Visual Journaling - worth the effort

My experience with visual journaling was born out of my combined interests of natural things and homeschooling. When my children were small and I was trying to find a way to teach them so that what we learned in science was both interesting and memorable, I read about nature journaling in a book by Charlotte Mason (I think it was her). I was intrigued and I went out and bought sketch journals for my children and myself, and we began taking hikes together in the state park that was just 5 minutes from our home. We would collect specimens or (I would) take photographs, we would carry field guides, and sometimes we would sit down and draw right there on the trail. We would take the specimens back home with us, look them up in encyclopedias or other books, then not only draw them, but also write about our hike, what the day was like, and about the specimen. It worked more or less depending on mood and attitude, but overall it was very successful.
What it did for me personally was to get me drawing again after a long hiatus (not much drawing happened with four babies being born in 7 years), and further sparked my interest in photography. Not only that, but also cultivated my interest in teaching. I eventually taught nature journaling as a cross-curriculum class at our homeschool co-op. I had a great time with the students.
As I further investigated visual journaling I came across several books on the subject. My hands-down favorite, though, is a book by Hannah Hinchman called A Trail Through Leaves , the subtitle is The Journal as a Path to Place. I found it on a bargain table at Waldenbook or some bookstore one time, and didn't realize what a treasure I had found until I started reading it. I devoured it in no time and went on to read others she has written. I found them at Amazon after doing a search on her name. Check these out if you're intrigued by now. While I don't completely agree with Ms. Hinchman philosophically, I do respect her discipline of consistent journaling, and relish the instruction and ideas she so generously gives.