Observations from the everyday outdoors
Leaves, edges, textures, and seasonal changes. Short notes for looking more closely at the places we pass every day.
Look at outline, edge, and the arrangement of veins. Compare a long narrow leaf with a broad rounded one, or a smooth edge with a toothed edge.
A drawing need not be exact to be useful. Record one feature that makes the leaf distinctive, then look for the same feature on another plant.
Seasonal change is easier to see when the location stays familiar. A short path, a street tree, or a view from a window can become a small observation route.
Note buds, flowers, fallen leaves, and the quality of the light. A series of modest observations tells more than a single perfect photograph.
Bark, moss, seed heads, and the surface of a stone hold different kinds of pattern. Look for lines, repeated shapes, and changes in scale.
Describe what you can actually see before reaching for a name. “Pale dots on dark bark” is already a useful field note.