This week marks a year of living vicariouly… through Nature. What she’s experienced, I’ve experienced. Her springtime has meant hope and wonder, delight and new discoveries for me. Her fall has brought colour to my life in ways I barely noticed or thought possible before.
This is what happens when you keep a nature journal. Although you might experience the same natural events year after year, you see everything in a clearer light when you take the time to reflect on what you’ve seen. Once you learn the name of a common weed, it becomes more difficult to ignore it the next time you see it in bloom on the lawn. You think twice about mowing it down.
Over the past year I’ve spent a lot of time outdoors and taken more photographs than at at any other time in my life. Field guides have become regular reading material and I’ve drawn numerous images of wildlife in an effort to illustrate what I couldn’t capture in a photograph.
My favorite posts are those that surrounded the theme of shapes in nature and the natural elements during our Midsummer Scavenger Hunt. Thank you again to everyone who participated. The whole was definitely greater than the sum of the parts.
The Midsummer Scavenger Hunt Series
Despite all the page views I received last week while on WordPress’ front page (just under a thousand in one day!) it’s the feedback from regular visitors from around the world through comments and email that make the process all the more worthwhile. My goal has not just been to share what beauty is here in my neck of the woods, but to encourage readers to take a closer look at the wonders waiting to be discovered in your own backyard. Living vicariously through Nature is a way of life that’s all the more enjoyable when it’s shared.
Flandrum Hill 
Beautiful post today, Amy! Some of the pictures I remember clearly and others were from before I started reading…it’s been a wondermous year living in nature with you and Kathy. Thanx….for sharing your world, your hollyhock seeds and more importantly, for sharing yourself! Love ya!
This strikes me as very direct and immediate living. It is we who experience your life in nature vicariously through your post–and thank you for it!
Oh, Amy, so many beautiful images! I always see with fresh eyes when I visit your blog.
I missed your appearance on the WP front page (by which we know that I always walk into the house through the back door). Congratulations on that, and on your anniversary. May you keep walking and looking and listening and coming back to write about it here.
I think we are on a parallel journey. The beauty is in the detail.
What a beautiful little Chickadee drawing! You have the best ideas…I always enjoy my visit to your blog! Keep going…
Well, my dear friend, you sure have me looking at things differently than before!
Before this summer’s scavenger hunt, I had barely used the digital camera I got as a Christmas gift. Now I can take decent photos, although I found that moving targets like my darling little grandson are a lot more difficult to photograph than trees and flowers and lakes. I can even email photos to you!
And talk about fall colours! I don’t remember ever seeing such vibrant colour changes here (southern BC) before, but this year I am keenly watching for them! And I cannot believe the golds and reds I’m seeing!
Congrats on being on WordPress’ front page!
It’s an inspiring post 🙂 Glad I found you, hope you will continue to share your natural observations!
Congratulations on a whole year of your nature journal, Amy! This is a wonderful accomplishment. You have taught us all so much, and shared deeply of your life. I know what you mean about the feedback from regular visitors. That’s what counts deeply, because those are the people with whom you’re developing relationships and sharing on a day-to-day basis. Hope you keep sharing!
Well done! It is a great achievement and it must make you feel good to know that you have touched the lives of so many people in such a significant way.
Thank you for your encouraging comments everyone 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
Thank you for your blog, Amy! Keep writing, drawing, photographing & experiencing…
:-)))
Nice to have you visit pepsoid. It’s a pleasure 🙂
I don’t get around to visiting nearly as often as I would like, but when I do I always find something that makes me smile! 🙂 🙂 🙂