Saturday, November 8, 2008

Some Blog Updates and Information

I have been through all the Outdoor Hour Challenges to make sure that the links are working. I realized that the notebook page link at the bottom of the first twenty or so challenges was broken so it is now fixed. If you find a link that is not updated in any of the Outdoor Hour Challenges, could you please email me to let me know about it? It is really hard to keep up with links so having more pairs of eyes looking is always a good thing.

It has been brought to my attention that the Save File website that both Tina and I use for the Outdoor Hour Challenges has from time to time contained links to YouTube with objectionable materials on the top of the page. I have been over to Save File a couple dozen times today and I have not found that the links were something that automatically came up when I clicked over to the link for the notebook pages or for the pdf files for the challenges. It looks as if you have to actually click the arrow/start button on the top of the page in order to get them to play so I had never noticed them before because I don't click the link. Until I can come up with a better way to save the files for you in one place that doesn't charge me to upload, the files will stay on Save File. It will be up to you to not click on or roll over anything that looks objectionable. I have been using Save File for months and honestly I have never had anything play automatically. Just be careful when you click over there and hopefully there will be no more surprises.

Also I have had email from several readers explaining that they cannot download the challenge files from Save File. I have tried to check the downloading and I have no trouble at all. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to it. If you are having trouble with either the challenge pdf files or the notebook pages not downloading correctly, could you let me know? Maybe it is a browser issue? If anyone has any idea what it could be, please email me. In the meantime, if you need to print out the challenges and cannot access the files on Save File, just copy and paste them from the blog entry and then print them out for you use.

I am in the process of putting together a webpage on Squidoo on the Handbook of Nature Study. It will be an ongoing project as we go through the different topics in the book. I have put some links and books on there for flowerless plants and for mammals. Make sure to bookmark the page and then refer to it if you want more information on the Handbook. I also put on the Squidoo page sample nature journal entries, a collection of the Outdoor Hour Photos of the Week, and some fun things as well.
Click over and check it out when you get a chance. Feel free to leave me a comment over on the Squidoo page since it is always nice to have feedback.
The Handbook of Nature Study on Squidoo

Have you taken your nature walk this week yet? How about a notebook page to get you started? My daughter has put together a fall nature walk activity that you can print out and take with you on a nature walk this week. Fall Nature Walk Notebook page She also has a Fall Picture Study using Van Gogh's Mulberry Tree painting that you might enjoy using during your art time this week. I love it when we can connect nature study and art together.

This has been a busy week outdoors for our family getting things cleaned up around the yard with raking and cleaning up the garden boxes. It will soon be cold and wet and we will have more indoor time to catch up on our nature journals. That reminds me....don't forget that the notebook challenge will soon be coming to a close. I know by the results of the poll that many of you are working on getting your thirty pages done so don't give up now. There are still plenty of things to draw in the fall and on into the winter. Keep your eyes open.

Barb-Harmony Art Mom