I’ve often wished I had a personal nature guide who could accompany me on my nature walks. It’s not that I want someone to do the observing for me; that would steal my own joy of discovery. What I want is someone who will walk along beside me and give me ideas of what I could look for on my own.

For instance, I would love some hints about what kinds of things I might look for when I’m observing birds. Do I just notice where they are sitting? Or try to catch them eating something? What else?

Or what details might I look for when I’m comparing different trees. Shape of leaves . . . and . . . ?

Or where might I look for insects and spiders during the different seasons of the year? What kinds of things might I observe about them?

And for that matter, when I revisit the nature friends I’ve made, do I look for the same things every season?

My friend Karen gives me pointers when she visits. She has decades of nature study experience, and it shows in the details she encourages me to look for. But Karen lives four states away from me; she can’t come along on my nature walks in person.

Until now!

Now I can take her hints and gentle prompts with me every week in the form of a new nature notebook: Journaling a Year in Nature! And so can you!

Journaling a Year in Nature is a nature notebook like no other. It encourages you and your children to revisit nature friends you have made every season of the year, and it gives you ideas of what you might look for during each visit.

As we mentioned before, revisiting nature friends is like making regular lunch dates to get to know a person better. But simply meeting at the same table to eat does not develop a friendship; asking good questions about the person and listening closely to her answers is what deepens a relationship.

So it is in nature. When you revisit your nature friend during the seasons of the year, knowing what kinds of changes may be occurring and what questions to ask about your nature friend will help you strengthen the relation most. Journaling a Year in Nature gives you seasonal reminders to visit your nature friends and suggests “conversation starters” to help you learn more about them with each visit.

The journal is divided into the four seasons. Each season has thirteen gentle nature prompts—one for each week. You can start your journal any time of the year; just turn to the current season and get started. And you can complete the thirteen nature ideas for that season in any order.

The clean pages provide seasonal suggestions of what you and your children might look for and plenty of room to record your observations. And the heavy paper allows you to write, sketch, or paint what you are learning.

Inspiring quotes are sprinkled throughout to spark a naturalist’s enthusiasm in your own heart, and helpful tips are included to encourage you and your children to feel at home in nature. Plus, a list of favorite field guides, apps, and websites is nestled in the back to assist you in identifying any new nature friends.

The prompts are flexible enough to accommodate a wide variety of regions. Whether your home is in the northern hemisphere or southern hemisphere; near mountains, forest, beach, prairie, plain, desert; located in a cold climate, hot climate, or anything in between, Journaling a Year in Nature will be a valuable guide.

The sturdy laminated cover is designed with weekly treks outdoors in mind, and the spiral binding allows your journal to conveniently lie flat (or folded back) as you make your entries.

Download the sample to get an idea of the wide variety of nature friends included, the beautiful clean layout, and the wonderful seasonal prompts that will be your own personal nature guide throughout the year.

Complete a new journal every year and you may discover that nature is not the only thing that grows!