Days 18, 19 & 20: Deeply observe your environment (this time with a field guide). 

It’s almost Earth Day, so I thought it would be fun to kick off another “free weekend.” Using some of the skills we’ve picked up so far, like creating a field guide, INIWIRMO, Puzzle Method for drawing, transcribing what we hear, etc, spend the next three days making a field guide, observing nature, choosing a subject and exploring it further. 

Today (Friday): Choose a topic/subject and do a little background research, as I described in yesterday’s prompt (Day 17). Look through your journal for something you’d like to explore more deeply, or maybe just take a reconnaissance walk and see if something sparks your curiosity. Even using the String Safari activity from Day 3 can help you find a subject to explore further.

Saturday: Go to your sit spot, or to where you can find your subject, with your field kit and look, listen, breathe in all the scents around you. Use the exercise “I notice, I wonder, It reminds me of” to make your notes (see Day 2’s activity for a refresher). 

Sunday: Look at your entries from yesterday with your notes from Friday to add more information to your existing entry and to make additional entries in your journal. Go outside for further observations, repeat INIWIRMO with the new knowledge you have, link back to previous, relevant entries, etc. You are building curiosity chains and bonding with your environment!

Have fun! xo