Synopses & Reviews
Reveling in the wonders of nature doesnt have to be reserved for vacation. By simply taking a few minutes to look up and observe the hawks hovering over their nest at the top of a city building, or to look down and note the variety of weeds growing in a small patch of earth, or just to glance through the window and appreciate the shapes of the clouds moving by, anyone can connect with nature—anywhere, anytime.
Clare Walker Leslie, author of the bestselling book Keeping a Nature Journal, has spent 25 years teaching and showing people how simple and rewarding it is to notice and record local nature. Nothing is more inspiring than the pages of her nature journals, which feature her daily recordings of small, but amazing natural events shes seen while walking the dog, sitting in a park with her children, or driving around city streets.
Drawn to Nature features a selection of Leslies journal pages, arranged to inspire the reader to do as she does: look up, look down, look out and around, bring bits of nature indoors to observe and study, or take your eyes for a walk around the neighborhood. Using a combination of quick, impressionistic watercolors with more detailed pen and pencil drawings, along with the written word, Leslie invites readers to share in the pleasure of her nature watching, and to experience the joy of seeing and connecting with nature wherever they live, amidst the whirl of daily life.
For journal keepers, nature lovers, birdwatchers, artists, and anyone interested in using nature as a source for self-reflection or meditation, this book will be a welcome companion and source of inspiration.
Review
"Drawn to Nature from Storey Publishing ($14) features a selection of author Clare Walker Leslie's journal pages that encourages its readers to slow down and look around. The beauty of nature, she says, is in the small details of watching birds before a storm or a squirrel before winter. And it can happen just outside your door in the backyard." - The Tennessean (Nashville, TN)
"It can be inspiring to look at...Drawn to Nature by Clare Walker Leslie. After a few months of keeping track of nature, you will be able to look back on your own journals and notice not only how the natural world changes around you, but also how you have changed over time. Now that's worth taking note." - Island Ad-Vantages (Stonington, ME)
Synopsis
Whether it s a bird hopping along the sidewalk, water droplets glistening on a tree, or the color of the sky outside your kitchen window, Clare Walker Leslie encourages us to notice and appreciate the splendors of nature. Drawn to Nature comprises excerpts from 25 years of Leslie s journals devoted to observing and recording the natural world in words, field sketches, and impressionistic watercolors. Delightfully amusing and deeply passionate by turns, this compilation will inspire you to connect with nature, wherever you live."
About the Author
Clare Walker Leslie, author of The Curious Nature Guide, is a nationally known wildlife artist, author, and educator. She has been connecting people of all ages to nature using drawing, writing, and observation of the outdoors for more than 30 years. Her other books include the bestsellers Keeping a Nature Journal and The Nature Connection, as well as Nature Journal and Drawn to Nature. She lives with her husband and family in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Granville, Vermont.