Wintery Day on the Farm

Today's outdoor challenge:  choose a focus for our nature study.  While we think on that a bit, let's go explore.

Location:  Our backyard again; only this time, covered with a beautiful white blanket.  Mild temperature, partly sunny sky and a slight breeze are our weather conditions.  We listen and hear different birds chit-chatting; among them a killdeer with it's distinct "kill-deer" call.  We see robin redbreasts, sparrows, red winged blackbirds, finches and others frolicking among the trees that line the fence row.  Something on the ground next to the shed catches our eye.  I do believe we have discovered raccoon tracks.  (My detective skills have me thinking that he's attracted to corn that may have been spilled in the process of feeding 'Moo'.)  These tracks spark our interest in looking for some made by other critters.  We find bird, cow, dog, rabbit and chicken tracks.  Our focus for nature study has just manifested:  mammals.

As we do a bit of research on the raccoon, we learn that they are fond of poultry and raid hen houses.  This has heightened our awareness of keeping the hen house closed up at night;  something we at times are relaxed about.  They also destroy birds' nests and their young.  Fish is another delicacy they enjoy.

Nature study in winter is more interesting than I thought it would be.

 Bird

 Chicken

 Cow

 Dog

 Rabbit

  Raccoon

"Announced by all the trumpets of the sky;  arrives the snow."

                                                               ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Unexpected Encounter

As I was pulling out of our driveway today, I glanced in the ditch and a most strikingly marked bird caught my eye.  I was so excited because here was a specimen my eyes had never seen.  A brown bird with distinct black and white markings and a most unusually long, dark gray bill.  He was using his bill to go down into the swampy ditch in search of food. 
He didn't seem to mind that I wanted to get a close look.  I hurried back to the house to retrieve the camera, praying all the way that he would remain where he was.  Thank you, Lord!  I got some great photos before my new acquaintance took flight.  After some research, I discovered the name of my friend;  Wilson's Snipe.  Evidently, this species winters here in the south with us;  and I'm glad they do.
I'm embarrassed to admit that I thought I'd seen most of the species of birds that hang out around here.  After this encounter, I'm realizing that I really am only scratching the surface.  God is so good to use the gentle art of nature study to expand my mind of Him.

"In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous."
                                                                       ~Aristotle

A Walk in the Woods

Today we were a bit rushed for time and the weather wasn't very cooperative.  It was an overcast, cold and slightly breezy day as we walked through the Shelbyville Park.  The sleep of winter was evident among the trees and critters.  There were a few evergreens to color the woods and we spotted a couple of gray squirrels playing on the playground equipment;  not one would pose for a picture for our journal.  We heard the sound of dead leaves crunching under our feet and nuts falling to the ground.  One of our 'picks' for further study was the white oak acorn;  a brown nut with lighter lines and a dark gray hat.  Our challenge ended with a nature journal entry complete with illustration.

 "Reading about nature is fine, but if a person walks in the woods and listens carefully, he can learn more than what is in books, for they speak with the voice of God."  ~George Washington Carver

Our Big Backyard

Today's nature challenge invites us to use many descriptive words to tell about the things we encountered.  On this sunny, cold, clear Autumn day we heard the crunching of fallen leaves beneath our feet as we explored the wooded area behind our house.  "Squelch-splosh" could be heard as well, since we've just had a fair amount of rainfall.  The animals seemed to be content, making joyful noises; 'moo'-ing, 'chip'-ing, 'cock-a-doodle-doo'-ing, 'cluck'-ing, 'ruff'-ing and 'meow'-ing, each taking its turn to add to the conversation.

While Jessie focused on small crepe myrtle seeds and red round holly berries, Jake was noticing how round his black, fuzzy cow has gotten.  Madison and I were fascinated with Oyster mushrooms growing on a fallen tree beside the playhouse.  This fan-shaped, smooth, creamy colored fungus has such beautiful gills on the underside.  She informed me that soft, squishy mushrooms always appear after rains.  We looked in our handbook and discovered that this specific type, Pleurotus ostreatus, grows on dead wood or damaged tree trunks.  We were able to get some good photos.  

 What a blessing our big backyard is!!

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better."

                                                                                      ~~Albert Einstein

A Fresh Start

We've been inspired by Anna Comstock's Handbook of Nature Study to begin anew that which we've allowed to go stale;  the intentional observation of God's beautiful world.   We could hear Autumn as we walked through the Bell Buckle park.  The crunch of leaves under foot and the crisp rustling of dried foliage as we brushed against it tickled our ears.  We encountered robins, sparrow and blue jays.  Madison picked up some fine specimens of mushroom and moss while I retrieved a cattail from the marshy area along the railroad tracks.  It was such a mild day under a clear blue sky;  the sun wrapping us in warmth as we walked along.  I agree with Anna Comstock.  "Out in this, God's beautiful world, there is everything waiting to heal lacerated nerves, to strengthen tired muscles, to please and content the soul that is torn to shreds with duty and care."  (from Handbook of Nature Study, p. 3)  We chose the cattail and mushroom as our two items to study in further detail for next week.

And he wandered away and away,

with Nature the dear old nurse,

Who sang to him night and day,

the rhymes of the universe.

And when the way seemed long,

 and his heart began to fail,

She sang a more wonderful song,         

or told a more wonderful tale.

                                                                                ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow