Oh Kathleen, I am so excited for you!  The journal is so pretty and I know you will add more beautiful images and memories.  And you get to see your son.  Please share the journal when you return.  I know that everyone will want to hear about your adventure!  Spending time outside this time of year is such a gift!❤

I am so happy for this opportunity for you! We homeschooled, too. I learned so much! :)

I love your nature journal, Kathleen! Even your "not precious" journals are precious! The workshop sounds like a lot of fun. Have a great time! Looking forward to hearing all about it!

My favorite day of the week!  Saturday, the day you post. I am so excited for you, going off on a nature workshop and having time to spend with your son. How exciting to be able to do somerhing fun, educational and theraputic.  This is just what you need, time to do something for YOU. Go, learn, take in the sounds and sights around you, and come back to us relaxed and full of ideas to reduce the stress in your life. ❤

How wonderful Kathleen you are going on this trip to slow down. I remember how much you loved your seaside trip. I can understand your approach of making something that you are happy to throw away...but can I challenge you in saying that you will keep whatever you come back with - because it represents your journey. And I think the trip will not only be about noticing but also about you learning to drop expectations. I have been on a journey since 2018 with mindfulness when I injured myself and couldn't photograph weddings for my clients, I had to let others photograph for me but I still did as much as I could to prepare my clients and my photographers to give us the best shot and not let anyone down. So like you preparing your journal and your kit, you have done everything you can to be prepared to get the most out of the workshop. But I want you to know that when we let go of control, our nervous system relaxes more. It will take time to change your neural pathways but you have started with your mindfulness practice and that is so awesome! It has taken me a while but I am definitely a more relaxed person who also manages my expectations well. I say this because you mentioned your hope that this workshop will help you with your blood pressure. If we keep putting all eggs in one basket then the pressure stays high. So bit by bit we let go of expectations and we start to notice how beautiful and joyful the small things are around us. I know you notice the small things and I think you will find that being nature will bring you so much joy and perhaps the workshop will achieve it's purpose of you noticing rather than learning how to document 'beautifully,' I have just started a nature journal in the past month and I was having some down days and I went out to my little garden and I just sat on the grass and I closed my eyes, slowed down my breathing and I just listened to the wind, the birds and then i watched the leaves move in the breeze, the little lizards scooting around in the sun etc. It was so calming and beautiful. Nature is definitely my calming place. I did take out one of those sakura pens and I tried sketching the iron rusted sculpture of an australian bird (kookaburra) that we have here. The wing has fallen off the sculpture so I just tried drawing the fallen wing. I just tried putting my pen on paper and doing a line sketch so i didn't bring the pen off the paper until I was finished. It was simple and it didn't look realistic but I love that it looked abstract, it brought me so much joy and its in my nature journal now - stapled in and on the top of some brown baking paper.  So I challenge you to learn to let go of trying to learning a technique or how to draw well etc and just be totally present in the moment. This is your journey, for you, not to have a productive goal to achieve, but time for you, like you said, to slow down and notice. Wish I could be there with you in nature. Wishing you the very best for a safe and relaxing trip. Take care my friend, you can do this!

I'd say your adventure is already off to a great start.  I hope your trip is all you're hoping for and more.

I didn’t know you homeschooled! My children and I have wonderful memories of our nature walks and journals homeschooling. Charlotte Mason was a big influence. Have an amazing time at the workshop. Love your journal! 😊

I’m so excited for you! What a lovely way to spend time in a state park!! Have a great time! 💙💙💙

So happy for you ,special times ,and out in nature so  relaxing and just beautiful, thanks for sharing your trip and info for it ,love the journal  have a wonderful  time,

Oh sounds so fun. Love the journal it is precious. I hope the scrappy papers turn out the ones you love the most. Have fun ,find your center and enjoy! Love the kit. You go girl ❤

Oh Kathleen, I’m so excited for you. What a great adventure. Wish I were close enough to join you. How wonderful, too, that you get to spend time with your son. Love your journal. Such a great idea to make a journal “to ruin,” but you know what, you won’t ruin it—it’s going to be a treasure because every page you work on will have the memories of that time woven into it. Just looking at the page will bring back the feelings of the day. I will be praying that you have a wonderful, exciting and productive time and that you stay safe and have no boo-boos. I can’t wait to see the journal when you return and we get to hear about the adventure. Also I have to say, what a bargain this experience is. So glad you are able to take advantage of it. ❤

When you return home and have a few minutes or moments to share your trip with those of us who weren’t there that would be wonderful. Have a great time and enjoy the process.❤😊

I hope you have fun at your workshop because that's what journaling is all about!  I love your journal and I would feel sad if anything happened to it, it's beautiful.  Safe trip and can't wait for you to share your adventure!

I'm so happy for you, Kathleen. and 'I'm excited to see what you come with. I love your journal. Hope it comes home with wonderful entries, etc. Have a great trip. It's so cool your son is involved. Big Texas hugs and bon voyage!

That sounds like a lovely adventure! And you’ve made a great journal to accompany it.  Have a wonderful time!

Love the journal...have a wonderful experience!

Have fun at the workshop! and the pocket is so wonderful!

I actually feel the appearance is precious.... its the kind of journal I would actually buy for myself... enjoy the journey! Make many memories to cherish and you will have a journal to cherish as well... have a feeling you will end up very attached to this nature journal...

The workshop sounds wonderful. Hope you enjoy it! I spend some time outside almost every day and can attest that nature is very good for us. 😊

My goodness, Kathleen, being Irish I had to Google Nevada Parks to get a flavour of where you were headed. Breathtaking! Beauty in every vast panoramic view.  I’m sure you will have a wonderful time with your son and the group in the workshop. Your journal will be ideal for the outdoor activities.Thank you for sharing. Bon voyage.