Nature Journal Winter 2025

 

Hi everyone! It could hardly be a more wintery day, temps in the 30s, gale winds, heavy rain that earlier wanted to be be sleet. Flood alert, no view of the Pink Full Moon.  Mo is not well but improved, he did take meds and eat. Tail unfurled, always a bad sign.

Today we're looking at my Perpetual Nature Journal, entries for this winter of 2025.

I sketched my finds weekly but didn't finish them until I was recovering from both Covid and then an IV treatment. So I am all caught up now. 

Possibly out of order, here goes:

Winter Hydrangea on the right/ last year hydrangea leaves in bud on the left.

Amaryllis bulb

Wild grape vine. I love the curlicue shoots

Random storm blown leaf, much more olive grey than my drawing/ photos

Last of the Locust leaves, again found after a storm. I thought it was a fern at first.

 

one of my more successful page layouts 

Crepe myrtle pods and seeds

No drawings for a few covid weeks, recorded the event instead

Grosbeak in the trees, migratory visitor

google image

Drying daffodil stem, trying for a soft airy result

Pressed tulip petals

Pink Full Moon April 12. [rained out] Inspired by Flying Geese's Pink Moon antique quilts collection and sale. Pink Moon Quilt Collection  I'm so inspired by this quilt curator, 15% of all her sales contributed to funding women's issues. She also hand washes every quilt she sells--which is a huge thing, to be buying a fresh clean textile. @_flying.geese_ 

English Ivy [evergreen vine / very invasive here]. This was a fun project. IG artist Louise May Watson

@louisemaywatson  had been so encouraging, personally messaging me with ideas. Then she did this fun Ivy post, for people who aren't confident at drawing. "Draw around it!" I was amused to see such a ''cheat'' by an amazingly accomplished artist. How fun! 

Mo and I hiked off one cold day to find ivy. It is invasive here and much hated, though I remember how proud my grandma was of her ivy, brought from her ancestral home in Alsace France. Anyway, the only  ivy was on my friends''  grey fence. The ivy is now neglected and allowed to grow since they moved away 5 years ago, April 1st. Mo was so excited o ''visit them''--then he cried when we didn't go into their once beautiful secret garden and see our best friends.

 I admit I cried a little too. We usually avoid their house now, wonderful memories but sad---the good times, those best times,  are now gone. 

I snipped my ivy leaves and we trudged home, trying to be upbeat about about our success so far. I enjoyed the drawing and painting later. Funny how a couple of little leaves can be so evocative.

Back home, the gathering bowl. It has beautiful to me bottles and a few shells. Left to right: beach found* w stopper I made years ago; Mason jar found back of  my mom's cupboard; chewing tobacco/ spit jar from Mel w original lid. So ick, so pretty though. I love it. My SIL used to collect these for her handmade candles.

Thanks for looking!

Having a great week.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach...

This is what, with blog friend Jean's help, we think was the original look of the seaglass bottle my friend found. Colgate Toilet Water, 1915

And gale wind whipping the ugly locust outside my window. Sorry right now I can't figure out how to turn it right way up.

*mystery bottle: beautiful clear glass, blown in a mold w hand finished neck and lip---but modernish " ' ' ' / " / markings on the bottom; no seaglass patina but found on tideline after a storm. Originally had a cork that dried and disintegrated. Volume about 1 pint.