Nature Study

Today we ventured out to gaze at the geese again. I learned from my field guide on our first visit, they are Canadian geese. This time we stayed atop the hill, rather than intrude on their turf. I could have watched them for hours I am convinced. I think I have mentioned, I am not even a huge bird person, they kind of creep me out. That said, there is something about sitting in the comfortable outdoors with a constant breeze on a sunshiny day, isn't there? Sitting to observe with sketchbook and pencil in hand, I find myself a very relaxing time.





I happened upon some little flowers, springing up from on the edge of a tall bush. Looking for it in my New England Field Guide put out by the National Audubon Society, I found it:

Calico Aster
Aster Lateriflorus





Next thing that caught my interest was this beauty. Looking close up, there are the most delightful and peculiar berries I've ever seen! I am not positive, but after researching on google images, I believe it may be the Kousa Dogwood. What do you think?



here is a shot of my very messy, preliminary not finished sketch

Nature Study Mishap...

After lunch today, I took the boys to a local park, where we saw a little hill with a pond at the bottom along with some geese. I figure that would be something interesting to observe and draw into our sketchbooks. Before we decended the hill, I warned the boys to stay RIGHT with me and it proved to be a good thing! As soon as we get to the bottom we see three HUGE birds flying right at us! They looked HUGE...I couldn't even tell they were geese at first, though logic would stand to reason. I mustered up a deep loud voice and said, "Go. Go." but I am sorry to say these birds were not impressed with me. I was so SCARED I said "run back up as fast as you can". I ran dragging Aiden and boy was that SCARY!!!! When we got to the top of the hill and withdrew backward a little, they left us alone thank goodness! I'm not the hugest bird person anyhow, though I have come to like them a little more in the last few years. WOW! We sat atop the hill and drew, but when they edged toward us a little too close we backed up a little again. I SHOULD have taken a picture but I wasn't worried about that at the time I guess. I did take a few shots after all of this uproar though of our very unfinished sketches. Sorry to say I can see that the detail is not showing too well, will have to draw darker next time ;-)