April 2021 - spring!

  spring!  April and May flowers bloom in April, nature classes, Landscapes of Learning video, and more. 

Check out my daily blog for the month of April 2021 (Menen 2021). My blog shows various activities that I do in science, art, nature, culture, land stewardship,
culture, education, ecology, economy, health, and in learning about holistic good, morals, and beyond. I post several photos. Enjoy!

 

See more photos:

My Daily Blog for 2021 April / Menen: Daily Blog   

www.z-hub.org/zle-blog/z2021/21-04menen.html

 

         Happy Spring.  Yellow and Pink blooms in April. The blooms were strange this April, in Michigan, because both April and some May flowers blossomed in April.  For example, the April-Daffodils bloomed at the same time as the May-Tulips.  The April-Bloodroot blossomed concurrently with the May-Trillium.  As for woody shrubs, the April-Forsythia flowered together with the May-Redbud and the May-Juneberry.  See many flower photos, in my daily blog.  Enjoy.

 

         Spring 2021 classes. Thru the Galien Valley Nature and Culture Program, I'm teaching Habitats and Wildlife, an in-person class, outdoors.  For class, we visit the lake and dunes, the wetlands, the prairie, and the woods, in-person.  In April, we visited a prairie, a few days after a controlled burn.  See photos of my classes and a prescribed fire of a prairie, in my daily blog.  Enjoy.

 

         Landscapes of Learning video, on YouTube. Alexandra Burkhart interviews nature education teachers. She interviewed me twice in April.  My interviews are about landscape architecture, nature classes at the Galien Valley Nature and Culture Program, and the ABC Garden. The two interviews go together.  One is a face to face interview.  The other is more of a presentation with pictures. See the interview videos, in my daily blog.  Enjoy. 

         Happy Spring: April-May-June!  

March 2021 - winter!

 end of winter!  March Melt of 15" of snow and Lake Michigan ice, nature classes, End of Winter flowers, and more. 

Check out my daily blog for the month of March 2021 (Shoover 2021). My blog shows various activities that I do in science, art, nature, culture, land stewardship,
culture, education, ecology, economy, health, and in learning about holistic good, morals, and beyond. I post several photos. Enjoy! 

 

See more photos:

My Daily Blog for 2021 March / Shoover: Daily Blog   

www.z-hub.org/zle-blog/z2021/21-03shoover.html

 

         Winter-Spring 2021 classes. Thru the Galien Valley Nature and Culture Program, I'm teaching Habitats and Wildlife as well as Backyard Art Zoom.  In Habitats and Wildlife, we visit the lake and dunes, the wetlands, the prairie, and the woods, in-person.  In Backyard Art Zoom, an online class, we explore art and we explore our snowy backyards.  See photos of my classes, in my daily blog.

         March Melt of 15-inches of Snow. 

         Plus, the March Melt of ice on Lake Michigan. I exhibit many photos of the dramatic melt of snow and ice at Lake Michigan and its beach.  See photos of the melting ice scenes of Lake Michigan, in my daily blog.

 

         The Ides of March Flowers.  March 15th flowers.   Today, March 15th, it hailed and snowed here in Three Oaks, Michigan.  It's still winter.  Yet, it's been sunny the past few days and the few flowers at the End of Winter have started to bloom, including the European Crocus and Snowdrops.  Michigan's native Harbinger of Spring wildflower is blooming now too.  Plus, a few spring wildflowers are budding and sprouting.  See flower photos, in my daily blog.

         Happy End of Winter: January-February-March!

         Spring begins in a few days - Spring Equinox is March 20th. 

February 2021 - winter!

 winter! 15" snow, Trail Book, nature classes, frozen Lake Michigan, and more. 

Check out my daily blog for the month of February 2021 (Churoo 2021). My blog shows various activities that I do in science, art, nature, culture, land stewardship,
culture, education, ecology, economy, health, and in learning about holistic good, morals, and beyond. I post several photos. Enjoy! 

 

See more photos:

My Daily Blog for 2021 February / Churoo: Daily Blog   

www.z-hub.org/zle-blog/z2021/21-02churoo.html

 

         Trail Book. I wrote and laminated Trail Books for my Habitats and Wildlife class, to facilitate social distancing.  In my class, each family takes turns to stop at various trail markers, each of which correspond with a nature exploration activity in the Trail Book.  Last fall, I set up portable activity signs.  This winter-spring, I have people carry an activity book, instead.  Experimenting to find what works best.  See photos of my book and classes, in my daily blog.

         Winter-Spring 2021 classes. Thru the Galien Valley Nature and Culture Program, I'm teaching Habitats and Wildlife as well as Backyard Art Zoom.  In Habitats and Wildlife, so far we visited the lake, dunes, and wetlands, in-person.  In Backyard Art Zoom, an online class, we explore art and we explore our snowy backyards.  See photos of my classes, in my daily blog.

         15-inches (38 cm) of Snow. Last month, in January 2021, at Three Oaks, Michigan, only 2-inches of snow covered the ground.  This month, in February 2021, Three Oaks finally got a decent amount of snow: there is 15-inches of snow on the ground. Yay, it's truly winter!  Plus, in February, temperatures were colder: often between 3 and 19 F (-16 to -7 C), which is cold enough to freeze Lake Michigan's surface, this winter.   Last winter 2020, the local area of the lake never froze, which is unusual.  This February 2021, Michigan was not within the polar vortex, which hit central USA (Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Texas, etc.).  Northern Texas was colder than Three Oaks, Michigan.   See February 2021 photos of frozen Lake Michigan, in my daily blog.

         Happy Winter: January-February-March! 

January 2021 - winter!

 winter!  snow and ice in Three Oaks, Michigan, and more. 

Check out my daily blog for the month of January 2021 (Wookooch 2021). My blog shows various activities that I do in science, art, nature, culture, land stewardship,
culture, education, ecology, economy, health, and in learning about holistic good, morals, and beyond. I post several photos. Enjoy!

 

See more photos:

My Daily Blog for 2021 January / Wookooch: Daily Blog   

www.z-hub.org/zle-blog/z2021/21-01wookooch.html

 

         Winter-Spring classes. I'm preparing to teach some upcoming nature and culture classes, this winter-spring semester.  See Galien Valley Nature and Culture Program website, for details.

         Snow and Ice. This January, about 2-inches of snow covers the ground, now and then.   It's been freezing or below freezing throughout January, but not much snow.  One day, on January 1st, freezing rain coated everything with ice and icicles.  See photos of ice and snow, in my daily blog.

 

         Three Oaks, Michigan, USA.  Enjoy some views of my town, the small town of Three Oaks (population 1,600), a few of its parks, gardens, streets, houses, downtown, etc., covered in snow and ice, in my daily blog.

         Happy Winter: January-February-March! 

December 2020 - fall!

 fall!  crepuscular rays, fungi, rocks, the Four Seasons, and more. 

Check out my daily blog for the month of December 2020 (Jaethaz 2020). My blog shows various activities that I do in science, art, nature, culture, land stewardship,
culture, education, ecology, economy, health, and in learning about holistic good, morals, and beyond. I post several photos. Enjoy!

 

See more photos:

My Daily Blog for 2020 December / Jaethaz: Daily Blog   

www.z-hub.org/zle-blog/z2020/20-12jaethaz.html

 

         Celebrate the Outdoors of the year 2020.  Happy End of the Year.  Celebrate the Four Seasons.  Nature is different, yet beautiful, every day.   I've taken a seasonal series of photos of a few places.   I have winter, spring, summer, and fall photos of a pond, as well as of a creek in the woods —  see them in my daily blog.

 

         Nature Photos.  Recently, I saw crepuscular rays, through the clouds, over Lake Michigan.  For education, I've been reviewing some rock concepts and my rock collection, including rocks from Lake Michigan beaches.  The leaves have fallen from the trees, but the fungi are still clinging to tree trunks.  See crepuscular rays, rocks, and fungi, in my daily blog.

         Happy Fall: October-November-December!  Happy End of Fall.  Enjoy the last few days of fall.  Winter starts on December 21st. 

November 2020 - Fall!

fall!  Nature Classes, ABC Garden, Art Show, Colorful Leaves, Seeds, a Pickerel Frog, and more. 

  

Check out my daily blog for the month of November 2020 (Zhazaw 2020). My blog shows various activities that I do in science, art, nature, culture, land stewardship,
culture, education, ecology, economy, health, and in learning about holistic good, morals, and beyond. I post several photos. Enjoy!

 

See more photos:

My Daily Blog for 2020 November / Zhazaw: Daily Blog   

www.z-hub.org/zle-blog/z2020/20-11zhazaw.html

 

         Fall 2020 Nature Classes.
Through the Galien Valley Nature and Culture Program,
 I'm teaching 3 weekly nature classes:
 Habitats and Wildlife, an in-person class, outdoors, at a nature center;
 Nature and Community Arts, an in-person class, outdoors;
 Backyard Nature Zoom, an online class, with each of us in our own backyards.
These classes include activities in an ABC Garden: science stations and art projects of vital community tasks (housing, water, fuel, food, sanitation, etc.).  The ABC Garden is a landscape architecture design of outdoor classrooms.  See ABC Garden concept photos, in my daily blog, as well as in my general website: www.z-hub.org.    

 

         Virtual Art Show.  Many art shows have become virtual, this year.  I entered some of my art into Hazelhurst's Virtual Art Show.  See art photos, in my daily blog. 

         Happy Fall: October-November-December!   Happy Orange and Brown, such as the orange pumpkins, the brown crunchy fallen leaves, and many brown seeds (acorns, etc.).  We had a week of unusually warm weather, in early November. Even the bugs and frogs were active.  See Michigan fall nature photos, colorful leaves, etc., in my daily blog.     

  

           Enjoy the Fall, now until December 21.

October 2020 - Fall!

fall!  Nature Classes, Science and Art Classes, ABC Garden, Harvest at my Veggie Garden, Pumpkins and Gourds, and more.   

Check out my daily blog for the month of October 2020 (Faga 2020). My blog shows various activities that I do in science, art, nature, culture, land stewardship,
culture, education, ecology, economy, health, and in learning about holistic good, morals, and beyond. I post several photos. Enjoy!

See more photos:

My Daily Blog for 2020 October / Faga: Daily Blog   

www.z-hub.org/zle-blog/z2020/20-10faga.html

         Fall Harvest Photos.  In October, from my veggie garden, my family harvested the big pumpkins and the rest of the colorful gourds, which grew from the plants that are planted between my 1993 printed emails. (I used newspaper and printed emails like mulch for weed control.)  See my art, my still life photos of pumpkins and colorful gourds, in my daily blog.

         Fall 2020 Nature Classes.
 Through the Galien Valley Nature and Culture Program,
 I'm teaching 3 weekly nature classes:
 Habitats and Wildlife, an in-person class, outdoors, at a nature center (Fernwood);
 Nature and Community Arts, an in-person class, outdoors, (at Fernwood);
 Backyard Nature Zoom, an online class, with each of us in our own backyards.
These classes include activities in an ABC Garden: science stations and art projects of vital community tasks (housing, water, fuel, food, sanitation, etc.).  The ABC Garden is a landscape architecture design of outdoor classrooms.  See ABC Garden concept photos, in my daily blog, as well as in my general website: www.z-hub.org.    

         Happy Fall: October-November-December!   Happy Orange and Brown, such as the orange pumpkins, the orange flowers on the Jewelweed, the brown crunchy fallen leaves, and the brown apple cider.  We had several warm, sunny, colorful-leaves days in mid-October.  See Michigan fall nature photos, in my daily blog.     
  
           Enjoy the Fall, now until December 21.

September 2020 - Summer!

summer!  Veggie Garden, Gourds growing between Email, Blue and Green and other colors at Lake Michigan, and more.  

Check out my daily blog for the month of September 2020 (Ingbing 2020). My blog shows various activities that I do in science, art, nature, culture, land stewardship,
culture, education, ecology, economy, health, and in learning about holistic good, morals, and beyond. I post several photos. Enjoy!

See more photos:

My Daily Blog for 2020 September / Ingbing: Daily Blog   

www.z-hub.org/zle-blog/z2020/20-09ingbing.html

         Veggie Garden.  In September, many colorful gourds have grown from the plants that are planted between my 1993 printed emails. (I used newspaper and printed emails like mulch for weed control.)  The mini-pumpkins have become ripe for harvest.  Our big-pumpkins, butternut squash, and watermelons are still ripening.  See photos of my veggie garden, in my daily blog.

         ABC Garden.  I'm still advocating the ABC Garden infrastructure, including it's science stations and art studio spaces of vital community tasks (housing, water, fuel, food, sanitation, etc.).  Plus, I'm preparing for my fall classes, the nature classes that I'm teaching on Zoom and in-person at a nature center.  See ABC Garden concept photos, in my daily blog, as well as in my general website: www.z-hub.org.   

         Happy Summer: July-August-September!   Happy Blue and Green, such as the blue sky, the blues and green-blues of the lake, and the green grass, trees, and gardens.  Lake Michigan and its beach still have summer warm days in September.  See September photos of the various blues and other colors of Lake Michigan and the sky, in my daily blog.    
 
           Enjoy the last few days of Summer!  (Fall is September 22 to December 21.)