the privilege of living in, the northern suburbs of Chicago close to Lake Michigan. The elements of the journal examples I think I could re-create are the notes and info on place, time, weather, etc. Some of the talented artwork will be daunting! I am still waiting for my art supplies to be delivered - purchased online, I guess they aren’t an essential service. It will be fun to get those paints out!

This course is a gift from my children and their spouses for my 65th birthday. My family knows of my love for all things nature (especially birds) and the course will help me capture memories and the wonder of nature. I want to leave a journal & sketches for my family to enjoy.

I have wanted to take this course for awhile, but I am a very busy teacher of 8th grade and college.  I finally have the time to do it!  I also have some burrowing owls across the street from me who always have their babies in May, so I thought I could capture some of their antics.  I really liked the monthly journal or the journals from trips that people made.

My inspiration for taking this course is my lifelong love of nature and a desire to learn to draw and record what I see. I think I was born with that desire but it was put on hold many decades ago when I was nine or ten and I was trying to draw a deer jumping across a log. My teacher looked over my shoulder and told me I shouldn't try to do that anymore because I couldn't. So I have motivation!  I also want to use what I learn to show young people all the things there are to appreciate in the outdoors and that drawing and painting does not have to be frightening and intimidating.  Love the ideas on how to compose pages and information, and to look at my journal as an experiment, not as something that will be judged, not by me or anyong else. I want to learn and have fun.

Watching my daughter take her online art lesson at home due to Covid has reminded me that hey, I used to do that.  I had many wonderful art teachers over the years in public schools but over time, I stopped creating with pencil and paper.  I have never stopped making some kind of art; it just hasn't been on paper.  I do sew creatively.  For example, I make my kids' Halloween costumes, quilt, and do all kinds of needlework (embroidery, cross-stitch).  My oldest son and I are both into nature photography and we take mostly bird photographs.  Recently, I took up ceramics but that is on hold now due to Covid.  Animals have always been a large part of my life as pets and as subjects for observation.  I volunteer as a naturalist for a local Audubon Society and that has rekindled my love of bird-watching which I have alway participated into some degree but there have been highs and lows to that.  I guess I have a bit of short attention span and like to try new things!  Yesterday, my son and I participated in backyard bird count with our local Audubon Society and we counted 22 species.  Not bad for not leaving the house!  We were supposed to go to Peru and the Galapagos this summer.  That may now be on hold.  Regardless, I would like to try my hand at depicting some of the nature I see at home and perhaps in these wonderful wild places.

1.) I've been drawing for as long as I could hold a pencil, and I've loved being outside, but I never really connected those two things entirely as a kid. I've been wanting to become a better nature journalist but haven't had time will being a student. These journals (and journals I've seen on social media) have inspired me! 2.) I like the idea of creating bounded boxes for works. I struggle with space and placement when journaling, and I like the look of the boxes. I think it will work! My work has often been an afterthought of birding. I predominately work in colored pencil which is difficult, if not impossible, work do in the field. I'm hoping this course will help me branch out of my comfort zone and explore my home with COVID rages on.

I’m a Texas Master Naturalist and love exploring and learning about our beautiful world. I also started water coloring local flora and fauna during the recent quarantine. It’s been such an enjoyable experience so I wanted to learn more.  I thought I could incorporate it through my volunteering as a Master Naturalist but also to keep record of my experiences and travels (I lead global insider trips, but those are all cancelled right now). I most resonated with the first and last nature journals in the video. I loved the mix of watercolor, sketches, and blocking with details. The last one was just beautiful and inspiring more as an artistic approach to nature journaling. Looking forward to this course. Thank you!