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Naturalist Notebook 2020

light streaming through trees

Light is magical

 “I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house." Nathaniel Hawthorne   When was the last time you noticed the light? I mean really noticed it. Not the, “oh it’s getting dark, I should turn on a light” notice, think deeper than that...
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What we have in common

If you have watch any television, scrolled through a social media feed or spent a few moments reading tweets, then you know that political ads, opinions, and half-truths have built to a fevered pitch, this first week in November. And depending on the ad, we are told we are facing Armageddon, the...
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looking up from the ground into the sky between tall trees with green leaves

Contemplation of trees

Sitting in the woods, I hear the sound of fall through the voice of the trees. Trees talk in swooshes, crackles and this time of year in a rustle. One only has to hear this distinctive sound to know the seasons have truly changed. As Walt Whitman wrote, “Go and sit in a grove or woods, with one or...
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items from a science classroom. pencils, a beaker, and science textbook

Science is learning

Sitting in Miss Hoover’s seventh grade science class I often thought how magical science seemed. Secrets of how things worked and behaved or how adding one chemical to another changed the color, all of it seemed almost unbelievable. In fact, it was more than just a magic trick. All of it was the...
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Sensational Senses

By Joy Clough, Cook County Master Naturalist, July 2020 We think we have five senses: sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste. But there are more: imagination, curiosity, memory, insight, play, and emotions that range from fear to surprise to delight. Engaging our outer and inner senses...
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man and woman fist bumping each other

A Question of Community

“When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.” John Muir What do you think of when you hear the word “community”? Do you picture the town or city where you live? Your neighborhood? A group of people? Did any of you include plants or animals in...
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woman sitting on a fallen tree stump reflecting

When in doubt, go out, outside, that is

I don’t know about the rest of you, but this year has made me tired of technology and noise. Zoom meetings, Skype chats, cluttered inboxes, social media, cars, trains, and sirens, it never seems to end. In fact, close your eyes right now and listen to the world around you. What do you hear? Are...
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Hand drawn image of honeysuckle, green leaves and small yellow flowers

Honeysuckle

By Rose Moore, Master Naturalist Usually, when the word “Honeysuckle” is mentioned among naturalists and gardeners, you get a look of pain. Yes, that word brings on an overwhelming feeling of exhaustion in me because I have to deal with the very invasive species of its kind on my property. Yet, in...
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question marks on blue, pink, yellow and orange post it notes

The Power of Questions

“Why”? This just might be the single most recognized question asked by children everywhere. This simple word can open the door to a world of discovery for a child and annoy parents all at the same time. Behold the power of questions. “We live in a world our questions create.” David Copperrider...
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sense of wonder

Sense of Wonder

One of the books I treasure the most and has made a lasting impression on me is Rachel Carson’s Sense of Wonder. This short book (originally written as a magazine article) is chocked full of memorable quotes and inspiration. For all of us navigating this new “normal” it is a poignant reminder of...
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lady journaling outside in a notebook

Adopt the Pace of Nature

 “Adopt the pace of nature, her secret is patience.” Ralph Waldo Emerson This quote brings me comfort during this unsettling time and it is a gentle reminder that nothing is permanent and that this too shall pass. Just take a look at nature. She has been asleep, resting and waiting these past...
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Old Trees

Old Trees

By Rose Moore, Master Naturalist It all started a month ago when I was working on a painting of Giant Sequoias after a trip I took recently to Yosemite National Park. In gathering information about these trees I discovered scientists believe the oldest specimen alive today is about 3,500 years old...
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leather journal and a pencil

Why Should You Draw in Your Journal?

Are you sketching in your journal? If not, maybe you should be. I know, you are thinking to yourself, “But I can’t draw.” Or “I can’t even do a stick figure.” Am I right? Whether you are good or bad at sketching is beside the point. The important part is the act of drawing, itself. Drawing is good...
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dirt path through trees

Walks of Discovery

By Rose Moore Master Naturalist – January 2020 One of the greatest pleasures I have in my daily outdoor adventures is discovering new things. Just because it is winter, there is no absence of wonders to be found. Recently, on a mild, snow - less morning, I decided to veer off my usual trails...
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