July adventures

I'm surprised at how much I managed to nature journal during July. It started off when Lizz, a nature journaling friend I met at the first Australian nature journaling conference, visited from Queensland. I wanted to show her King's Park, so we walked around and enjoyed some quiet journaling just before evening fell.

A few days later Lizz and I were at Herdsman Lake where I did a quick plein air painting of a flock of coots (while sheltering from the cold wind). We later made some polymer clay jewellery - it was my first attempt and I'd love to try again with a bit more time to refine shapes.

I've also been guiding nature journaling sessions with school groups there. On another day I was assisting Elder Neville Collard and listening to him explain to the students the different purposes of the balga (grass tree). When I got home I wrote down the new Noongar word I'd learned for the balga leaves (mindarie), which I've only known as the name of a suburb until now.

I was back in Warwick bushland twice, not expecting to see many wildflowers due to it being winter. However I was delighted to find a couple of blue fairy orchids (blue beard) that do flower this time of year. With the Perth Nature Journal Club we went seeking spiderwebs or other sources of inspiration for a poem.

Craigie Bushland

On a chilly morning that threatened rain but mostly stayed clear, I joined the WA Naturalist's Club for another Golly walk at Craigie Bushland. Despite having lived nearby for most of my life I'd never ventured inside the expansive reserve. We saw many birds, flowers and fungus and kept lists. We also investigated the difference between quandong, sandalwood and acacia between the top and bottom of the dune, since at this location the dunes are different ages and soil types.

I loved seeing a wide variety of fungus and learning a lot more about the flora. On walks like these I don't get much time for sketching or writing and my pages are usually just lists of what I see and hear. If someone gives me a new name I struggle to spell it but that's the fun of learning!

Towards the end of July the Olympics began, and seeing Paris and Versailles on TV made me reminisce over our French trip last year at this time. I decided to do some virtual nature journaling and retrospectively add some entries from photos. Evidence that I do occasionally return to blank pages and nature journal from past trips!

I'd like to finish the starling and add a few more French entries. I'm pleased to already be over halfway through this sketchbook, considering I started this when I went to France in July last year. These have been great to do during wet weather days and a lovely reminder of our holiday a year ago.