Five Senses, One Twist: A Nature Walk Inspired by Pierre Qui Roule
- Frédérique and the Wooden Fellows
Have you ever truly explored nature—not just seen it, but heard it, touched it, smelled it, and even tasted it?
Last week, we invited our followers to choose a topic from four options, each inspired by our wooden Fellows (want to have a chance to contribute to our blog? Join our newsletter!). Pierre-Qui-Roule, the Fellow who helps us stay connected to nature, won with the topic: “Three items to look for outside (and one not to!)”(well, it was a tie with Petite Clothilde, stay tuned for her post next month!).
So what is Pierre-Qui-Roule up to? He is inviting us on a little outdoor exploration—one that uses all five senses. Your mission (if you accept it) is to go outside and find three things you can: 1) see, 2) touch, 3) hear, 4) taste, and 5) smell. But here is a twist: there’s also one thing not to look for. Something better left unseen, untouched, unheard… even avoided.
Pierre-Qui-Roule took us on a walk to cope with busy time few month ago. A sense walk is another playful exploration to do with young children or on your own, as a way to reconnect with your curious, younger self. As always with our suggestions, there is no right or wrong way to do it. You can do one sense at a time, and spread the exploration through several days, you can do all senses at once, with a check list (young children love clipboards!) or just slow down, notice, and wonder.
Here is what Pierre-Qui-Roule found. What will you look for—and what will you choose to leave behind?
3 Things to See Outside (and One to Avoid)
There is so much to see outside, that Pierre-Qui-Roule focuses on seeing 3 things outside, at 3 times of the day. What might appear differently?
He saw the warmer light in the morning, making the color of the leaves pop, the clouds passing by midday, laying down on the ground and a sun-powered light that comes on only for a limited period of time, right after sunset.
One thing he stayed away from? Staring directly at the sun! It is bright and powerful but not something our eyes should linger on. Pierre-Qui-Roule prefers exploring shadows the sun creates, or the sunlight dancing through leaves. And he cannot wait for the next solar eclipse so he can wear special glasses to see the magnificence of the sun.
What would you focus your eyes on outside?
3 Things to Feel (and One to Keep Your Hands Off)
Pierre-Qui-Roule started by touching his favorite tree, exploring the uniqueness of the bark at the tip of his fingers. He then felt his feet against the cold and sharpness of small rocks on the path. Finally, he touched a pile of mulch, right after a rain shower.
One thing he decided to keep his hands off? Poison Ivy!
Poison ivy is a common native plant in North Carolina, that can cause painful rash. In the spring, you can find often spot some on forest edges, or road sides.
Not sure if it is poison ivy or not ? Remember the adage: “Leaves of three? Let it be!”
Touch connects us directly to the world—what does the world feel like today, where you are?
3 Sounds to Listen For (and One to Tune Out)
Something we often forget when we are outside, is to focus on what we hear, while there is so much to listen to. Just go outside, close your eyes, listening closely can turn a noisy world into a symphony of small details. How many different sounds can you count?
Pierre Qui Roule took his time, excited to use a recorder for the first time. He recorded birds, his feet crunching on gravel, and the sound of the rain. He also chose to tune out traffic noise that hums in our backyard.
What do you hear when you go outside? What would you like to tune out?
3 Scents to Sniff (and One to Avoid!)
Smells! There’s so much to take in—especially in spring. Pierre Qui Roule focused on smelling flowers, like the blooming roses at the Community Center in Chapel Hill, NC. The fragrance of the yellow rose caught his attention, a much stronger smell than the other two flowers he sniffed.
One scent to avoid? Well, we’ve talked before about the book The Story of the Little Mole Who Went in Search of Whodunit, so you can guess: young children might go hunting for it, but best to stay away from that particular smell : )
What smells remind you of being outside? And which ones send you walking the other way?
3 Things to Taste (and One to Just Look At)
I still have vivid childhood memories of looking for things to taste on walks. Pierre-Qui-Roule enjoyed the sweetness of honeysuckle and the mildly tart of mulberries. He also found some wild strawberries but wisely knows to stay away from red berries–some might be sweet treats; others, not so much!
Tasting may be the most personal of the senses. If you do not feel like tasting, Pierre-Qui-Roule would suggest to simply watch bees and butterflies tasting the world around them.
Now it’s your turn!
What will you discover using your five senses? What would a young child focus on? Please share your exploration with us—we’d love to know what you found, and what you chose to leave behind.
Did something surprise you? Did you find something new—or rediscover something familiar?
