Nature Walk - The Island

Today was a cold (36 degrees,) breezy day. The sun came out this afternoon and we headed out for our weekly (we try) nature walk. We have had very little rain this last summer and fall and with not much in the way of snow runoff this spring, the reservoir near our home is much lower than usual. Because of this, there are areas at the reservoir that are now accessible. One is a little island that is usually, well, an island. Right now there is a land bridge between the shore and the island
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It was fun to explore the little island.  There are a lot of pine, oak, birch and beech trees. We spotted a couple of campfires that I'm sure are from local fisherman that frequent the reservoir.  It is a lovely spot.

Rachel is my most dedicated nature study student.  She will explore, collect and sketch in her nature journal. I do not force the children to draw, but try and encourage them to notice things and make some observations.  We often come home with pockets full of rocks, cones, acorns, feathers, leaves and plants. Our nature studies are a work in progress.

Most of the trees along the shore look like this one.  Most of the time, these roots are dangling in the water, but this year they are high and dry.

Gabe found all sorts of obstacles to practice his Parkour moves on.

Gabe is my most reluctant nature study student, in the traditional sense.  He doesn't like to sketch but he does take some incredible photos. He has a great eye for detail, motion and light and is quite diligent; taking picture after picture until he gets the shot he likes. As always, he takes what we are doing and makes it his own. The above shot is an example of several photos he took today.

Surprisingly, with our recent cold weather, there were still a few flowers blossoming.

The reservoir was so beautiful today.  Soon the lake will be frozen and dotted with ice fishermen, but until then, we will enjoy our nature walks there.

This is my nature journal entry.  I am not good at sketching, but have been trying to let go of my need to have it look just so. I've read in several places this week about fear being a major stumbling block to creativity, so...no more fear, just enjoyment in doing the best I can.

An Autumn Walk

It has taken us several weeks, but we have finally settled into somewhat of a weekday routine that is working. Having all of the younger children back home for schooling has been a big challenge for all of us. We are seeing some very positive results, which reaffirms our decision to bring the kids home from public school.


We have enjoyed being able to again take our frequent walks. We live in a lovely area with lots of country roads and nature to enjoy. I get a nice brisk walk, the dogs get some exercise and the kids like to run in the woods, throw stones in the river or find treasures along the way.

You can see the scoured river bank behind the children, remnants of hurricane Irene. This river overflowed it's banks in several areas.

The trees are hanging onto their leaves this fall and this oak was looking mighty handsome with all the variations in leaf color.

Max, our new puppy, has especially enjoyed these outings as everything is so new to him. He spends so much time sniffing everything he can reach. He is already Gabe's buddy and Gabe accommodates him by allowing him to roam all over. Gabe is very good with animals and all our pets seem to gravitate toward him.

We saw this Monarch flying very timidly. I'm sure he was very close to his last days. It is sad to see them go, but just another part of the yearly cycle of nature. He was definitely a bright spot among the brown leaves.

These fellows were looking for a handout. I love the little donkeys. They are so cute and we can hear them braying from our house. What a funny creature they are.

These little walks refresh and energize us to get back to our schoolwork. Sometimes that means more books, but sometimes it is just to discuss and enjoy the treasures we bring home.

New Year's Day Walk

The weather the last few days has been quite warm. After a very lazy morning, Brian and I decided to take a walk.

We pass the same river several times as we walk along our road and each bend has it's own character. Even though it has been warm, there is still a lot of snow and most of the river is frozen.

I love the sound and sights of the water. It swirls under, over and around the ice, making interesting patterns.


We took a detour over to the falls as it is always lovely. Most of it was still frozen over, but there was a nice splash of water at the bottom.

We appreciate the opportunity to get out, just the two of us, to walk and talk without the bustle of the children. It was a splendid walk.

To the Reservoir and Back

I wasn't sure how it would be with just Gabe and I home this school year. We miss having Bess with us. We have gotten used to Rachel, Hannah and Dan being gone all day, although I know Gabe misses having someone to play with. It has been good, just the two of us. We are getting our work done, taking long walks, having endless conversations about every under the sun. Gabe is a wonder at chatting. He can produce a seemingly endless stream of thought for very long periods of time. It isn't the nervous chattering type of conversation, just the natural flow between two good friends.


Today we headed out on our walk and both of us were feeling adventurous and ready to explore a bit further. We walked down to the reservoir.

The fall colors are not very bright this year. Probably a result of the very dry late summer we have had. I am still hoping that a bit of rain might help. There are some nice colors and we saw our share of lovely leaves.

It seems so many things were out and about today. We saw this snake basking on a rock in the riverbed.

There were lots of butterflies around and grasshoppers galore.

When we got to the reservoir, we decided to venture out a bit. The reservoir has restricted usage and you aren't suppose to go down to the water unless you are fishing, but being just a bit of a rebel, I figured Gabe, Gracie and I would cause no more disturbance than the fishermen. Because the water is so low right now, we could get out onto the rocks and walk along the edge rather than in the woods. It was very pleasant. There wasn't anyone else around today, except the creatures that call it home.

We came upon this Great Blue Heron, who seemed very unconcerned with our presence. We watched him for a bit and then Gracie started thrashing in the water and startled him.

The clouds started to roll in and we still had about 2 miles to go to get back home, so we turned back.

It started to rain when we were 1/2 mile from the house, but Gabe had one more task he wanted to accomplish. For several days he had seen an old scooter down under the bridge. Today he decided to retrieve it. He climbed down over the bank and hauled it out. The front axle was bent, so he had to carry it. We hoofed up the last big hill and made it home before the rain got too heavy.

What a beautiful day to take a nice long walk with a pair of very special friends.

An Afternoon Stroll

Gabe and I are slowly settling into our fall school schedule. I still have some material to order and we are setting up a more permanent school area. For us, getting into a new routine is the toughest part. Both he and I tend to live life as it comes, going with the flow as it were. That doesn't always work so well for getting a lot accomplished. We are trying to find a balance; getting things done and still enjoying the days as they unfold.

We both enjoy walking and this week we are getting back into our daily (most days) walk. This is a great time to get out, exercise for us and the dog, talk, enjoy nature and take a break from the books.

There is always so much to see along the way. We pick different routes, all are pretty, most end up on dirt roads, with plenty of fields and woods to enjoy.

Fall is most definitely visible in the plants along the way, Asters, Sumac, grasses and sedges.

Gabe and I have always had a very special relationship. I suppose most parents have one child that they just "click" with. He and I have a lot of similar interests. Our relationship is easy and comfortable. He loves to chat as we walk and I don't mind. Today we talked, among other things, about each of our expectations for the coming year. We are both of similar mind in how we would like this year to go.

It was an extremely pleasant walk today, great company and great conversation.

Thanks, Gabe! :-)

An Evening Walk

Our family enjoys taking walks. We love geocaching, which takes us on some great hiking trails, but many times we just walk from our home along the various dirt roads in our area. We live in a beautiful area of low hill, rolling farmlands, brooks, fields and woods.

A few weeks ago we enjoyed a lovely walk after dinner up to the farm on the hill.

The trees are very colorful now, but a few weeks ago, they were just starting to show some fall color.

The long shadows of fall were stretching out across the road and fields, casting lovely patches of color.
We pass a couple small farms. This one has many different animals including these draft horses. They also have a couple of peafowl. I love to hear their interesting call.

The road is edged by many stone walls along the fields. We do not have great expansive fields here, but many smaller fields bordered by small patches of woods. This is a great place for wildlife and we saw many deer enjoying a late day snack as we walked along.

Our destination, just over the next little hill, "Bob's Farm". The round trip walk is about three miles. A nice outing for most, but a bit tiring for Dan. His little legs have to work a lot harder then the bigger folk's. He is quite willing to go along as well as he can, but knows a boost up and ride will come if he needs it.

The kids always manage to find walking sticks along the way.

What a gorgeous view. I never tire of the lovely vistas we see each and every day. What a blessing to live in an area so rich is natural beauty.

I love this oak tree that sits atop the hill. It is so majestic and sits at the apex of the hill so proudly watching the road. It must be very old and I'm sure has seen horse and buggy turn to cars over the years.

Dan finally grows too weary and Brian gives him a lift the rest of the way home.

We are seeing a lot of these flying by. The haunting calls of the Canada geese at night is something so special for those of us living in the north. Fall is nipping the air in earnest now. The colors are bright, the days are cool, the nights, downright cold. Frost nips at the plants, teasing them with things to come.

We make our way home as the sky grows dim. The mist settles into the valleys and the moon shines bright. Life is good on an evening walk.

Flowers in the Meadow

This is the farmers field. Most years he plants it with corn, but this year he planted a silage mix. It grass is quite feathery and lovely and dotted with many wildflowers. I used to know the names of many wildflowers, but like so many things, if you do not practice, you lose it. I will share the pictures anyway, I hope you enjoy our walk through the meadow.