My nature journaling has mostly been with a camera. I've learned so much getting out on the trails and looking for things as I hike. Journaling through illustration and writing is going to add more to the experience. I think I'll combine the two: photography and nature journaling while on my hikes. That way, I can write details about the experience instead of just creating an image and moving on from there. While I remember my photography experiences out in the field, I'm interested to see what other memories journaling will retain.

I’ve finished the online course today and I’m reminded of my first thought when I started the course; the journaling process reminded me of ancient cave painters. Why did that image come into my mind? In exploring the thought, it occurred to me that they were getting in touch with their surrounding and wanted to express what? Wonder, awe, or just the process of observing and learning about the world around them. They didn’t have watercolors or tablets, photographs or the internet to work from, any of the tools we have today but, I suspect their motives were the same as ours. They were drawing from memory the fleeting images of the animals around them. What beautiful simple images – using minimal lines and color They used value and perspective with simple lines to convey an image.

I spent some time reviewing several lessons, especially the layering and waiting for layers to dry.  I took a photo of a Ring-Bill Gull on Monday and it stayed in place for me to make some good observations.  Yesterday I spent a while drawing the gull and asking some questions such as; Why was it staying on the sign so long and did the metal sign hurt it’s webbed feet? Today I took my time painting and waiting between layers, and am happy with the results. Thank you Liz, for your very well presented instructions or this would not have been possible.  

Journaling with Liz has helped me to slow down and look at things rather than snap a photo and move on.  I really had a ton of fun drawing and painting acorn caps then comparing the texture of the acorn caps to other things such as the scales of pinecones and some leaf buds. My most interesting observation was of a silver alder after leaf drop when only the cone-like seed fruit was at the end of a few branches that I found.  I was able to make a good drawing of this but did have to break off the branch end to bring home to draw due to it being only 20 degrees out at the time, Dec 2nd.  In my notes, I compared this to the pine cones and the texture of the acorn caps then asked why certain similar structures are found in different species of plants. I teach middle school science and this course has helped me to develop my own personal observation skills and to use what I have learned in my own teaching.  I am also more confident in my drawing skills and continue to practice gesture drawings on just about any event, and even when watching hockey on TV. My journal says that paint will continue to challenge me, especially figuring out how to mix the right colors, but it is getting better with practice almost every day.  I plan to keep at it and look forward to spring when I can do more painting outside without freezing.

Its been nice going back outside and exploring my environment, I hope to use my new skills and inspire the kids that I teach about the beauty of their community. It's easy to walk by things with tunnel vision, but this class encourages me to look around more and notice certain details that I didn't see before. I'm happy that I took this class to challenge my skills as a scientist and help explain various organisms with visuals instead of just words.

I plan to use my journaling skills to document the nature around my home and to connect even further with my wild neighbors.  I look forward to bring my journal and my new skills with me on my trip out west in the spring. Winter will be tough because it's dark when I get home from work, so I will likely be practicing drawing and painting photos of birds!  Thank you Liz and everyone at Cornell academy who made this course possible.

It has been a joy going back to journaling. For years I journaled every trip recording places, birds and wildflowers. I often drew them to remember. Once I started drawing as art, I neglected my journals. My husband and I are spending November in Utah canyonlands. What a perfect place to practice. The juniper titmouse has been flitting around our campsite all week at Dead Horse Point State Park.

I said I wasn't going to share my work, but here at the end, I want to simply to show an entry as a way of saying thank you to Liz and all of you at Cornell who made this class possible. I took the class to improve my observation skills, as well as my art (I'd never tried watercolor before and had been wanting to), and feel I got so much more in return. Not only have I given myself permission to slow down and allow time for curiosity and exploration, I think I've found a new way to completely lose myself in what I am doing. The Moleskine watercolour album you recommended in the supply list has 72-pages in it - perfect for documenting all the interesting things I see and discover over the course of a year. I look forward to creating a new "book" every year, which I expect will not only be a gift to myself to go back and re-visit from time to time, but something relevant to share with my closest friends and family. Thank you - not only for this class, but everything you do.

My work at home (farming) and not at home (raft guiding) takes me outside regularly. Doing the exercises in this journaling course has instilled a desire, each day, to spend a little bit of focused time outside being, without a lot of doing. Seeing there are so many others sharing experiences through their journaling  gives me hope that our natural world has a chance!