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nature study

Our Summer So Far

The first month of summer has drifted by like a river, unstoppable. Most days I was out in the garden first thing in the morning, the time I used to use for writing, and on the days I didn’t garden, I went for a walk. So instead of writing, I breathed in fresh air, wrestled […]

Consider the Flowers of the Fields

As I was walking along, busy talking to God about a very difficult matter, feeling almost hopeless despite my prayers, I was interrupted by this.  Yes, a baby honeysuckle bush at the very edge of our lawn!  What a surprise! God can do that, you know. In fact, he can do anything.  I know that.  […]

Books: Clouds and Nature Photo Essays

Sometimes when I go out into nature I don’t know what to look for or even what I’m looking at. I need someone with knowledge to be my guide, but such guides are hard to find. Books can help, though. Two books that I have read recently help me to understand, give me vocabulary, and […]

1480 Crocuses, Revisited

A year and a half ago, our children bought hundreds of crocus bulbs and helped me plant them. A crocus-filled lawn is something I had dreamed about for years and I could hardly believe it was actually going to happen. In fact, the next spring I was so excited that I actually turned my chair […]

The Light that does not Change

One morning the whole world shone silver—the snow, the sky, the ice on the trees, and even the light itself. It was dramatic and I rushed outside to take pictures before the unique light faded. A bit later, I turned around and saw this tree, sunshine glinting off the icy trunks. Light seems to change […]