The Benefits of Keeping a Phenology Journal
The other day, my partner asked if I was planning to keep a phenology journal this fall, which sent me looking for the one I kept last October.
I found it tucked away at the back of my bookshelf collecting dust. As I flipped through the pages, I regretted ever stopping the seasonal journal because, not only did it allow me to document the changes around me, it also grounded me.
Among the notes on weather patterns and bird activity were quotes, love notes, tiny to-do lists, daily gratitudes, and doodles. It was a way for me to connect to nature and to myself.
This September, I’m getting back to my phenology journal for several reasons, all of which I want to share with you. But, before I get into those reasons, let’s go over the basics:
What is Phenology?
phe·nol·o·gy
: a branch of science dealing with the relations between climate and periodic biological phenomena (such as bird migration or plant flowering).
Plain and simple, it’s the study of the seasons.
What is a phenology journal?
A method to record the changes of seasons.
The concept is simple – spend some time in nature and write down what you notice.
What are the benefits?
- Remember that lack of connection I talked about in my last blog post? Keeping a phenology journal helps you silence the distractions of modern-day society and focus on your natural surroundings, therefore strengthening your connection to the natural world.
- Journaling, in general, helps click you into a state of mindfulness where frustration and anxiety give way to the present moment so you can actively engage with your thoughts and surroundings.
- If you keep an inquisitive mindset, you’ll jot down questions about different plants, animals, and weather patterns to look up once you get back inside. I promise you’ll learn a thing or two if you do this.
What should it look like?
This question can be frustrating. I get it, we all want some inspiration and an idea of what our journals should look like. However, this is a creative endeavor as much as it is a record so don’t forget to make it your own.
You could keep your “journal” on your phone, in an excel spreadsheet, in a sketchbook, in a leather-bound journal. Maybe you’d write in bullets or maybe long paragraphs. You could sketch different leaves or keep track of the water temperature of your local pond. There isn’t a wrong way to go about it.
Typically, I like to keep my journal entries between 1-2 pages long and tend to journal 3-ish times per week. Some days my journal looks like a scribbled-on napkin and other days it looks like this:
What should I record?
Ask yourself, “if I were to look back on this one year from now, what information would I find interesting?” That’s a good place to start when deciding which data you want to record.
For example, I always record the:
- high/low temp of the day
- sunrise/sunset times
- amount of rain/snow if we had any
- general description of the weather.
I’m also considering keeping track of the water temps as we inch towards freeze-up on the river. My point is, figure out which specifics you want to track and stick with it.
Then, ask yourself if you want to get artsy with it? Will this strictly be a bulleted list or table? Maybe you want to tape little things like flowers or leaves to the pages or paint a picture or stick a polaroid photo to each entry? Pick a few things to start with and go from there. You can always change this aspect as you go.
From there, I improvise each time I sit down to journal. I write about the birds I see, a question that’s on my mind, something I’m grateful for, my grocery list, questions like, “What kind of mushroom is that? Is it edible?”, the colors of the trees…I let my mind work itself out a bit. After all, this is time for myself to connect not only to the wilderness surrounding me but also to myself.
That’s how I make my phenology journal my own…so what I’m saying is it’s a hot mess and it’s ok for yours to be a mess too!
But let’s get you started. I want you to think about your five senses. When you’re sitting at your observation spot:
- What are you seeing?
- How do the air and earth feel against your skin?
- What do you smell?
- Which sounds do you notice?
- Are there any edible plants at their peak?
Now you probably have some ideas to get you started! If you need any more, shoot me a message!
Where should I journal?
If I can, I like to visit the same spot every time, that way the location variable remains constant (yeah, yeah, yeah, nerdy). My “spot” is the end of our dock.
However, if it’s raining or too chilly I sit in front of the big picture window in my cabin, cozy by the fire, and record what I see from there.
On the other end of the spectrum, my partner, he’ll go sit in the rain and snow. It doesn’t bother him. He uses a Rite in the Rain notebook for days like that.
**By the way, I use this journal currently. In the past, I’ve used these moleskin journals, which I love as well.
I’d recommend picking a spot that you’ll visit every time you journal but, what do I know, you can do this whichever way you’d like. Maybe you go for evening walks? You could write down your observations once you got back from your walk. Or maybe you live in a city and sitting by the window with your journal and morning coffee is the best option.
Think about what would work best for you and get going!
When should I start?
As cliché as it sounds, start right now! It’s actually a particularly great time to begin a phenology journal. Autumn is right around the corner, meaning there will be SO MUCH to record!
Final Tip!
Check Facebook for local phenology groups. I know it sounds nerdy but it’s a thing! Up here on the Gunflint Trail we have the “Gunflint Trail Nature and Notes” group page. In Duluth, there’s the “Duluth Phenology” group page.
What can I say, people are jazzed about phenology!
Whether you’re someone who’s always been jazzed about phenology or you’re newly jazzed, share this post on Facebook and see how many of your friends are “closet phenologists”. You might be surprised!
Happy Journaling,
The other day, my partner asked if I was planning to keep a phenology journal this fall, which sent me looking for the one I kept last October.
I found it tucked away at the back of my bookshelf collecting dust. As I flipped through the pages, I regretted ever stopping the seasonal journal because, not only did it allow me to document the changes around me, it also grounded me.
Among the notes on weather patterns and bird activity were quotes, love notes, tiny to-do lists, daily gratitudes, and doodles. It was a way for me to connect to nature and to myself.
This September, I’m getting back to my phenology journal for several reasons, all of which I want to share with you. But, before I get into those reasons, let’s go over the basics:
What is Phenology?
phe·nol·o·gy
: a branch of science dealing with the relations between climate and periodic biological phenomena (such as bird migration or plant flowering).
Plain and simple, it’s the study of the seasons.
What is a phenology journal?
A method to record the changes of seasons.
The concept is simple – spend some time in nature and write down what you notice.
What are the benefits?
- Remember that lack of connection I talked about in my last blog post? Keeping a phenology journal helps you silence the distractions of modern-day society and focus on your natural surroundings, therefore strengthening your connection to the natural world.
- Journaling, in general, helps click you into a state of mindfulness where frustration and anxiety give way to the present moment so you can actively engage with your thoughts and surroundings.
- If you keep an inquisitive mindset, you’ll jot down questions about different plants, animals, and weather patterns to look up once you get back inside. I promise you’ll learn a thing or two if you do this.
What should it look like?
This question can be frustrating. I get it, we all want some inspiration and an idea of what our journals should look like. However, this is a creative endeavor as much as it is a record so don’t forget to make it your own.
You could keep your “journal” on your phone, in an excel spreadsheet, in a sketchbook, in a leather-bound journal. Maybe you’d write in bullets or maybe long paragraphs. You could sketch different leaves or keep track of the water temperature of your local pond. There isn’t a wrong way to go about it.
Typically, I like to keep my journal entries between 1-2 pages long and tend to journal 3-ish times per week. Some days my journal looks like a scribbled-on napkin and other days it looks like this:
What should I record?
Ask yourself, “if I were to look back on this one year from now, what information would I find interesting?” That’s a good place to start when deciding which data you want to record.
For example, I always record the:
- high/low temp of the day
- sunrise/sunset times
- amount of rain/snow if we had any
- general description of the weather.
I’m also considering keeping track of the water temps as we inch towards freeze-up on the river. My point is, figure out which specifics you want to track and stick with it.
Then, ask yourself if you want to get artsy with it? Will this strictly be a bulleted list or table? Maybe you want to tape little things like flowers or leaves to the pages or paint a picture or stick a polaroid photo to each entry? Pick a few things to start with and go from there. You can always change this aspect as you go.
From there, I improvise each time I sit down to journal. I write about the birds I see, a question that’s on my mind, something I’m grateful for, my grocery list, questions like, “What kind of mushroom is that? Is it edible?”, the colors of the trees…I let my mind work itself out a bit. After all, this is time for myself to connect not only to the wilderness surrounding me but also to myself.
That’s how I make my phenology journal my own…so what I’m saying is it’s a hot mess and it’s ok for yours to be a mess too!
But let’s get you started. I want you to think about your five senses. When you’re sitting at your observation spot:
- What are you seeing?
- How do the air and earth feel against your skin?
- What do you smell?
- Which sounds do you notice?
- Are there any edible plants at their peak?
Now you probably have some ideas to get you started! If you need any more, shoot me a message!
Where should I journal?
If I can, I like to visit the same spot every time, that way the location variable remains constant (yeah, yeah, yeah, nerdy). My “spot” is the end of our dock.
However, if it’s raining or too chilly I sit in front of the big picture window in my cabin, cozy by the fire, and record what I see from there.
On the other end of the spectrum, my partner, he’ll go sit in the rain and snow. It doesn’t bother him. He uses a Rite in the Rain notebook for days like that.
**By the way, I use this journal currently. In the past, I’ve used these moleskin journals, which I love as well.
I’d recommend picking a spot that you’ll visit every time you journal but, what do I know, you can do this whichever way you’d like. Maybe you go for evening walks? You could write down your observations once you got back from your walk. Or maybe you live in a city and sitting by the window with your journal and morning coffee is the best option.
Think about what would work best for you and get going!
When should I start?
As cliché as it sounds, start right now! It’s actually a particularly great time to begin a phenology journal. Autumn is right around the corner, meaning there will be SO MUCH to record!
Final Tip!
Check Facebook for local phenology groups. I know it sounds nerdy but it’s a thing! Up here on the Gunflint Trail we have the “Gunflint Trail Nature and Notes” group page. In Duluth, there’s the “Duluth Phenology” group page.
What can I say, people are jazzed about phenology!
Whether you’re someone who’s always been jazzed about phenology or you’re newly jazzed, share this post on Facebook and see how many of your friends are “closet phenologists”. You might be surprised!
Happy Journaling,
Want more? I've got you covered ↓
Just discovered your blog…visiting the North Shore soon for the first time & then a long held dream trip to the UK – just starting to keep a journal and know it will accompany me on both trips after reading your posting. Have always kept a garden journal in my potting shed which contains the ups and downs of what grows well or not; weather comments, birds on or near the pond, deer or fox sightings and the occasional bear…but I can see that journaling will take on much more now!
Hi Patricia! It sounds like you are well equipped to take journaling to a new level! Garden journal sounds like so much fun.
I hope your first trip up the North Shore is spectacular! Will you make it to Grand Marais?
Ahh how exciting to visit the UK! Safe travels! 🙂