This inaugural month’s Nature Journal Guild Time is at Monarch Meadows Nature Preserve in Rising Sun, Indiana. We will gather to focus on a variety of nature journaling experiences to foster the connection among nature, art, and passions. This guild is for friends of all ages, and backgrounds, regardless of artistic ability, who want to develop their wanderings and wonderings in a communal experience. Through hikes and hands-on skill builders, we will explore the preserves to hone our natural curiosities through artistic and naturalistic skills while expanding or developing our connections with nature. No prior experience to journaling or drawing required.

Please RSVP so we can plan for a fun day together.

With the forthcoming migration of the monarchs and other migratory animals, Monarch Meadows gives us a wide palette of choices for journaling. Our skill builder for this month will be journaling basics. We will provide materials that you may borrow and use for the day. If you want to build your own set of nature journaling tools, below is a list of “the basics” that we can use for our meetings. We will add more tools as our skills develop or as your interest increases.

• Journal or composition book (medium in size) with a stiff cardboard cover and heavier weighted paper
• No. 2 pencil (mechanical is fine), sharpener, and eraser (and a small plastic bag to collect shavings)
• Non-photo blue pencil (Prismacolor “Col-Erase 20028 NP Blue”) with eraser
• Ball-point pen (waterproof and that does not smudge or smear)
• Colored pencils (set of 12 is great); secured with a rubber band or hairband
• Pencil case for your supplies (optional) or small bag for all of your supplies (including the journal)
• Hand lens
• Plastic bags or envelopes for carrying specimens (optional)

Please wear appropriate shoes, hat, and clothing. Bring your own bottle of water and snack to share with others. We will be able to refill our water bottles. Bug spray with DEET will be available as well. We will start at 1:00 pm and end at 3:00 pm. You can park at the parking lot. In the event of inclement weather that creates an environment not conducive for journaling, we will postpone the event to a later date. Feel free to bring a snack to share with others.

We have a journaling day scheduled every month!

• October 9 – Webster Woods
• November 20 – Hiker’s Knob/Wheeler’s Hollow
• December 18 – Hall-Carmer Wetlands
• January 15 – Guthrie Woods
• February 19 – Riverview
• March 19 – Sunman’s Woods
• April 16 – Lebline Woods
• May 21 – Hilltop Farm
• June – 18 – Tribbett’s Woods
• July 16 – Buttonwood
• August 20 – Monarch Meadow

Check out next months’ events at www.oakheritageconservancy.org/events. We hope to see you there!