Frolicing in The Daffs

Animals and people were frolicing in the daffodils. Doesn't it really feel like spring now.

Early Spring Flowers - Nature Study and Art Project

Our Pansy Study and Early Spring Flowers Challenge

What a splendid time to be out in the garden! Our neighborhood is coming alive with spring blossoms and the birds are flocking to our feeders in record numbers. We have an abundance of house finches this year and they vary in color from light pink to purple to almost orange. Amazing display of creation!



The early spring bulbs are all up and many are blooming. The daffodils and the grape hyacinth are blazing with color. The forsythia is starting to blossom and the lavender has new flowers for our bees to buzz in. The tulips and iris are all up but just showing lots of green leaves so far.



We arranged dozens of flowers in the house and our kitchen table is so cheerful and happy. I got out all my vases and dusted them off for the season. I seem to collect pretty vases and I love it even more when they don't match exactly. Even my hubby had a smile on his face when he spied the colorful flowers on the table.



So our pansy study consisted mostly of admiring them and recreating them in artwork since we have studied them closely in the past. Mr. B and I had pansy art time on a rainy afternoon. There really is no better way to make yourself examine a subject better than to apply your attention to an art project. Slowing down to discover the shapes, form, and patterns makes a big impression.



Mr. B always chooses to work with markers if given the choice but I am still working on feeling comfortable with acrylics. I think these pansy creations are going to be framed and hung in my bathroom vanity area. I have a small collection of floral artwork done by children there already so it will be a perfect fit.


I played around with the acrylics and a small canvas panel I had from Michaels. I tried not to take myself too seriously and just have fun. Art therapy....even for moms.

So now we are officially finished with the More Nature Study Book 2 - Winter 2012 challenges and we will be going over a few of the suggested Charlotte Mason Exam Questions that are included in the ebook. The thing about Charlotte Mason style questions is that they ask the child to tell back in some way what they know about a topic and never to find out what they don't know. I do not grade these assignments and look at them as a way for Mr. B to review what we learned and enjoy a little more time together discussing things that are fresh in our minds. I recommend you give it a try if you have the More Nature Study ebook and see how it goes.

Don't forget to send me your Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival entries directly since the carnival website is not working.
harmonyfinearts@yahoo.com

As a reminder, we will be starting the new More Nature Study Book 3 - Spring Splendor series on March 23, 2012. Just in time for the first days of spring! I look forward to another season of nature study with all of you.

Preparing for Spring

Planting daffodils in preparation for Spring.

Early Spring Bulb Study: Watercolor Time

I started dreaming of spring bulbs blossoming way back in the fall. Although I didn't feel like getting out and digging the holes and actually planting them, I knew that if we did there would be a springtime show of color.

Well here it comes!

Here is our Early Spring Flower entry for the last challenge of the Winter Series of Outdoor Hour Challenges.



Our fall planted daffodils are adding splashes of yellow to our front yard. You might remember we did a complete remodel of our landscaping last summer/fall and we are just now starting to see the new plants getting green again. It is amazing to look out my front window and see how things are shaping up.



We have had lots of vases inside filled with daffodils....the new ones have rather large blooms.We can all clearly identify all the parts because of previously studying daffodils, including dissecting them. They are still an amazing flower to observe and to marvel at when you think that they come from a dried up old bulb you stick in the ground months ahead of time. They seem to know just when to start growing.



Don't you think they are even lovely from the back?



We have jonquils blooming in the yard as well which smell heavenly.

Part of my goal for 2011 is to learn more about my digital camera. I am on the page in the manual that talks about time lapse movies and I had a brainstorm yesterday to have Mr. A set up a spot to do a little experiment with the time lapse feature. We should have had it take frames more frequently and left the camera set up longer but you get the idea of how fast the buds opened up in the house from the video.


Another watercolor nature journal today....this one was fun because I used paint splotches at the end to sort of fill in the page. I would love to know from my readers whether my nature journal entries encourage you or discourage you from doing some of your own pages. Leave me a comment or send me an email....



I have enjoyed seeing your early spring flowers this week and it has recharged me to get going on the next series of spring challenges tomorrow. If you are still experiencing lots of snow and cold temperatures....be encouraged by those of us who are through to the other side of winter already.

Barb-Harmony Art Mom

Our Signs of Spring: Glorious Spring Flowers

Our world is waking up from a long winter's nap and here are some of our signs of spring.


Dandelions are growing everywhere now in our backyard and even though they are in the lawn, they make me surprisingly happy. I refuse to call them weeds. I love to see them poking up in the cracks of our sidewalk and along the path to the garden. They are like little mini sunflowers in the springtime. If you have some dandelions in your yard, don't miss the dandelion challenge in the new Spring Nature Study Ebook. You can also read all about dandelions in the Handbook of Nature Study.


There is also a nice big mullein growing in the backyard and I know from last year's mullein that this is a plant that grows like crazy. We watched a mullein grow in our garden all summer long and it provided a great source of food for the bees, the hummingbirds, and then later the finches. This plant is listed as a weed in the Handbook of Nature Study too. I can't imagine why.


These are the buds unfurling on my new apple tree. My dear husband brought this tree home and planted it just for me. How did he know I wanted to study the apple tree up close using the Handbook of Nature Study? We are going to be keeping track of its growth as part of the Spring Nature Study Series as well. Let's hope the deer stay away from this tree and we can have a few apples in the fall.


We have a bush on the north side of our house that is blooming with these pretty white flowers. I do not know what the bush is called, but I think it is rather pretty.

We also took a few day trips this week....thanks to an early spring break and some glorious weather.


If you have never smelled daphne blooming before you have truly missed out on a springtime delight. We discovered a garden filled with daphne at one of our state parks. I think it something we would like to add to our home garden.


I was sitting under a tree waiting for the boys to meet up with me one afternoon and look who came to inspect. These Brewer's blackbirds flew into the tree overhead and let me take their photo.


We visited a farm that has thousands of daffodils blooming this time of the year.


I decided that daffodils make me happy.


Once again, I had my son as a companion photographer.


Isn't this a great color combination? I love the mix of daffodils and hyacinths in this garden.


One last sign of spring from our day trips...tulips. Wow! This one was really red and brilliantly colored.

I have really enjoyed reading everyone's signs of spring this week. Thank you to all who have participated.

Barb-Harmony Art Mom

The Daffodils and Violets are Starting to Bloom!

"When the flowerstalk first appears, it comes up like a sheathed sword, pointing toward the zenith, green, veined lengthwise, and with a noticeable thickening at each edge. As the petals grow, the sheath begins to round out; the stiff stem at the base of the sheath bends at right angles."
Handbook of Nature Study, page 550-551

We have daffodils. They started blooming yesterday on the sunny, warm south side of our house. I planted a new bed of daffodils in the fall but they are still just all greenness.....there is the promise of bright yellow blooms soon.



"It is interesting to note the flowers which have impinged upon the imagination of the poets; the violet more than most flowers has been loved by them, and they have sung in varied strains of its fragrance and loveliness."
Handbook of Nature Study, page 476

We also have a bed of violets blooming and when the sun hits the blossoms it smells so sweet and good.


I brought in a handful and decided that the stems are just too short for any vases I could find so I thought this glass butterfly dish would cradle the blossoms just so.

Lovely indeed.

Barb-Harmony Art Mom

Walking through the Daffodils

The daffodils have nearly finished but tulips are starting to replace them. I am really looking forward to the fields of bluebells, having never seen a field of bluebells before.

Daffodils

The parks, the banks of the Thames, everywhere there are green spaces there are thousands of daffodils.

The botanic name for these flowers is Narcissus. In Greek mythology the young Narcissus was so obsessed with his own reflection in the water he either fell in and drowned or died of starvation sitting there. Choose your version. Either way this is the flower that sprang up where he died.
Another story is the flower is named after its narcotic properties.
As I was wandering around taking pictures of daffodils I drove my walking companion nuts trying to remember the words to Wordsworth's poem.
Ha now you're trying to remember aren't you. I'll save you the angst. here it is:

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling leaves in glee;
A poet could not be but gay,
In such a jocund company!
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

"Brightness to the Garden"

"The daffodil, jonquil, and narcissus are very closely related, and quite similar. They all come from bulbs which should be planted in September; but after the first planting, they will flower on year after year, bringing much brightness to the gardens in the early spring."
Handbook of Nature Study, page 551

I don't know if it is "early spring" but my narcissus/paper whites are all pushing up out of the ground among my violets. I know it won't be long now until I have some fragrant beauties to enjoy.


Our birdfeeders are busy every day as many, many different waves of birds come through to feast. These finches are all sharing so nicely. I noticed that there have been quite a few birds in the birdbath as well.

We are getting ready to take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count from February 13-16, 2009.

I encourage you all to look into this family activity as well. Here is the link to find out all about it:
Great Backyard Bird Count

Here is a link to grab a button for your blog:
Great Backyard Bird Count Buttons

Barb-Harmony Art Mom

Time for the Grape Hyacinth

(click the photos to make them larger)

I finally got a photo of this small little flowers that pop up in our lawn. Usually they just start to bloom and someone mows them down. (No names mentioned.)

They are a sign of spring around here.


Yes this is some sort of daisy in a pot and it has aphids on it.


Tiny little daffodil-like flower in my flower bed. I don't know where it came from but it made me smile as I walked by this morning. Surprises are nice.

I am going to be looking forward to focusing on garden flowers for the next term. The Handbook of Nature Study has a whole section for me to read and learn from.

Barb-Harmony Art Mom

Early Daffodils and the Handbook of Nature Study

"When the flowerstalk first appears, it comes up like a sheathed sword, pointing toward the zenith, green, veined lengthwise, and with a noticeable thickening at each edge."
Handbook of Nature Study, page 550

"As the petals grow, the sheath begins to round out; the stiff stem at the base of the sheath bends at right angles. This brings a strain upon the sheath which bursts it, usually along the upper side, although sometimes it tears it off completely at the base."
Handbook of Nature Study, page 550

"The stalk is a strong green tube; the leaves are fleshy and are grooved on the inner side. At the base the groove extends part way around the flowerstalk."
Handbook of Nature Study, page 550

"The daffodil, jonquil, and narcissus are very closely related, and quite similar. They all come from bulbs which should be planted in September; but after the first planting, they will flower on year after year, bringing much brightness to the gardens in the early spring."
Handbook of Nature Study, page 551

On pages 549-552 of the Handbook of Nature Study, you will find the introduction to daffodils and a complete lesson to study daffodils. Anna Botsford Comstock lists 15 ways to observe and learn about these common garden flowers.

Barb-Harmony Art Mom