John Muir: My Life with Nature, by Joseph Cornell

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John Muir: My Life with Nature
Explore More

In this section you can read more about John Muir, do some of his favorite nature activities, and reflect on how his life may be meaningful to you. Just as Muir, who loved to write, carried a journal with him on all of his travels, you may want to write or draw in a journal of your own as you think about the questions in this section.

[Note to parents and teachers: To encourage a more dynamic response to the Explore More activities, you may want to read, or refer to, other Muir stories first. For example, you could have your children review the Nature’s Goodness chapter, then read Be True to Yourself. Another effective combination is to read the Mount Shasta story first, then Joy in the Midst of Hardship. Let your imagination go wild, as Muir used to say, and you will find many more harmonious combinations. You can tell the story yourself, have the children read it individually, or have one child read it aloud to others.]
One Large Family

Muir saw everything as alive and with its own special beauty. His love for all living things was the secret of his ability to write beautifully about nature. Choose something from your area that interests you. It can be a plant or an animal or a natural feature. For example, you can pick a bird, flower, mountain, or even something like the wind! Imagine what its life might be like, and tell what you admire about it. Think also about the kinds of experiences it might have had, and what makes it so special. For an example, read the following thoughts that Muir had about a California tree:

The Sierra juniper is one of the hardiest of all mountaineers. Growing mostly on ridges and rocks, these brave highlanders live for over twenty centuries on sunshine and snow. Thick and sturdy, the wind has as much influence over them as it does over a glacier boulder. A truly wonderful fellow, he seems to last about as long as the granite he stands on. Surely he is the most enduring of all tree mountaineers—never seeming to die a natural death. If protected from accidents, it would perhaps be immortal. I wish I could live like these junipers, on sunshine and snow, and stand beside them for a thousand years. How much I should see, and how delightful it would be!

I am writing about:
Joy In The Midst Of Hardship

Muir never let cold or wet weather ruin his fun outdoors. When the weather became challenging, Muir said he didn’t notice any real discomfort because he was too busy gazing in wonder at the scenery. The following journal entry of Muir’s beautifully describes this:

I was as wet as if I had been swimming after crossing raging torrents and fighting my way through the Alaskan jungle. But everything was deliciously fresh, and I found new and old plant friends, and glacier lessons that made everything bright and light. I saw Calypso borealis, one of my little plant darlings, worth any amount of hardship. And the mosses were indescribably beautiful, so fresh, so bright, and so cheery green. In the evening I managed to make a small fire out of wet twigs, got a cup of tea, stripped off my dripping clothing, wrapped myself in a blanket and lay thinking on the gains of the day. I was glad, rich, and almost comfortable.

Describe a time when you made a challenging situation fun by keeping a positive attitude. What happened?
HOW TO ORDER:
All Sharing Nature Products are now available through secure online ordering.
You can also order by calling our toll free number: 866-693-4263

In the United Kingdom you can order our books from Deep Books, ltd.
Contact: David Birkett, david@deep-books.co.uk

Joseph Cornell's books are currently available in the following foreign languages: Chinese, Danish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Slovene, Spanish, and Thai.

Excerpts From John Muir: My Life with Nature

Table of Contents

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter IX

Explore More

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			Home Flow Learning ™ Nature Activities Programs Calendar of Events Sharing Nature Worldwide Country Coordinators Joseph Cornell Books and Resources Connections and More Information
	John Muir: My Life with Nature Explore More
	In this section you can read more about John Muir, do some of his favorite nature activities, and reflect on how his life may be meaningful to you. Just as Muir, who loved to write, carried a journal with him on all of his travels, you may want to write or draw in a journal of your own as you think about the questions in this section. [Note to parents and teachers: To encourage a more dynamic response to the Explore More activities, you may want to read, or refer to, other Muir stories first. For example, you could have your children review the Nature’s Goodness chapter, then read Be True to Yourself. Another effective combination is to read the Mount Shasta story first, then Joy in the Midst of Hardship. Let your imagination go wild, as Muir used to say, and you will find many more harmonious combinations. You can tell the story yourself, have the children read it individually, or have one child read it aloud to others.] One Large Family Muir saw everything as alive and with its own special beauty. His love for all living things was the secret of his ability to write beautifully about nature. Choose something from your area that interests you. It can be a plant or an animal or a natural feature. For example, you can pick a bird, flower, mountain, or even something like the wind! Imagine what its life might be like, and tell what you admire about it. Think also about the kinds of experiences it might have had, and what makes it so special. For an example, read the following thoughts that Muir had about a California tree: The Sierra juniper is one of the hardiest of all mountaineers. Growing mostly on ridges and rocks, these brave highlanders live for over twenty centuries on sunshine and snow. Thick and sturdy, the wind has as much influence over them as it does over a glacier boulder. A truly wonderful fellow, he seems to last about as long as the granite he stands on. Surely he is the most enduring of all tree mountaineers—never seeming to die a natural death. If protected from accidents, it would perhaps be immortal. I wish I could live like these junipers, on sunshine and snow, and stand beside them for a thousand years. How much I should see, and how delightful it would be! I am writing about: Joy In The Midst Of Hardship Muir never let cold or wet weather ruin his fun outdoors. When the weather became challenging, Muir said he didn’t notice any real discomfort because he was too busy gazing in wonder at the scenery. The following journal entry of Muir’s beautifully describes this: I was as wet as if I had been swimming after crossing raging torrents and fighting my way through the Alaskan jungle. But everything was deliciously fresh, and I found new and old plant friends, and glacier lessons that made everything bright and light. I saw Calypso borealis, one of my little plant darlings, worth any amount of hardship. And the mosses were indescribably beautiful, so fresh, so bright, and so cheery green. In the evening I managed to make a small fire out of wet twigs, got a cup of tea, stripped off my dripping clothing, wrapped myself in a blanket and lay thinking on the gains of the day. I was glad, rich, and almost comfortable. Describe a time when you made a challenging situation fun by keeping a positive attitude. What happened? HOW TO ORDER: All Sharing Nature Products are now available through secure online ordering. You can also order by calling our toll free number: 866-693-4263 In the United Kingdom you can order our books from Deep Books, ltd. Contact: David Birkett, david@deep-books.co.uk Joseph Cornell's books are currently available in the following foreign languages: Chinese, Danish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Slovene, Spanish, and Thai.

	Excerpts From John Muir: My Life with Nature Table of Contents Chapter IV Chapter V Chapter IX Explore More

	\| Flow Learning™ \| Nature Activities \| Programs \| Calendar of Events \| \| Sharing Nature Worldwide \| Country Coordinators \| Joseph Cornell \| \| Books and Resources \| Connections and More Information \| Mailing List Sharing Nature Foundation 14618 Tyler Foote Rd. Nevada City, CA 95959 530-478-7650 e-mail: info@sharingnature.com