When moving to New Hampshire and beginning my service with Lakes Region Conservation Corps, I knew I would be learning a lot from my placement at Green Mountain Conservation Group. With new tasks revolving water quality, something I had never studied, and expanding my skills as an educator, there was much to learn. What I didn’t expect were the opportunities for growth outside my normal service tasks.
Green Mountain hosts many talks and workshops that fellow AmeriCorps and I could participate in. Not only that but our coordinators are generous about helping us get specific experiences such as electrofishing or kestrel banding.
Recently, at Blue Heron House, Barbara Bald held a workshop about nature journaling. Barbara, an environmental educator, tracker, and artist, brought a unique perspective and spark of inspiration to me and many other participants. Art, creativity, and nature are all very important aspects of my life but as service, life, and responsibilities get overwhelming, those aspects can be forgotten or neglected. We started the workshop by sketching our individual leaves, making sure to pay close attention to the details. Other activities included writing nature poems, sketching, and journaling.
When Barbara took us outside, she demonstrated how to start off our entry, making sure to note the date, time, and location but also the moon phase, weather, and how we were feeling that day. Following the entry set up, she gave us our first prompt. We started using our senses and made note of the things we were hearing, seeing, smelling, the colors we noticed, the feelings we were experiencing. To sit in silence with a group of strangers and take in nature together was a really special moment. Each person with a different perspective, different responsibilities, different emotions, yet still taking in the same moment. I felt gratitude for the moment of stillness but also for the ability to connect with my own senses towards something I love.
Grace is a full-year member who has spent the last 9 months serving with Green Mountain Conservation Group. Learn more about Grace here!