Documenting a September walk in my Cape Cod nature journal

It’s hard to believe it’s already two thirds of the way through September but here we are. The air is cooler, the birds are gathering to migrate, and the flowers are giving up their blooms.

We went for a walk around Hathaway’s Pond this morning to see what we could see. I took along my lightweight travel bag, a big old plastic bag I’ve used for years, and a pair of garden shears. My goal was to clip some plants and leaves along the way to bring back to my studio to draw and paint, having just completed five days of John Muir Laws‘s Wild Wonder Nature Journal Conference. Although I’ve kept a nature journal for many years, I admit I’d been slacking so this was the incentive I needed to get back to it.

The water level at the pond was exceptionally low and I found many wildflowers around the edge. Most are common, some are even invasive, but I clipped them anyway, to look up, draw and paint. I’m far from a botanist so I’m always learning new plants. I looked everything up but I may be wrong so feel free to correct me.

Here’s what I brought back after an hour or so of wandering

I put everything that needed water in a jar of water and the other things back in the bag until I was ready to work with them. I drew in ink and then added watercolor.

Pondside plants, Mary Richmond’s nature journal, Cape Cod
Woodland plants, Mary Richmond’s nature journal, Cape Cod
Random finds on the woodland floor, Mary Richmond’s nature journal, Cape Cod

I spent most of the day on this project–collecting, sorting, looking things up, sketching, painting. I often don’t have that sort of time but when I do it always enriches me. It’s good to slow down, take note, appreciate the small things we see around us but tend to take for granted.

Happy Earth Day!

To be honest, I think every day should be Earth Day. I hope you do, too.

Here’s my latest column on this subject.

From the Cape Cod Chronicle

I get asked all the time about teaching classes on keeping a nature journal so I’m offering an all day workshop at Cotuit Center for the Arts on Saturday, April 30, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. No experience is necessary, just a desire to go out in nature and take some notes or write some poetry or draw a picture–whatever you want. We will discuss all sorts of different ways to go about this because there is no ONE way–there’s YOUR way. This will be fun class and will be held rain or shine. Click on the Cotuit Center for the Arts link above for more information and to register. This is the perfect time of year to begin your nature journal.

New Online Nature Sketching Course!

Are you hoping to start a nature journal this year? Wait no longer! I’m offering an online Nature Journal class for all levels beginning any time you want. You can sign up for one month and continue as long as you’d like. Sign up for a year and save some money as well as stay motivated. All you need is a sketchbook, a pencil and the willingness to try something new.

Yes, the weather may be frightful, but I’ll show you some fun sketching projects that will keep you drawing and interested all through the worst of the snow and ice.

Traveling? Bring your sketchbook and follow the prompts wherever you are!

Don’t wait–sign up before January 1 and save some cash! Just send me an email at capecodartandnature at gmail dot com and I’ll send you a PayPal invoice.

Sign up now and receive your first lesson on January 1 along with hints and a suggested supply list. Lessons will be sent once a week and you can begin any time you want.

A 30 day trial can be had for $20. Ongoing lessons can be secured now for the next calendar year for the sale price of $20 a month. I will send a monthly PayPal invoice on the 15th of the month (ie. on January 15 to start February 1) This will be a one time offering and is good from January 1, 2019 until December 31, 2019.

Sending a gift? Just let me know and I’ll send out a gift certificate online or by snail mail.

Searching for spring on the upper Cape

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It was a beautiful day yesterday so I packed up the camera, sketchbook, pen and watercolors and headed out to see what signs of spring I could find. I chose Bourne, mostly because I wanted to look for the king eider that has been seen hanging out with the common eiders in the canal and I wanted to see it if I could.

See if you can spot the king eider in this flock…

002I didn’t spot him either though I looked at each and every bird more than once through binoculars.

We headed over to Four Ponds Conservation Area which is one of my favorite places. We found lots of signs of spring there.

009By the little stream we found skunk cabbage and watercress. We also spotted a mourning cloak butterfly. I got out my sketchbook and we did the rest of the walk in slow motion as I stopped to sketch along the way.

001Although I love to take photos and take a lot of them, the sketching slows me down and allows me to really look at the details.

We saw our first painted turtles of the year, and a lot of them.

018and the first buds of mayflower or trailing arbutus

026I spied some whimsical things like these

002and then, at the end of our day we stopped by Peterson’s Farm to see the new baby lambs just because…

032I’ll be posting more of my favorite first signs of spring over the next days and weeks. What are some of yours?