Middlewood Journal

by Helen Correll

Setting out from her house, fondly named Middlewood, in the Piedmont of South Carolina, Helen Correll takes long, wandering walks along Meetinghouse Creek with her dogs to observe and draw the nature of her landscape. From her studio nestled in the forest behind the house, Correll paints and writes of the day’s journey, its temper and conversation. With a foreword by naturalist Janisse Ray, Middlewood Drawing Inspiration from Nature gathers Correll’s illustrations and writings from her hikes and blog by the same name to create a treasury of discoveries, from giant red mushrooms peeking beneath a cover of leaves to hawks on a branch so close you can hear their preening. Season to season, you will discover the miniature beauties of the South, the life that you only find by slowing down, allowing the landscape to turkey tracks in creek water, persimmon trees that fool the eye, tidy little snow holes hiding the casualties of winter. Correll draws the language and color of life in the South to give breath to a poetry of blue darner dragonfly, horse nettle, red-bellied woodpecker, tufted titmouse, heal all, starlings, white wood aster, rue anemone, wild blue phlox. Witness the change of seasons through the blooms, bird songs, and balance of sunlight in Correll’s delicate prose and drawings in Middlewood Journal.

144 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2012

Reviews

[Susan Tweit · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know the sort of book you can pick up, open any page, and be enchanted? Middlewood Journal is that kind of book, because Helen Correll is that kind of observer. The book is a year’s record–in journal entries and gorgeous sketches–of Correll’s daily walks from her house, the Middlewood of the title, through the surrounding countryside of South Carolina’s Piedmont. Correll’s surroundings aren’t grand or particularly wild. But through her eyes and talented hands, they are compelling.

Full disclosure: I wrote a blurb for this book. It begins, “Warning: Middlewood Journal is addictive.” I stand by that claim. It is, in the best possible way: that of inciting wonder.

[Dottie Suggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

lovely book with beautiful drawings that are simple and elegant. Helen came to my grandson's school and working with the children. He and I are always journaling as we travel and he was very excited to learn from her. He really enjoyed her use of watercolors.

Enjoyable for all nature lovers.