Creating a Woodland Jar...

"I go to Nature to be soothed and healed and to have my senses put in order" ~John Burroughs...

There are so many beautiful quotes about Nature... I never tire of hearing them over and over again... they hold so much truth... Nature is a part of my everyday life... body, mind and soul... Jack and I start each day out with our three mile Nature walk... we walk for a number of reasons... obviously for the beneficial exercise, (body) but just as important to us we walk to sort our thoughts (mind), and take in the glorious beauty of Nature that God has provided us (soul)... "Look deep into Nature, and then you will understand everything better" ~Albert Einstein...

Our home is full of the colors and beauty of Nature... my favorite spot is in our living room, where everything in there is inspired by Nature and the woods... today, I created a beautiful woodland jar... they are so easy to make and bring so much pleasure and a feeling of serenity just looking at all of the woodland finds... here's how to make one of your very own... I always gather natural "findings" along the way on our Nature walk, like the treasures in the photo above... you probably have many "findings" awaiting you, perhaps even in your own backyard... we are fortunate enough to live in a little rural town where the countryside has many such treasures, mine for the taking... all along little lanes and paths I pick up pinecones, bark, seedpods, feathers, snail shells, anything that catches my eye... sometimes I will gather moss or berries... Here's what you need to start out...

Almost any glass jar with a lid will work just fine... I bought a fairly large jar at Michaels (make sure your jar has a lid to create the moisture needed inside)... pour an inch of pea gravel in the bottom of the jar... mix in about a handful of charcoal bits to keep the bottom from going too soggy (you can buy pea gravel and charcoal bits at most garden centers)... Pour about 3 inches of moist potting soil on top. Firm soil down with your hand. Make a little hole in the soil and place your plant inside, tamping it down and covering all of the roots...

I chose a Strawberry Begonia to plant in mine, but there are a number of little plants that work great... other favorites of mine are baby tears, moss, maidenhair fern, English ivy, miniature African violet... the list goes on and on... be sure you pick plants that thrive in humidity...

After you have potted your little plant inside, the fun begins... adding your little Nature findings...

Today I added pinecones, moss, a most unusual piece of wood I found on our Nature walk, seedpods, and some teeny snail shells, (empty of course)... then I watered the little plant just a bit and used a little spritzer to mist my entire miniature woodland creation... here's a view looking in from the top... ( open the lid about every two weeks to ventilate it occasionally... if no condensation appears on the glass, it is time to give it a small drink)...

I cannot imagine a day in my life without Nature in it... I collect all kinds of beautiful books on Nature and the woods... I refer to my books often as they are a valuable source of information, and they bring me a kind of serenity I cannot explain, but to those of you who love Nature and the woods, you understand... "Nothing is more beautiful than the loveliness of the woods before sunrise" ~George Washington Carver ...

Here is my little woodland jar... I am so happy with how it turned out... tomorrow I shall add a bit of lichen from my garden, then it will be complete... I hope you try one too... I would love to see a picture of yours!... and I hope you take the time to savor the beauty of Nature and the woods as I do... "There is pleasure in the pathless woods" ~Lord Byron.. xoxo