informing speculations

Family nature hikes are kinda our thing. Every Saturday, in nearly all weather, you'll find us trekking the woods or shore enjoying and observing the beauty of Creation.

One of Bristel's photo captures. She takes my breath away with her eye and heart!

We had developed a bit of a working theory regarding chipmunks. Having never observed them in all the years we've been exploring, we decided that the coastal ecosystem must not support the critters. We've bemoaned it ,even, when observing them elsewhere. They're just so cute and fun.

It was a joyful and surprising discovery to see three of the little cuties during our Saturday hike this week! A great reminder that theories are just theories and we must allow our observations to inform our speculations. 

"It may seem obvious that if you encounter strong evidence that you are wrong you will change your mind, yet this is hard to do. It is psychologically easier to double down and stick with an entrenched idea than to make yourself vulnerable and reverse your position. In the arena of politics, those who change their minds are often characterized as "flip-flopping wafflers." Yet changing your mind in the presence of evidence is an act of courage, intellectual strength, plasticity, rigor, and honesty. It is necessary if you seek to better understand the world." - John Muir Laws, The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling

This would explain why I give deep credence to anecdotal evidence (or parental observation!) when choosing treatments for Trevor. Hence the package of Fiji water (aka magic water) in my kitchen and why I give him a nightly toxin eliminating massage while Mozart is playing in the background.

I used a YouTube tutorial to sketch a chipmunk into my nature journal today in honor of our discovery. Another thing I believe deeply is that joy of learning is caught not taught. And so, I keep a journal right alongside the kids. It's grown into one my favorite hobbies.

Toby is stingy with the compliments so it swelled my heart a bit when he said, "Mom, that's so cute! I've really enjoyed watching your artistic talent grow over the years."