Bramble Bird Meadow

🌱 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠! 🌱
July 13th, 2026

Be sure to dress for outdoor play and exploration!

Feel free to bring whatever your family needs to enjoy a relaxed day in nature: water, snacks, hats, sunscreen, bug spray, exploration toys (buckets, nets, hand microscopes, etc), park toys (bubbles, balls, etc) and your sense of adventure!

Feel free to message me if you have any questions or want my personal number before heading out.

See you all soon! ☺️

[Interested in joining us? We’ll be meeting at 11am! Message me for more information, and/or location specifics!]

Nature journaling is one of my favorite ways to slow down, observe, and build a deeper relationship with the natural world.

As a homeschooling family, one of my favorite ways to excite younger children (especially those who may not always be excited about sitting down and recording detailed observations) is to offer a simple, playful invitation.

A weekly theme.
A creature to search for.
A color to notice.
A tiny world to explore.
A seasonal treasure waiting to be discovered.

Sometimes having a little focus is all it takes to transform “let’s go outside” into a meaningful adventure.

So, in the spirit of inspiring families to create these moments together and building a little community around our shared love of nature, I thought it would be fun to begin sharing a weekly nature theme.

Each week’s theme will be something that can be explored in many different ways… inviting even the most hesitant nature observers to join in.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲: 𝗔 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗿

What catches your eye or pulls your attention?
Maybe it’s a single purple flower hidden in a sea of green.
A bright red butterfly passing through the garden.
A rainbow stretching across the sky.
A tiny drop of water reflecting the world on a leaf.
Look for those unexpected moments of color that make you pause.

Spend a few quiet moments outdoors this week. Then, once you find your splash of color, you might:
- Draw it in your nature journal
- Photograph it
- Press a leaf or flower (where appropriate, nothing at risk)
- Write a poem or a few observations
- Create artwork inspired by what you found
- Simply describe what you noticed

There are no wrong answers… only an invitation to become more familiar with the world around you.

I’d love to see your journal pages, artwork, photographs, and discoveries in the comments!

Let’s inspire one another to slow down and notice the little wonders waiting outside our doors. 🌱

𝙒𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙎𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙎𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙙𝙖𝙮!

Here's today's scribble. It may just look like a random line, but it's full of possibilities!

How to play:
🍃 Save the scribble.
🍃 Open it in your favorite drawing or editing app (or print it and draw by hand!), or many phones will let you edit / draw on it right in your photos! OR add the scribble to your nature journal!
🍃 𝗡𝗼 𝗔𝗜! This is all about your own imagination. You do not have to be a professional artist.
🍃 Yes, you may rotate the scribble.
🍃 Transform the scribble into something inspired by nature. A mushroom? A fox? Wildflowers? Moss? A dragonfly? Whatever you see!

Then come back and share your finished creation in the comments. Seeing everyone's different interpretations is what makes this little tradition so much fun and reminds us that creativity grows best in community.

Also, don’t forget to include your kids! They can play, too! I personally believe these are an extremely fun weekly nature journal addition!

I can't wait to see what you discover hidden in the scribble! 🌱

𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐩!
July 10th, 2026

Wow! What an absolutely FULL day!

🌿 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀-𝗢𝗻 𝗙𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸, 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘆 & 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝘀
All of these topics were beautifully intertwined today!

As we've been discussing different ways to preserve our plant research (botanical drawings, photographs, monographs, pressed specimens, and more), Ms. Cina, founder of our Wild Arts Learning home base, generously offered to teach the students how to create botanical plaster casts. Of course, we happily took her up on the opportunity!

We headed outside to review the plants we've been working with and to consider which ones might create the most interesting impressions in plaster. The students were excited to discover just how many different textures nature has to offer.

Once everyone had gathered their chosen plants, we headed back inside to meet with Ms. Cina and begin our morning adventure.

The kids were incredibly proud of their finished pieces, and it was such a joy to see their excitement. Per student request, we'll definitely be adding plaster casting to our list of skills to continue exploring and developing this fall!

𝙋𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙚. 𝙃𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙖 𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙚.

🍵 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘆 & 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀
Our afternoon focused on continuing to strengthen one of our core herbalist skills: carefully observing a living plant and writing our own botanical descriptions before comparing them with descriptions found in our reference books. The students are becoming noticeably more confident and proficient!

Today's study plant was Rose of Sharon, whose abundant summer blooms provide an excellent opportunity to observe flower reproductive structures up close. This lesson also opened the door to an important discussion about the responsibility that comes with working with invasive species.

We wrapped up the day by preparing a couple of infused vinegars while discussing the basics of how and why they're made. We ran out of time before we could dive very deeply into the topic, so we'll continue that lesson next week.

I can't believe we only have three summer classes left! That's hard to wrap my mind around. Even harder to believe is just how much these teens have grown over the past several weeks. They continue to challenge themselves, develop new skills, and deepen their understanding every single class.

I absolutely love the messages you've been sending about your Junior Herbalists showing off what they've learned. Please keep them coming! Nothing makes me happier than seeing these kids inspired, confident, and eager to continue learning.

As always... If anyone would like printed photos from class or additional reference materials, simply send me an email at [email protected], and I'll happily have everything ready for our next class.

I hope you've all had a wonderful weekend!

I'll see everyone back in class on Friday. 🌿

𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙥𝙝𝙤𝙩𝙤𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙡𝙗𝙪𝙢 𝙞𝙣 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙁𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙥. 𝙈𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙘𝙠 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨! 𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢, 𝙩𝙤𝙤. 🥰

Nestlings is our nature-based family book club, created to inspire a love of literature while fostering meaningful conversations and connections.

Together, families journey through a thoughtfully curated collection of both beloved classics and modern stories. We seek stories that encourage wonder, resilience, empathy, curiosity, and a deeper appreciation for the world around us.

Each gathering includes a guided book discussion followed by hands-on activities inspired by the story. These activities often incorporate nature exploration, art, crafts, simple herbal and/or seasonal connections that bring the pages to life.

Whether your family is just beginning your read-aloud journey or has loved books together for years, Nestlings offers a welcoming community where stories become shared adventures.

𝐀𝐔𝐆𝐔𝐒𝐓’𝐒 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊:
ECHO MOUNTAIN
By: Lauren Wolk

After losing almost everything in the Great Depression, Ellie’s family is forced to leave their home in town and start over in the untamed wilderness of nearby Echo Mountain. Ellie has found a welcome freedom, and a love of the natural world, in her new life on the mountain. But there is little joy after a terrible accident leaves her father in a coma. An accident unfairly blamed on Ellie.

Ellie is a girl who takes matters into her own hands, and determined to help her father she will make her way to the top of the mountain in search of the healing secrets of a woman known only as “the hag.” But the hag, and the mountain, still have many untold stories left to reveal.

Historical fiction at its finest, Echo Mountain is celebration of finding your own path and becoming your truest self. Lauren Wolk, the Newbery Honor– and Scott O’Dell Award–winning author of Wolf Hollow and Beyond the Bright Sea, weaves a stunning tale of resilience, persistence, and friendship across three generations of families.

𝙋𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙚: 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙮 𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙃𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧, 𝙬𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠'𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮'𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙣'𝙨 𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙨, 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙨.

Meetings are limited to 15 participants to help foster a close-knit community, create a comfortable environment for discussion, and ensure enough materials for all participating families.

Find more information or register for our upcoming meet here: https://bramblebirdmeadow.com/nestlings-book-club

🌿 Summer Scavenger Hunt 🌿

One of my favorite things about summer is how full of life the world becomes (yes… even though it’s a million degrees 😅).

Every walk offers something new to discover… a flower that wasn't blooming yesterday, a butterfly resting in the sunshine, a curious feather tucked beneath a tree, or the tiny tracks of a creature that passed by before you.

This week's invitation is simple: slow down, wander, and pay attention. Grab your nature journal, your favorite art supplies, and head outside.

Whether you're exploring a favorite trail, your own backyard, a local park, or even the edge of a sidewalk as you are headed into the store… there is always something waiting to be noticed. You just have to take a moment to observe.

As you discover each item on the scavenger hunt, add it to your nature journal. Draw what you find, paint it, press a leaf (if appropriate), write observations, or jot down any questions that come to mind. Whatever brings YOU joy.

Nature journaling isn't about creating perfect artwork, but about learning to observe, wonder, and build a relationship with the world around you.

I recommend adding:
🌿 The date
📍 The location
☀️ The weather
👀 Anything interesting you noticed while observing your find

These little additions are fun as you look back over the years. Sometimes it even helps to remind you of a favorite place you haven’t visited in a while, or an interesting plant you wanted to look up.

There's no rush to finish in one day. Let this be an adventure you return to throughout the season as summer continues to unfold.

I'd love to see what you discover! Feel free to share photos of your journal pages or your favorite finds in the comments… or tag us in your own posts!

Every observation tells a story, and it's always a joy to see the world through one another's eyes.

Happy exploring, friends!!!

May your journal be full of happy memories and your hearts full of curiosity and wonder… always. 🌿🍄🦋

🌱🌱𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 - 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟕 🌱🌱
** 2 Spots Left **

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙈𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙡 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧?

During our 2026 - 2027 semester, our Meadowlings will journey through the rich history of herbalism across cultures, continents, and traditions. Together, we’ll explore how people throughout time have understood plants, wellness, food, and the natural world through systems such as the four humors, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, and modern herbal energetics.

Students will connect these historical concepts to the plants and traditions that inspired them through hands-on projects, sensory experiences, nature study, and creating herbal preparations. Activities may include examining vanilla bean orchids, blending chai tea, sampling Ayurvedic-inspired porridges, creating chocolate from bean to finished treat, crafting fire cider, experiencing traditional tea ceremonies, making guacamole, utilizing turmeric in sun prints, blending Herbes de Provence, and more!

𝙈𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 12:30𝙥𝙢 - 3𝙥𝙢 𝙤𝙣 𝙁𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙀𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙛𝙞𝙚𝙡𝙙. 𝙎𝙚𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣.

🌿 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 - 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟕 🌿
** Two spots available**

A hands-on herbal learning program for middle and high school students ready to dive deeper into the world of plants, research, and herbal preparations.

Throughout this program, students will learn how to properly research herbs using a variety of trusted resources while building their own herb monographs and herbarium collections. We’ll explore plant identification, botany, traditional uses, safety considerations, preparation methods, and responsible herbal practices.

Students will also gain practical experience creating herbal products such as teas, salves, syrups, infused oils, and more while learning foundational safety, sanitation, labeling, and formulation skills.

This offering is designed to encourage curiosity, critical thinking, creativity, and a deeper connection with the natural world through education-based, hands-on experiences.

Topics will include:
• Plant identification & botany
• Herbal research skills
• Creating monographs & herbariums
• Herbal safety & ethics
• Preparation methods & formulation basics
• Hands-on herbal crafting
• Nature journaling & observation

Our Junior Herbalists spend two hours each Friday morning in focused, in-depth herbal studies. In the afternoon, they have the option to join our Meadowlings program for an additional three hours of learning, where we explore the rich history of herbalism and the important role plants have played across cultures throughout history.

Together, this provides the opportunity for up to five hours of immersive, hands-on learning every Friday for students who choose to participate in both programs.

If this sounds like the perfect fit for your student, fill out an interest form here:
https://bramblebirdmeadow.com/juniorherbalist2026interest

𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐩!
July 3rd, 2026

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend! Here’s a look at what we accomplished last class:

🌿 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀-𝗢𝗻 𝗙𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸
We made it across the creek and all the way down to the river today, stopping often to observe and discuss the plants we found along the way. We recognized many familiar species, discovered a few we weren't quite sure about, and had plenty of fun investigating them together. One of my favorite parts of these classes is showing students that even experienced herbalists don't know every plant… we observe, ask questions, and use reliable resources to learn. With thousands of plants out there, it’s impossible to learn every single one intimately, so learning how to use reliable resources is a must!

𝘼 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙩 𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙠:
- Please make sure your student has water shoes.
- Bug spray and sunscreen are also highly recommended.
- Students also asked if they could bring the plant presses they made last semester, and the answer is a definite YES! Anything you've used in past classes is not only welcome but encouraged. 🌿

🌱 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘆 & 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝘀
We intentionally slowed down and spent time building on work already in progress before introducing anything new.

Each student selected a plant from our walk that captured their interest and added it to their binder. Every entry looked completely different, reflecting each student's own observations and curiosity. A few students were even inspired to document more than one plant! 🥳🙌

Starting next week we'll be bringing our plant identification guides back out to compare our personal observations with trusted reference materials.

Students asked if they could bring their own favorite field guides from home, and absolutely! I'll have several books available to share, but I love seeing students become comfortable using the resources they naturally enjoy reaching for.

🍵 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀
Each group strained their intermediary method infused oils they created last week and transformed them into salves.

We started with my basic salve recipe as a foundation, but my hope is that over the coming year students will begin experimenting with different wax-to-oil ratios and ingredients to create recipes that best fit their own preferences and intended uses.

We also discussed the differences between salves, balms, and infused oils, and when each preparation might be the best choice.

As always…
If anyone would like printed photos from class or additional reference materials, simply send me an email at [email protected], and I'll happily have them ready for our next class.

I hope you've all had a wonderful weekend!

I'll see everyone back in class on Friday. 🌿

[𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙥𝙝𝙤𝙩𝙤𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙁𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙥.]

🌿 𝐒𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲! 🌿

When the pandemic hit in 2020, I started sharing simple scribbles and little art prompts a few times each week. It became one of my favorite traditions because no two people ever saw the same thing. I loved watching everyone's creativity bloom, and I've really missed that bit of whimsy.

So... let's bring it back!

𝙒𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙎𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙎𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙮!

Here's today's scribble. It may just look like a random line, but it's full of possibilities!

How to play:
🍃 Save the scribble.
🍃 Open it in your favorite drawing or editing app (or print it and draw by hand!). Or many phones will let you edit / draw on it right in your photos!
🍃 𝗡𝗼 𝗔𝗜! This is all about your own imagination. You do not have to be a professional artist.
🍃 Transform the scribble into something inspired by nature. A mushroom? A fox? Wildflowers? Moss? A dragonfly? Whatever you see!

Then come back and share your finished creation in the comments. Seeing everyone's different interpretations is what makes this little tradition so much fun and reminds us that creativity grows best in community.

Also, don’t forget to include your kids! They can play, too! I personally believe these are an extremely fun weekly nature journal addition!

I can't wait to see what you discover hidden in the scribble! 🌱