Date: Wednesday, December 17th
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Location: Montana Natural History Center
Cost: $30 for MNHC members, $35 for non-members

Are you looking for a reflective, inspiring, fun new project for 2026? Start a daily phenology wheel! Phenology is the study of seasonal change in the natural world – when flowers bloom and go to seed, when birds migrate, when trees leaf out, when butterflies emerge, when the snow falls, and so much more. Taking a few minutes each day to observe and record these changes can add up to something truly beautiful over time, and we’d love to help you get started. And there’s no better time than just before the beginning of a new year!

During this program you’ll create the template for your daily phenology wheel for January 2026, and ponder the possibilities for how you’ll fill it in come the new year. You can experiment with colored pencils, watercolors, and other media, practice different forms of lettering, and look at various examples of other naturalists’ phenology wheels for inspiration.

We’ll provide drawing paper, colored pencils, watercolor pencils, drawing pencils, micron pens, templates, and rulers for you to use during the program, but please feel free to take along your own favorite art materials. (A compass and protractor, if you have them, can also come in handy!) You may also want to purchase a sketchpad for this project (we recommend a larger size, 8.5″x11″ or 9″x12″), but you can easily paste or tape your template into your own sketchbook later.

Ticket includes two beverages! We’ll have alcoholic and non-alcoholic options available.

About the instructor: Allison De Jong is the editor of Montana Naturalist magazine and Field Notes at the Montana Natural History Center. She has no formal art training but has picked up a thing or two about nature journaling in her years at MNHC, and is proof that anyone can learn to keep a nature journal or phenology wheel! She began her first phenology wheel in January 2021, and has been phenologizing daily ever since. She’s looking forward to starting year #6—and to inspiring a few more people to join her.

FAQs:

What’s the refund policy?

The course fee (minus a 25% administrative fee) is refundable if a cancellation is made up to 7 days before the event. No refunds will be issued for cancellations made after this deadline. See our full refund/cancellation policy here.

Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?

Nope! We will have a list of all the attendees.

Contact the host of Sip & Sketch: Create a Phenology Wheel

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