Give your kids crayons, watercolor paints, and chalk sticks like these to create a nature journal.

Happy New Year’s Day!  If you’re like me, you’ve been oohing and ahhing over the fantastic floral designs and floats in the Tournament of Roses Parade.  I needed all that splashy color now that we’re in the gray days of winter.  Makes me yearn for spring.

But spring is still some time away, so instead of sighing over what I can’t have, I’m making some new resolutions (yes, on top of the ones I posted yesterday).  One is to catch up on reading all the gardening books I bought last year.

Another one came out of a Christmas gift I received.  My friend Courtney gave me a blank nature journal, along with some colored pencils and a box of watercolors.  Then she taught me a few basics about sketching things like toads and trees and birds.  I’m resolving to keep adding to my journal, whether by writing a few lines or by painting a landscape or flower I want to remember.

If you have children, a nature journal is a great way to cultivate their interest in gardening.  Older kids can use a camera and paste photos into their books.  Younger types can color with pencils, crayons, or crayons, or cut and paste pictures from your old gardening magazines (if you can bear to let them go.  Be sure to check out Flower Magazine, one of the participants in the upcoming Southeastern Flower Show.)  If you don’t feel artistic enough to help get them started, don’t worry. There are lots of tips for beginners on the Web, including this “how-to site” on Wiki, a free, online encyclopedia: How to Sketch.

Keeping a journal is an excellent way for anyone to study and learn about design and color.   It’s just plain fun, too!
cheers,
Lynn