Australian Nature Resources

As a nature-loving homeschooling Mama, the lack of beautiful Australian resources I could share with my children soon became apparent. Especially when my six-year-old daughter started her own ‘animal club’ and wanted to share her learning with her friends, but the resources I found were mainly from America or the United Kingdom. 

So, I am putting my fine arts degree to use and researching, drawing and working on creating a collection of native nature resources, starting with butterflies.

Watch this space! xx

In print

This delightful magazine arrived on my Australian doorstep all the way from America this week. The first issue of Secular Homeschooler magazine. I had been anticipating its arrival, as it is the first time my words and drawings have been featured in an International print magazine. I couldn't believe it when I opened the cover and my leaf painting was the front page! Emerson and I are both feeling a little bit famous. I love the layout and I can't wait to read the rest of the magazine. Keep an eye out for my quarterly contributions in upcoming issues! 

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Order a print or digital copy of the magazine over here.

Nature Journaling

 

Golden Orb-weaving spider

Nephila plumipes

(female) 

The small red spider to the left is the male.

Sunrise 6:29 am

Sunset 5:16 pm

28 July 2018

Saturday

9 - 25' C

Springwood Conservation Park

I took a nature walk on my own today while the children were tucked up at home with coughs and runny noses. It was a nice change to be able to set my own pace, be quiet and listen to the birds and sit still and look for wildlife. I walked off the path and found a big rock to walk on. I heard a rustle in the leaf litter and spotted a goanna eating beneath a tree. I'm not sure what it was eating, but it seemed large, like it was choking. It rubbed its face on the bark of the tree and eventually licked its lips, had a sniff around and wandered off. It was so quiet I heard bird calls I didn't recognise. 

I kept walking and saw a water dragon sunning itself, the colours of its body a brilliant camouflage against the silvery lichen on the rocks. As I walked the loop up to the lookout I snapped off a few twigs and popped them in my backpack. I found a large flat rock at the highest point and sat down and made these sketches in pencil. I walked back to the car as the shadows grew longer and added pen and watercolour at the dining room table, looking up the names of these beautiful native Australian flowers.

Boronia pinnata

Qld silver wattle / Acacia podalyriifolia