Alright, let me walk you through what I did with this whole ‘henry henshaw’ thing I was working on. It wasn’t some big project, more like a personal exercise I set for myself the other weekend.
Things had been kinda hectic, you know? Screens all day, emails, notifications… just felt a bit detached. I remembered reading something about Henry Henshaw, one of those old-timer naturalists who really looked at the world around him. Thought I’d try something similar, just slow down and observe. Nothing fancy.
Getting Started
So, first thing Saturday morning, I decided I wasn’t touching the computer. Instead, I grabbed a few things:
- An old notebook I had lying around.
- A pencil, the kind you sharpen.
- My trusty pair of binoculars, dusty but functional.
- A flask of coffee, obviously. Essential gear.
Didn’t really have a specific plan. Just wanted to mimic that old-school field observation vibe. I figured my backyard was as good a place as any to start. Less pressure, you know?
The Actual Doing Part
I went out back, found a comfortable spot under the old oak tree, and just sat. Seriously, just sat there. Felt weird at first. My brain kept wanting to check my phone, think about chores, whatever. Had to consciously push that stuff away.
After a few minutes, I started actually noticing things. The way the light hit the leaves. Different bird calls – not just noise, but distinct sounds. I pulled out the binoculars. Watched a couple of sparrows squabbling over crumbs near the fence. Tried to note down their behavior in the notebook. My notes were messy, just quick scribbles:
“Two sparrows. Aggressive chirps. One chased the other off. Fluffed feathers.”
Then I focused on a robin digging for worms. Watched it for a good ten minutes. Head cocked, listening. Quick jabs into the soil. Pulled one out! It was surprisingly engaging.
I tried sketching a beetle I saw crawling on a leaf. My sketch was terrible, looked more like a blob. But the act of trying to draw it made me look really closely at its legs, its shell pattern. Stuff I’d normally never even see.
I spent maybe an hour out there. Didn’t discover any new species or anything dramatic. Just sat, watched, listened, and scribbled in my notebook.
Wrapping Up
When I came back inside, I felt… calmer. Like my brain had been reset a little. Looking back at my messy notes, it wasn’t about producing some great scientific record. It was about the practice itself. The act of focused observation. It reminded me of the patience guys like Henshaw must have had, spending hours, days, just watching and recording.
It’s simple stuff, really. No complex setup needed. Just carving out a bit of time to pay attention to what’s right in front of you. Definitely something I plan to do more often when things get too noisy in my head. That was my ‘henry henshaw’ practice session. Just a quiet hour in the backyard, trying to see things a bit more clearly.
