Clare Walker Leslie - The Curious Nature Guide: Explore the Natural Wonders All Around You

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Explore the Natural Wonders All Around You

Written and Illustrated by

Clare Walker Leslie

The mission of Storey Publishing is to serve our customers by

publishing practical information that encourages

personal independence in harmony with the environment.

Edited by Deborah Balmuth and Hannah Fries

Additional editorial assistance by Rebecca Backman

Art direction and book design by Carolyn Eckert

Illustrations by Clare Walker Leslie

Cover photography by Carolyn Eckert, back (middle right & bottom), back flap (top), front flap (bottom left); Dean Casavechia, back (middle left); Evan Sheppard, front flap (top); Heather Perry, back (top), back flap (middle), front flap (bottom right); Jamie Goldenberg, back flap (bottom); Mark Fleming, front flap (middle); Michelle Albert/Getty Images, front (leaves); Peter Haigh/Getty Images, front (background)

Interior photography credits appear on

Map on by Ilona Sherratt

2015 by Clare Walker Leslie

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The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. All recommenda - tions are made without guarantee on the part of the author or Storey Publishing. The author and publisher disclaim any liability in connection with the use of this information.

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Library of Congress Cataloging - in - Publication Data on file

Ebook version 1.3

May 2, 2016

Contents

First, pause. Wherever you are, open your senses to the unfolding world of nature all around you.

What awakens your curiosity? Take a closer look at the clouds, the night sky, the plants and animals, rivers and rocks of your home landscape .

Stay engaged. Start a journal, a meditation practice, or a new tradition. Find a way to share your experiences.

Introduction

Whether or not you have a garden or time to go to the Galapagos, you have opened this book, so perhaps you are curious about the strange and wild world of nature that is all around you.

Maybe you feel the need to reconnect.

Maybe you have noticed you feel better after some time outdoors. Maybe you find youre getting a bit curious about the trees or birds, plants or insects in your neighborhood.

If nature has generally been something you have been afraid of, dont worry: the best antidote to the unknown is to learn as much as you can. Learning about nature takes you wherever you are and leads you wherever you want to go to the seashore, on a hike, to a backyard garden, to a birding group, to a biology class, to a library. Its something you can do alone, with a friend, or with a group of people.

Consider this book a companion. Leave it by your window to remind you to look outside. Take it to work for when you need a break. Put it by your bed to inspire dreams and plans. Bring it with you when you travel.

Exploring nature knows no age limit, no skill requirement, no time limit, no location or destination. It is a longstanding tradition that spans countries and centuries. Many people find that in learning about the natural world, they learn more about themselves.

Lets begin the adventure.

Begin

Begin Where You Are

No matter where you are right now, look up and out any window. Or go stand in a doorway. Or step outside. Is it day or night, sunny or cloudy, cool or warm? Count to five and just watch, silently, what the world of nature is doing around you. Forget for a moment where you need to be and where you have come from.

Try This

List six or seven nature observations you see, hear, or feel.

Also consider items made from nature. Note the time of day, month, date, and season, as well as your location.

Example: blue sky, bare tree branches, sparrows on wire, wind blowing, squirrel looking for what?, asphalt, yellow leaves on the ground

10:40 a.m., October 10, early fall, Cambridge, MA, from our apartment window