Welcome to my happy little place to learn about the study of nature and all things beautiful. This is my personal nature journal, where I hope to record my fledgling journey as a naturalist and my appreciation for the Master Gardener's creation. I will also display some of my favorite paintings and list some of my favorite living books and quotes. I hope you will enjoy your visit. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/happycamper/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:52:00 -0500 Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:52:00 -0500 Holland State Park, Holland, Michigan   Holland State Park, Holland, Michigan   New Buffalo, Michigan   New Buffalo, Michigan http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/happycamper/735406/ Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:52:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/happycamper/735406/ "Leave it as it is. The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it." ~Theodore Roosevelt, regarding the Grand Canyon   This week, we've been enjoying The National Parks, America's Best Idea, a film by Ken Burns on PBS.  Totally worth your time, if you love the great outdoors.  Now more than ever, I see the value of parks and am so thankful that a few people, long ago, saw to save some of America's best features.  Indiana is blessed to have a national forest, a lakeshore and one small national park, which offer Jr. Ranger Programs for which we are thankful.  This summer our kids earned several patches and badges, learning much along the way.  If you live near a park, you might consider this as it is a good hands on science program for free.  (You know how I like free!)  I think they even offer online options if you don't live near a park.    Swearing In Ceremony http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/happycamper/731513/ Tue, 29 Sep 2009 08:24:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/happycamper/731513/ For man, autumn is a time of harvest, of gathering together.  For nature, it is a time of sowing, of scattering abroad.  ~Edwin Way Teale   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/happycamper/729597/ Wed, 23 Sep 2009 07:18:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/happycamper/729597/ Back from camp.  Here are just a few nature photos of interest.    http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/happycamper/728905/ Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:56:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/happycamper/728905/ Tomorrow, we're heading north to Lake Michigan one last time as a family this season.  It will soon be too cold to tent camp.  Well, too cold for these campers, anyway!  I don't mind temperatures in the upper 40's at night, but that is about as low as I go.  Perhaps if we had better sleeping bags? Ah, but that would require getting more stuff and I am totally against getting more stuff at this moment.    With camping on my mind, I found these two cute and very true quotes about camping. How is it that one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?  ~Author Unknown Confession time here.  We have just mastered the art of starting a campfire after 8 camping trips this season, which is very frustrating!  Campers: Nature's way of feeding mosquitoes.  ~Author Unknown Last camping trip, we got chiggers again.  Oh, I hate chiggers!  I am hoping we won't be eaten alive by the bugs this weekend.  Our tents set up at Springmill State Park over Labor Day   Have a great weekend! ~Jenn http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/happycamper/727988/ Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:04:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/happycamper/727988/     "As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand that it is the common everyday blessings of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful." ~ "What a wonderful power mothers have in their hands!  They shape the lives of the children today, through them the lives of the men and women of tomorrow, and through them the nations and the world." ~ "We can teach this love of home to the children and it will help to hold them steady when their time comes." Laura Ingalls Wilder http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/happycamper/726521/ Sun, 13 Sep 2009 14:19:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/happycamper/726521/ I am currently re-reading a favorite book of mine called Prairie Wisdom by Yvonne Pope.  Actually, it is a wonderful little collection of Laura Ingalls Wilder's writings gathered in a sweetly illustrated volume.  Here is one of the quotes that I love.  "The true way to live is to enjoy every moment as it passes, and surely it is in the everyday things around us that the beauty of life lies."  ~Laura Ingalls Wilder   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/happycamper/725609/ Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:14:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/happycamper/725609/ To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich;  to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; to listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart; to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never. In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common. This is to be my symphony. William Henry Channing 1810-1884 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/happycamper/725275/ Wed, 9 Sep 2009 07:41:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/happycamper/725275/ I love old barns.  This one is located at Conner Prairie, a local living history museum.        Swans on the Ohio River http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/happycamper/724952/ Mon, 31 Aug 2009 08:55:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/happycamper/724952/ These flowers caught my eye on a recent trip to Springmill State Park in Mitchell, Indiana.  I love how these Mums are bordered by Lamb's Ear.  So pretty! I don't know the name of this butterfly because I am too lazy to go look it up!  I thought it made a lovely picture though.  Update:  after some searching, I think this is a Euptoieta claudia.  (http://pick4.pick.uga.edu/mp/20q?guide=Butterflies)   The formal garden above is just like the kind I might have, if I had the time and talent to plant one. Again, I hate posting flowers without knowing their names, but sometimes, for me, it is just enough to enjoy the flower without knowing its name.      http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/happycamper/724948/ Tue, 8 Sep 2009 08:47:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/happycamper/724948/