About a month ago, we realized a mockingbird had a nest in the crepe myrtle by our back door.  Whenever we stepped out of the house, she'd fly from her nest to the nearby fence.  We had to wonder if she knew that it was a little late in the year to be nest sitting.  Well, we figured she knew better than us.  So we kept an eye on her with delight.  She seemed like a friendly bird.  She had great trust in us.  She'd allow me to get the big clippers to reach up high to snip off old seed pods to make way for new blooms.  Amazingly, she never dive bombed me like many a blue jay has done. 

Imagine our surprise when the children realized the babies had hatched!  We discovered this last week.  The nest is up a bit over our heads, but when she'd return to the nest, we'd see their little heads bob up with their beaks pointing to the sky, their mouths wide open, waiting for dinner!  We'd be all atingle with excitement!  The best part of each day was watching this.  Eventually we figured out that there was a daddy bird helping too.  

As  a result of all this, I pulled out a huge book I had purchased in preparation to join The Outdoor Hour Challenges.  The Handbook of Nature Study  is huge.  I picked it up at the bookstore a few weeks ago and was shocked at the size.  It didn't look fun. It was overwhelming. I was seriously considering returning it to the store. However, these Mockingbird's raised my curiousity. I looked to see if they were in the book.  They were!  We learned that they hatch 3 broods a season.  Ohhhhhh!  They do like to build their nests near humans.  They especially like gardens! =)  Mockingbirds are a lot of fun.  They get their name because they can imitate other birds.  We also know from first hand experience that they can imitate any sound they hear, such as house alarms and car alarms.  A few years ago we had a mockingbird in the neighborhood who imitated alarms all the time!  Well, this is a variation of the first Outdoor Hour Challenge. 

Then last week Hurricane Dolly blew in to South Texas.  The next day, after she became a tropical storm, we got a heavy downpour, over 3" of badly needed rain.  The winds ferociously picked up, blowing the rain sideways.  Oh how I wanted to get that nest and bring the mockingbird family safely inside. Mamma bird sat on top of those birds in that nest, bracing herself while the winds furiously blew and the rain poured down.  It was amazing how tenacious she was at protecting her young ones.  Later we found out there was a tornado warning during this time.  Thankfully there was no damage.  The temperatures dropped 20 degrees and Mamma bird stayed with her babies through most of the afternoon before she started getting more food for them. They must have been starving!  

That evening, ds decided to video tape them with his camera.  Unbeknownst to me, dh told him to use the tripod to reach the camera high above the nest.  After successfully getting a video, ds delightfully showed me the tape.  I couldn't believe he did that.  As charming as the birds were, I told him never to do that again.  He could have lost control of the tripod and knocked the babies out of their nest.  Oh. He was sad. He had never thought about that. In addition, that was teasing to put the camera up there and make them think Mamma had come with food.  Oh.  He didn't think about that. Also, messing with wild babies like that can cause a mother to turn away and leave her brood for good.  Oh.  He had no idea. He was really sad. We went down stairs to check on the nest through the window.  Thankfully, there was Mamma bird, sitting on top of her babies again, this time looking around in full alert.     I told him that Mamma bird must be keeping an eye out for that little boy.  I warned him she might punish him like a blue jay does and start dive bombing him.   But she never did!  What a trustworthy and forgiving bird.  

The next day, we started hearing the babies chirping.  Every time Mamma bird came back with the food, we could hear their high pitched voices...."me, me, me, me, me!"  It was so sweet.  Every time we'd hear them we'd get a big smile on our faces.   

With vacation coming soon, we began to fear they'd leave the nest while we were gone.  Then on Sunday afternoon, I realized I hadn't heard a single peep.  hmmmmmm  I looked out of the back door and lingered there a while...waiting...watching.  Nothing.  hmmmmmm  Later ds went outback and came running in all upset.  One of the babies was in the middle of the back yard, dead.  DD ran out back with ds and I.  Oh how sad we were.  It was heartbreaking.  How fragile life is.  I told dh about it later and he said he saw Mamma bird carry the baby out of the nest and it looked like it fell.  That was earlier in the morning when we were getting ready for church.  We haven't seen the others at all.  We hope they are all safe and sound.  

When I think of a seed, or a bulb, I think of hope.  When purchased and planted and tended...the gardener hopes it will sprout, grow and bear fruit.  This does not always happen. Either the seed was dead to begin with, or it fell on poor ground, or it was poorly tended. Seeds have finite lifespans. Thankfully, in my Christian life, hope does not disappoint, when God is involved. "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.  My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge.  Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge."  Psalm 62:5-8  He has provided something lasting...His Word.  "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."  Romans 15:4  He is the master gardener. Seeds are a tangible reminder to me, of the growth potential we have in Him, if we allow Him to tend our hearts. As I watch tender seedlings sprout and grow and bear fruit, I am amazed at His creation. 

In early December, I got an amaryllis bulb to force indoors.  It was fun to watch grow and bloom.  It peaked on Christmas Day, when I got really sick.  The last picture I took was on Christmas Eve.  Enjoy the "hopeful" slide show.  =)   

Here are the latest entries from our nature journals.  Here is my amaryllis.  I struggled with this.

My sketch of the bulb now...

12yds closeup sketch of various seeds, including the bulb in the top right corner...

His title...

14yod's sketch from yesterday...

14yod's sketch from today...

The idea of nature journals has always appealed to me.  I purchased one in the form of a weekly calendar a few years ago and enjoyed it immensely. Despite homeschooling for 10 years, I have only recently purchased The Charlotte Mason Companion. Oh if only I had structured our grammar school years during science like she did, around nature walks and journaling.  My children have never been much for toys.  But they have always enjoyed being outdoors collecting various assortments of seeds and seed pods, opening them and scattering them to the wind.  They enjoy collecting my flowers, and enjoying their colors and scents.  They even have enjoyed moving my rocks from the dry creek bed I made under the dripping roofline to various corners of the yard!  They thrill to find a colorful bird and try to imitate its song.  However, the idea of sitting down with a sketch pad and pencil in the great out of doors has never been an enthusiastic prospect for my children. 

Finally the day came to nudge them in the right direction.  lol  We have been studying the Renaissance and they will be doing research reports on Leonardo da Vinci, who as a boy, made nature journals.  To their quiet dismay, I decided that their major art project for this history unit should be nature journaling.  And today was the day!  Gloomily, yet without complaining, they listened to me exult the virtues of the art!  I showed them beautiful examples from my old desk calendar, which also includes a bit of writing.  This appeals to me greatly.  They were not inspired.

(Edited Note:  I've been asked about this book.  This is my 2005 Weekly Planner I purchased from Hallmark.  I'm not sure anymore, but they used to carry "Nature's Sketches" by Marjolein Bastin, who is from Holland.  I have some of her art work in our downstairs bathroom. Here is her website: 

www.marjoleinbastin.nl/?act=1&lg=uk

Then I showed them children's and mothers' work in Charlotte Mason Companion, and at a few blogs, JillNovak and BChsMamaof3  where I recalled seeing some nature journaling. 

If I have missed anyone, please let me know and we'll run over to look at your nature journals!

After seeing some of the children's and mothers' pictures, my children were getting, dare I say it, interested and were a bit more impressed. 

In preparation, we finally got around to putting out bird seed that I bought about a month ago.  My son told me it was too late in the season.  He is probably right...but I have hope!  We ate lunch and there were no birds.  We brainstormed other possibilities. And they asked me to do a journal too.  I am extremely busy right now making Elizabethan costumes for our next history unit celebration.  However, I have always wanted to do this, and if this encourages them to pursue art and journaling...so be it! 

After lunch I told them to choose what they'd like to do.  14yod wanted to do the pointsettia dh gave to me a month ago. I decided to do that as well.  12yos decided to sit outside and sketch the plum bushes in front of the shed.  

Our cat was fascinated to find us in unusual places, dd and I at the kitchen table, the pointsettia on the floor and ds outside at the porch table.  She kept looking out the window in perplexity.  Hmmmmm, I should have had my camera handy! 

While sketching the pointsettia, dd noticed I did a few unique things.  Now I am no artist...and although I dream of being able to draw, I can't.  So I don't.  But now I have to.  So I gave it my best attempt.  She draws 2 dimensionally.  And I have to laugh.  We just got finished watching the Back to the Future Trilogy this past weekend and I love how doc keeps telling Marty, "You've got to think fourth dimensionally!" Anyway, dd is learning how to think three dimensionally!  lol 

She learned how to make a 3D pot, why I shaded (light and shadow,) and how to combine colors. (Disclaimer:  I know my technique needs lots of practice.  But from what I understand in the Charlotte Mason book, that comes from the doing, right?) We also talked about perspective and texture.  When she first started sketching the flower, it was right in front of her on the table, where the bracts were parallel with her eyes and she really couldn't see anything.  So I put it on the floor so we could see the tops of the bracts.  

Here is 14yod picture...

Here is my picture...

Meanwhile she commented that she either heard a bird or her brother.  I didn't hear a thing, but I do have a bit of hearing loss.  Finally ds quietly opened the door to tell us he had been watching a cardinal fly from one of our trees to the other.  DD and I just missed it.  In all, he saw 2 cardinals and 1 goldfinch.  

This was a peaceful time that seemed to be quite positive.  DS is finishing some final details on his scketch now.  I just asked him if he had a good time sketching today.  "Oh yes!" he exclaimed.  I smiled and said he didn't seem so excited when he started and he smiled and said, "Oh no."  Here is his page. I am flabbergasted!  He has always been quite the artist and it's a shame that it's difficult to see the soft colors.  But they are lovely and have an impressionistic touch.  But the words get me.  I have never seen him attempt poetry before. I didn't even ask him to do the poetry.  All the writng is his idea.  See the cardinal in the tree?  He darkened it for the photo.

Close up of the latticework in front of the shed..

Close up of the poetry...

I asked dd and she smiled and said she really enjoyed the nature journaling too!  I think some new nature journalists were created today!