What a great find that I can’t believe I didn’t find before! My local chapter of the Sierra Club has a newsletter, and one month, there was a book review for this book, Exploring the Other Island: A Seasonal Guide to Nature on Long Island by John Turner. I was sold on trying it as soon as I saw the title!
A seasonal nature guide, tailored to my immediate location? How much better could it get?? Sometimes taking on a Charlotte Mason-style approach to nature is completely overwhelming for a newbie like me, but having a book like this can make it so easy.
Taking the advice in the book is a different question. So many good intentions, so few followed-through this summer. Buuuuuuuut. I did more than I have ever done before. I noticed more because I knew more to look for. And we did try a couple of things. It also built some of that foundational knowledge that it’s going to take me years to actually build into a large nature knowledge. Little by little wins the race.
Each chapter focused on a different animal or plant or phenomenon that was relevant to a particular season. This topical-within-the-season approach was very approachable and more interesting than a more scattershot “these are tidbits about everything you might find in this season” approach would be. I came away from each chapter feeling like I’d had a Charlotte Mason-style object lesson. Further, it gave me an overview of the geography of Long Island, the different ecosystems available, and some of the strengths of various parks and nature preserves. Most people wouldn’t guess it, but Long Island is chock full of nature. I find it overwhelming. Over 60 state parks, from what I remember, so where should I even start?! A book like this helps narrow the list.
This is a book I plan to revisit multiple times. In fact, I think I’ll place it on hold at the library right now so I can make some goals for this winter, especially since I already feel overwhelmed by winter and “what can we do??” Knowing me, I’m eventually going to buy this book.
Is there a book like this tailored to your immediate region within your state? If so, does your library carry it? If not, you can ask them to! My library keeps an anonymous suggestion box right beside the reference desk. Make good use of the suggestion box! I suspect few people do, so anyone who makes the effort is already far more likely to get what they ask for!
