Wildflowers Nature School

Sorry no post yesterday - wireless down on all 3 of my devices. On Buzz's this am. I'll post both yesterday's & tomorrow's now. Congratulations if you've done all 21 days!!! Now you've created a CORE ROUTINE to happiness in your life. Keep the healthy habit up & it will feed your soul to amazing depths. I will start doing some blogs on occasion on www.earthcamp.org, BTW. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all of you mothers out there! ...Continue reading

DAY 19: Finding the Story Yesterday was focusing on the details. Today is to look at the big picture. During your sit notice the skyline. Trace where you see the sky touch everything in a line from East to West. If you're in a small yard or patio, that might be building, oak tree, rest of building, fence, sweet smelling vine, rest of fence, bunch of willows, etc. Whatever it is, feel gratitude. Notice the broad shape of trees, the roundness of the oak, the tilted dropp...Continue reading

Add-on to Day 18: NATURE NOOK: Micro-hike I can't speak of details without mentioning the "micro-hike". Especially to a broad home-bound group that might only have a patio for nature. Get a magnifying lens if you have one. Pick a square yard in your sit spot. Lay on your tummies and this time instead of looking out during your sit, you're looking down deeply at a small area. How does moving through grass feel? Do an "animal form" (pretend to be - see previous nature noo...k) for a snake or bug. Feel your anatomy's particular adaptation to move through a jungle of grass or a crack in the sidewalk. If you were a bug "hiking" through your square yard, what would you see? Use your magnifying glass to see closer. Is there a story there - maybe ants guarding eggs or a bee pollinating a flower? Isn't it fascinating how plants compete? Some weeds specifically move in next to others, choking the competition out with their roots or shade. Extension (caution academic left brain activity): Now switch to being a biologist doing a Biotic Survey. Use your magnifying glass. List all the different species you can. Use a guidebook if you have one or if that's too academic for today, list by attributes. "2nd kind of beetle has protrusions from mouth area and no color but black, about 2/3 ". Great homeschool exercise to even take it a step further and research 10 living things found in the micro-hike and make a "Field Guide to the Ground".

DAY 18: DETAILS Today from where you're sitting, look at the details. Pick a tree for example and notice all the qualities of that tree. Imagine what it's like to BE that tree. When I did that, I was surprised to notice a physical sensation in my heart area of being that tree. Getting to really, really know one plant or animal or bird is a powerful connection. Even a weed can be wonderful to get to know. Notice how your mind can go from pure experience of it to the sci...entist mind full of curious details and lists and catalogs, and then back. See if you can notice whenever your mind switches from one to the other. It may be switching which side of the brain it's using. Finding out the details of something brings us closer to it. We'll understand it more and even feel empathy for it's struggles and successes. Absorbing the beauty or the vibe from one living thing can lead to a level of ecstatic gratitude for it that is truly connection. NATURE NOOK If you didn't do it yesterday, Meet a Tree fits today's theme very well. EAGLE EYE - I forgot to keep giving ideas for hide-n-seek. I hope you were making up your own variations. This is a great one for 1) seeing deep into nature, and 2) experiencing what an animal hiding sees, 3) realizing how animals are in nature (or the city even) and see us and we don't see them, 4) training the mind to notice the details in our landscape. "It" covers their eyes and counts to 50 (or alot higher for more sitting in nature). Hiders go deep in grass, behind trees, in bushes, etc., but they must be able to SEE "it" at all times. "Ready or not, here I see". "It" does not move except by choosing one foot they may pivot on. When he sees someone he calls out their name, or if he doesn't notice who it is they can yell the color of their clothing, etc. that they're noticing. SKETCHING - Noticing the details of something is greatly enhanced by sketching. If you don't think you can draw, try this 1 hr free class: https://drawn-to-nature-with-christine-elder.teachable.com/

Day 17: WONDER Start most of your thoughts with "I wonder..." Don't conjure it. Just let your spot pour in your senses and LET your wonder arise. It will. Feel your questions arise without need for an answer during your sit. Are you curious about anything in particular that you sense from your spot? Sit with that today. Feel your gratitude for it. After sitting with it a while, wander to it, explore it, and look for clues to the mystery of your questions. NATURE NO...OK: THE MYSTERY TRAIL A lot of times on wanders with the kids, we'll follow our wonder from one clue to the next. I'll start with stopping at something in particular with curiosity, "Huh. Look at that! I wonder..." It can be a how, why, what, when, whatever. Then look up, look around, and see a clue or a direction to go in to look for a clue. Follow the mystery trail until, like the beauty of children dictates, either a new activity or a new mystery arises. MEET A TREE: Blindfold one of a pair or trio. Guide the blind to a tree. Have him/her sense it with all 6 senses (well, maybe not taste LOL). Then guide them back to where he/she started. Remove the blindfold. Have them find their tree. Great bonding with the particular trees in your sit spot.