Monday’s foray to the pond was more about discussing what we were going to do, which tree we might want to study for a year, the best place to test the water and so forth. C10, who loves to draw and write, made notes and drew a lovely picture of the Mandarin duck which currently resides in our pond. T11 loves to take photos, so he clicked away to his heart’s content and L10 simply observed-she had plans on the return home.
I tried to capture the pond and its residents:
And the Mandarin duck but only managed a photo from the distant:
We chose a tree for our year-long study and got off to a great start as none of us, not even mum could identify it!
We left it at that and journeyed the short distance home. Whilst I was busy putting B2 down for a nap, I could hear much industry going on in the living room. T11 had picked up feathers and a beautiful leaf and had put them up on a display board (no photos, I’m afraid), whilst L10 did an impromptu presentation on the Mandarin duck:
Whilst I schooled A4 the children enthusiastically attacked the task of collaging the rather bare cover of the A2 art pad, which was to be our family pond study journal for the year. I gave them some photocopies and a nature book I knew we would never use to cut and paste. It reminded me of when I was a teenager-I did this to all my photo albums outside and in!
And the final product:
We collected the few bits and bobs T11 had brought home and pressed them in our flower press. We would try to identify the leaf once it was flat and before we stuck it in the journal:
Once everything was dry (the journal), and flat(the feathers and leaf) we gathered notes, pictures, developed photos and began making our page for the month of March. There are 15 pages in the book and we have decided to make one double-sided page per month. With the extra sheets at the back, we will include tables and graphs of the water ph, maybe some weather charts and tree pictures (and anything else we might think of later on). We’re already looking forward to next Monday!
I love the pond study journal! Our study of the local pond is much more informal; we take photos from the same angles every season and compare. I love what you’re doing with it!
Thank you. Simply taking photos sounds like a fab idea! Nice and non time intensive (I like the sound of that!!)
I can picture the enthusiasm. The ideas will just come bubbling out. love you all. xxxxxxx
The children said to say hi and to thank you for commenting. They LOVE getting comments from people they know! C10 said the ideas are already bubbling out uncontrollably and that they love you and Grandad very much and they told me to leave about 100 kisses- consider it done (you’ll just have to use your imagination of just how that many Xs would look!!)
We, in central Canada, envy the photos of your pond. It will take us at least another month, and quite possibly more, to get to be anything like that. We are still under a deep blanket of snow and more is forecast for this week-end. Our city is named Winnipeg, but, it often gets called “winterpeg”. I wonder why!! Love the journal cover.
Ah, you see, my children would be utterly envious of all your snow! We’re going to look up your city on a map. It’s fun to think we ‘know’ someone in Canada!! Take care!
If you are looking for Winnipeg, look in south central Canada.
Looks like you’re off to a very good start! It’s great that your mum is involved as well. I’m looking forward to reading more of your nature study posts on this topic. There’s so much to learn just around the neighbourhood. 🙂
We’re really enjoying ourselves. I love our village and I especially love the pond, so it seemed a natural place to start!
I was really looking forward to following this project, and you guys haven’t disappointed me! The cover of the nature journal is beautiful.
And maybe it’s a good thing you didn’t identify the tree first time – it’s a mystery waiting to be solved! How exciting to think that the tree will soon burst into life and reveal itself in all its glory!
Lucinda
Yes, a mystery waiting to unfold – I like that! (better than kicking myself because I really should know the trees native to this area)
I feel like I’m in this with you since we are also doing a large nature study. I’m looking forward to getting a peek into your pond study 🙂
That’s so much fun, you in America and me in England yet we’re in it together!! Gotta love blogging at times like this!
What a gorgeous book!! A beautiful pond to study. I am looking forward to all the posts on it! You are so inspiring.
Wait to see if I keep it up longer than a couple of weeks before you consider me inspiring – I’ve not got a great track record for nature study!!
Looks like a great first visit! I also thought it was great that the kids will have to dive in and discover what kind of tree it is they will be studying. Hopefully, it will provoke more investigatory work! I love the picture of the pond with the homes (?) visible through the trees. So picturesque. We live in Ohio (USA) and are waiting for that lush green grass!!
We went on our pond study today and it’s snowing! That;s English weather for you!!
Ooohhhh, this is going to be so much fun!
I can’t wait to see how it turns out, and I love their journal.
Thank you! I think we’re going to enjoy it as well!
Oh this is a great idea! I’m thinking of our local possiblities right now!!
Thank you, let me know how it goes with all your possibilities!