Knowledge Leads to Pleasure-My Heartfelt Thank You

"Knowledge is power. It is also pleasure or affords pleasure. Many students learn for the mere pleasure of learning. This is the case of the scientist who discovers the laws of nature or proves a theory, without a thought of their practical application. Even a child in the satisfaction of his curiosity has a similar feeling.

But we can get sweet and helpful pleasure also from the sensuous enjoyment of the beauty of nature's forms and colors, the songs of birds and the sound of running waters, the fragrance of the flowers and the smell of the earth and sea, the delicious flavor of fruit, the warmth of the genial sunshine, the touch of our feet on the ground, or the feel of the earth as we lie upon it. These pleasures of the senses, though not the higher kind, should not be neglected. Without them life would be much more matter-of-fact and uninteresting"
Nature Study and the Child by Charles B. Scott, late 1800's

I want to say that my life has truly been enriched by keeping this blog of our family's adventures. The knowledge we have gained about the natural world, seeing the creation of a loving heavenly Father, has indeed made our hearts full and life more sweet. But this blog would not be complete if it were not for all the wonderful people who have joined us along the way. The kinship of like-hearted moms who have helped create a place of sharing and encouragement is really the other ingredient to the Handbook of Nature Study blog.

Our woodpecker tree

The journey has been even more pleasurable as I have come to know many, many families from around the world who also take time to spend a few minutes each week outdoors with their children. I want to seize this opportunity to thank those who nominated the Handbook of Nature Study for the Best Homeschool Nature Study Blog again this year. This community has helped build a great nature study blog and resource. As the winner of the 2011 Homeschool Blog Award we can perhaps share our adventure with some new families who learn about the weekly challenges and start to participate in the Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival. Make sure to check out the other winning blogs when you have some time.

Kona and I say, "Thank you so much."

My thank you would not be complete without a word or two to my wonderful supportive husband and my four children, without which this adventure would never have started. Seeing the world through your eyes has made every moment more special. Thanks for putting up with your crazy nature loving mama. I look forward to many more years of adventures either with you at my side or as I hear of your own journeys out into the world.

2009 Family Photo - Under the Sequoias

Maple Study - Leaves Instead of Seeds

Autumn Scene - Sierra Nevada Foothills

Our last study for the Autumn series (More Nature Study with the OHC) was one that took us up the mountain to see maples brilliantly colored against the autumn sky. The Bigleaf maples are ablaze with color right now and so easy to spot since they grow in and among the evergreens of the Sierra Nevada. Our field guide says that Bigleaf maples grow at an elevation of 2,000 - 5,000 feet so we live right at the lower edge of where they naturally occur.

Perfect spot to stop and observe some Bigleaf Maples

We stopped alongside the roadway to gather a few leaves and take some images. When I opened the car door...Mmmmmm...it smelled like fall. I hope I don't ever stop remembering to slow down enough to drink in the fragrance of autumn leaves, damp and woodsy.

Lobed leaves, turning yellow-green

Now to the part that I have to be humble about. When I wrote the Maple Seed Challenge months ago I thought that this would be the time to gather seeds. Turns out after some direct observation and some reading in my tree book....that this may not be the right time for maple keys so now that we know where to find our little grove of maples, we will revisit it in the winter to see if can see any changes.

We decided that we might as well observe and learn more about the leaves of the Bigleaf maple.


We brought one really big leaf home and measured it...a little less than twelve inches across. Our field guide says that the leaves should be 16-14 inches in length including the stalk so that is in line with what we found. Mr. B decided to start the advanced notebook page with the field guide information but wait on sketching the maple keys until we gather some at a later date.

On another big leaf note....



How about this gigantic catalpa tree leaf that we found at my mom's house last weekend? Isn't it glorious? Amanda took a quick photo of me holding the leaf and I thought you  might get a kick out of seeing it, especially after seeing the maple leaf and thinking THAT was big. My little three year old grand-niece said, "What is that?" I told a it was a really big leaf and she laughed. I miss having little ones around who have lots of questions and everything is new and interesting.

Sigh, that finishes up the autumn challenges for now. This season of nature study went by entirely too fast! For more information on what the next few months hold for the OHC, see THIS ENTRY.  I will post a bonus type challenge this coming Friday.



If you feel inclined and you have not already taken the opportunity to vote yet, my Handbook of Nature Study blog has been nominated in the Homeschool Blog Awards for the Best Homeschooling Nature Study/Field Trip Blog category. I am not a big blog award sort of person but these awards are a way for more people to find out about what we do here on my blog which is to provide a community of nature loving families a place to connect and learn from each other. If you click over, you will need to scroll down and find the proper category (#20 on the list) and then scroll down the list of blogs and click the button in front of Handbook of Nature Study.

I know that several of the Outdoor Hour Challenge participants have also been nominated in this category and it warms my heart! I think all of you deserve this award too....my blog is really just a reflection of all the great families who participate in the weekly challenges, the blog carnival, the newsletter, and in supporting each other by leaving comments and encouraging thoughts.

Homeschool Blog Award....Heartfelt Thanks for the Honor

I was informed yesterday that this blog had won the Homeschool Blog Award for
Best Homeschool Nature Blog.


Wow!

I have been thinking about the award and what it means, bringing back great memories from the last year and how much the Outdoor Hour has become the center of a great community of blog readers and participants.

Many of you follow the challenges and post your links faithfully, some of you pop in when you get a chance and blow me away with your great family nature study, and there are probably many of you I haven't even "met" but who read through readers and email. I think all of you deserve a little bit of this award....without you there would be no real reason to keep this nature blog.



I think this award belongs to the community we have developed and nurtured. Behind the award is a lot of effort not only on my part but by all the moms and dads who have slowed down to take the time and value outdoor activities with their children. You all make what I do have meaning. The fruits of my labor are viewed in the smiles and great learning that I see each week when I open up my links to glimpse into your nature study.



Although the award is a great honor and I realize that you all supported me by voting, I think the real reward is the everyday, week-to-week sharing of nature study that I am privileged to be a part of with families from all over the world.

Thank you very much for your support of this blog, Handbook of Nature Study.

I didn't take a single photo in this post. Here are the captions that go with each one:
1. Water bird at Lake Tahoe, taken by my son this past October.
2. Typical family nature outing....my youngest being silly and if you look in the background you can see me taking photos.
3.Another beautiful photo with mom and her camera.....my two oldest sons have inherited my photography passion.
4. Rare photo of all three of my boys standing still with their mom.....this year's camping trip to Northern California and the Oregon Coast. (Please note that this photo was taken on the last day of a week-long camping trip with four guys so I am a little rough around the edges.)


Wonder where this year will lead us?


Barb-Harmony Art Mom

Blogs With Substance: Passing it Along

Thanks to Jessica for passing along this award to me...it means a lot that she considers my blog to have substance. I try to post with regularity and with interesting things to share for my readers.

The Award Rules:
•Thank the blogger who awarded it to you.
•Sum up your blogging philosophy, motivation, and experience using ten (10) words.
•Pass it on to 10 other blogs which you feel have real substance.

My blogging philosophy, motivation, and experience in ten words?????? Hmmm....

Share something worthwhile and you will be encouraged in return. (I did it.)

The real meat of this award is that I get to share some of my favorite "Blogs With Substance" with you. Here is a list of blogs I eagerly read when they are in my Google Reader.....in no particular order of course.

Phyllis at Our Journey and All Things Beautiful: Phyllis is a faithful poster as part of the Outdoor Hour Challenge. She is the mom of many and yet she takes care to nourish each of her children in their own way. She always posts with substance.

Alex at Serendipity Home School: Alex is also a faithful OHC participant. I love to see her photos and to hear what special books she has found to enhance their Canadian nature study experience.

Jamie at See Jamie Blog: Such a joy to read her blog and to follow their family's journey. Lots of things to think about on Jamie's blog.

Jimmie from Jimmie's Collage: I have been reading Jimmie's blog for years and I have enjoyed every post she has written from China. Jimmie is an extraordinary woman.

Nadene from Practical Pages: Nadene knocks my socks off with all the free and wonderful ideas and projects she shares on her blog from South Africa. Don't miss this blog if you are looking for creative art ideas along with lots of free pages to use in your homeschooling.

Angie from Petra School: Angie and her boys are such an inspiration to me and give me such encouragement with every OHC post they make. Besides being a fellow West Coast blogger, I enjoy Angie's style. She is sometimes even more zealous about nature study than I am.

Tammy at Adventures on Beck's Bounty: Tammy and I have enjoyed each other's blogs for some time now. We are fellow nature study, gardening, Charlotte Mason homeschoolers. She has so much to offer in her posts and I enjoy reading them all.

Kris from Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers: I have gotten to know Kris this past school year by participating in both her Hands On Homeschool Blog Carnival and her Weekly Wrap-Up posts. I appreciate the time Kris puts into her online presence and her regularity in posting.

Brenda from The Tie That Binds Us: Although she has been on a break, Brenda is a blogger with substance. Besides being a fellow homeschooler of high school age students, Brenda and I have many of the same ideas about homeschooling. She shares so much with the homeschooling community and I hope you get to know her better.

So there is my list....hopefully it blesses you in some way to perhaps find a new blogger to read or be reminded of one you need to add to your reader.

Thanks again to Jessica for the award and the encouragement to keep on blogging.

Barb-Harmony Art Mom

An Excellent Award to Share

Thanks Jimmie for the award. I will wear it proudly. :)

According to the rules, I will need to pass it on to ten other blogs.

Here are some blogs I think are worthy of this excellent award. (in no particular order of course)
1. Peakmore Academy
2. Hearts and Trees
3. Wildflower Morning
4. Sunny Homeschool
5. Percytruffle's Place

So will I get in trouble for only presenting the award to 5 blogs? I hope not. Many of the blogs I wanted to pass the honor on to have already received it.

Enjoy the blogs.
Barb-Harmony Art Mom