When you stay somewhere long enough, life begins to arrange itself. You learn the walk to the bakery.Which streets are shaded in the morning.Where the light lands in the afternoon.What the air smells like before rain or snow. The seasons begin to mark time for you.Not just on a calendar, but in your body. You […]
You Don’t Need to Know the Name of the Tree
The first thing many people say when they open a nature journal is,“I don’t know what this is.” They say it as an apology.As if curiosity must come with credentials.As if noticing only counts when it ends in the right answer. But nature does not ask to be named before it is known. A child […]
Let Winter Be Small
Most winter mornings begin the same way in our house. The coffee drips and fills the house with smells. Someone is calling for help finding a missing glove, a missing iPad, a missing shoe. Plans are already forming for the day before I’ve had a chance to take a full breath. Especially as we finish […]
Christmas in a New Place
This Christmas looks different than the ones I grew up with. We are in a new place temporarily, one where winter arrives fully and without apology. Snow gathers quietly. The air sharpens. The light feels thinner and more precious. I am still learning how to move through this season, but I find myself grateful to […]
Introducing Willa Mouse and the Longest Night
Winter has always lived in my imagination more than in my memory. I grew up in Southern California where the seasons shift in quiet, subtle ways. The air cools a little. The light changes tone. Trees rest without a dramatic show of snow. Because of this, stories were the place where I learned about winter […]
Following the Sun: Shadow Tracing
One of the simplest ways to begin a nature journaling habit with children is to notice something that changes right before our eyes: the movement of light. Shadow tracing turns that moment of noticing into art, science, and mindfulness all in one. What Is Shadow Tracing? Shadow tracing is the practice of using the sun’s […]
Mindfulness in Nature: Journaling the Seasons as a Family
One of the most magical parts of nature journaling is how it tunes us in to the rhythms of the seasons. As the days shorten or lengthen, as leaves turn colors or blossoms appear, we’re reminded that change is always happening around us. Journaling through these transitions offers kids, and adults, a powerful way to […]
Travel, Noticing, and the Path to Nature Journaling
One of the most powerful gifts of travel is the way it wakes up our senses. When we step into a new place, we can’t help but notice. The colors are different. The food smells unfamiliar. The rhythm of the streets, the sound of voices, the architecture, even the plants and animals. Everything feels fresh […]
The Curiosity Compass: Finding Your Way in Learning
When you step outside with a child, you never know what will spark their attention. A snail inching along the path. A cloud shaped like a dragon. The sound of water rushing in the distance. These moments are tiny sparks of curiosity, and if we follow them, they can guide us into deeper learning. I […]
Learning to Noticing
Before we ever open a notebook or draw a single line, the practice of nature journaling begins with something simple: noticing. Children are already masters of this skill. They are natural noticers. They pause to watch an ant cross the sidewalk, pointing out a funny-shaped cloud, asking why the leaves crunch underfoot. Their curiosity is […]
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