Tuesday July 9, 2024
The morning was slightly overcast and the wind whisked through my roses. Branches swayed, until a dainty drip of water drifted from the sky. Another drip followed–and another–and another. A soft, summer rain peppered all around. Jacki Kellum
____________________________________

Yesterday morning, I stood in the rain for a few minutes and recorded a video in which I challenged my viewers to offer a single word to desribe the rain that we were hearing. I explained that we would be learning how to create a Nature Journal.

The challenge was a trick. In reality, I don’t believe that we can create an entry for a Nature Journal with one single word.

Indeed, because I hope that we shall ultimately illustrate our jourals, I suggest that we create lean, slim entries.

But to expect a single word to convey anything meaningful is an exercise in futility.

I suggested a few word: Refreshing, Nurturing, etc., and

While these words might be good adjectiives to help us on our missions.

They do not capture the essence of the rain
They do not say enough.
They do not paint a mental picutre.
Single word descriptions work more as a judgment than they do as a description.

I suggest that we DESCRIBE more in our journal entires and JUDGE less.

To merely say the word “Refreshing,” we skip the description and dash to the judgement. Whatever else the rain is, we are passing judgment than rain ONLY  is refreshing.

That is TELLING without Showing.

For our Nature Journals, our aim is to SHOW and not tell.

After I came in from the rain yesterday, I added a few words and juggled them a bit, until I wrote something that, within a few words, aims to show what I saw and heard while I was standing in the rain.

Let’s break my journal entry into bits:

The morning [Indicates the time of day]

was slightly overcast [overcast is an adjective — describing the morning]

was slightly overcast [slightly is an adverb — it is a qualifier–it assures us that we don’t need to run to a storm shelter. Nothing threatening is happening]

and the wind whisked through my roses.
the wind {the action is about to take place–a player has taken the stage]
whisked through my roses [whisked–the wind was not ripping the roses apart; It was doing a little dance.]

the roses — another player has taken the stage; We are about to witness communication or interaction between these two players.

Branches swayed [This is a gentle little dance. The branches are not pounding into the air]

until a dainty drip of water drifted from the sky

dainty [this is not a blast of rain].

drip and not drop – drip is softer and daintier

drfted — the rain was just starting — Just a Drip, drip drop, [a little July shower]

Another followed–and another–and another. Soon, a soft, summer rain peppered all around

Thank You, Walt Disney, You Taught Me How to Feel.