Nature Journal: finishing Year 2, on to Year 3

 

Hi everyone! This weekend I'm catching up on my Nature Journal.  Yes, I am behind, but I know what goes where, just need to sit down and focus. I'd do better if my painting area was not also my sewing area. 

Looking back, some finishes, or almost finished, from December 2024:

Ornamental beach grasses:

                                                  

Winter Rose: [a fail, but I felt like trying.] 

safflower, finished: 

Rose hips

January: Forsythia twig:

Winter hydrangeas

Planning ahead~

 grape vine curlicue

crepe myrtle pods

Narcissus bulb

 Interesting leaves: 

On IG I admire the botanical drawings of artist Louisa May Watson. She did a tutorial with ivy leaves, "just trace around the leaf..."

So off Mo and I went, hunting for the elusive leaf of the ivy. This artist lives in England, I don't think her world is as barren as my sand bar island, but she was so kind and encouraging. We did find some ivy, one frigid windy day.

Another time I was bemoaning the lack of things to draw and she said, oh draw what you like, what speaks to you....a shell, a pebble, whatever.  So I did a tiny snow day.

And you may be seeing lots of pebbles and shells too. Today Mo and I found twigs, two twigs, lol. I was pleased.

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List of birds seen: hawk/ osprey/ ducks/ mating mocking birds. The hawk soars over the dunes early afternoon. He is very large and graceful in a stately sort of way.

Early mornings I see longs skeins, ragged trails, of thousands of ocean ducks. They look like smoke or ribbons of something. I peer, I squint---balloon strings?---I believe they roost in the marshes' quiet waters, then travel at dawn to hunt fish in the open ocean. [photo is geese, who will form a more constructed V to fly.]

And then--a pair if mocking birds. One was sitting calmly, the other preening and flapping and unfurling its wings. I watched for a long time, was she stuck or injured, but no. A mating dance, I am assuming.

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A beautiful book to share. I cannot afford it, but so admire: Still: The Art of Noticing by Mary Jo Hoffman here  

Also on Amazon, plus a page on Instagram.

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Wanted for my bulb gardens and/ or a terrariums. Oh how I loved making terrariums with my dad! This moss selection is lovely. 

Mo on a snowy morning. Mo says, ''Relax, sleep in, go back to bed. Nap, snacks. Enjoy each snowy day!"

More snow, starting soon.

Have a good week!

love

lizzy 

gone to the beach...

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Update of the bulb garden , week one.

Big Red

Nazareth Paperwhites

Blooming Bulbs Preplanted Garden, late white amie w many buds! New Pinky amaryllis on the left.

Even Little Blue has a few roots reaching out.