Bathing in the Forest

     "We can never have enough of nature." -Henry David Thoreau

     I have read several articles recently about the value of being in nature. I didn't need to read these articles to know what I have learned from my own experience- being outside makes you feel better. When I spend time walking or biking in the woods or weeding or watering my garden, I feel my stress decrease, my thoughts calm and clarify, and my overall feeling of well-being increase.
     A good example is the time I have spent on my bike on the greenway recently. I have only been biking for two weeks now and I feel so much better. It is not just the exercise that is strengthening me, it is also being immersed in the woods, seeing the wildlife, hearing the birds. My body is beginning to crave and anticipate this time, making it all the more easy to get out there and continue the activity. As I ride, the rhythmic pedaling of my feet puts me into a peaceful state of mind. The soft sounds of nature around me cause my mind to slow its spiraling, stressful thoughts, opening up a new path of thinking. I just read an article earlier today in Health magazine about finding the bliss in your life that described this exact state. The author called it "flow," defining it as being so involved in an activity that you lose track of time. I felt that way as I rode this morning; I was almost surprised when I came back to the place where we had parked the car. I could have kept on going from that point. I actually have come quite a way in just two weeks of riding. My first ride two weeks ago was challenging, with a lot of huffing and puffing to get to the end. I am getting now to the point where I can ride with less effort and spend more time with my thoughts- good for getting more ideas for my blog!
    Another article I read described being in nature as "forest bathing." (See links below.) I really appreciate that imagery. It makes me think of being immersed in the forest just as you would be immersed in water in the bathtub. You come out of both activities feeling clean, refreshed, and relaxed. I believe I'll take another dip in the forest tomorrow.

 Get Outside!

Related quote by Henry David Thoreau

Rediscovering a Childhood Joy


"I feel that I am entitled to my share of lightheartedness and there is nothing wrong with enjoying one's self simply, like a boy." ~ Leo Tolstoy (In response to criticism for learning to ride a bicycle at age 67.)

     My husband has gotten into bicycling recently and with his encouragement, we ordered a hybrid bicycle for me so that I could join him on his rides. I came home from work this past Tuesday to find him ensconced in the garage, putting my new bike together for me so that I could try it out. I was pretty rusty at first but got the hang of it quickly and took some short rides through the neighborhood over the next few days.
     One of my best childhood memories is riding my bike. I had several different ones and did a lot of riding when I was younger. My brother, sister, and I used to ride together in the summer down to the convenience store to buy bubblegum or candy with money we earned from chores. It was a long ride and we kept an eye on each other, reminding each other to get over when we heard cars approaching. My brother was in charge since he was the oldest. It was always exciting to reach our destination and then carry our treasure back home. Those rides were always an adventure.
     As I got older (but not old enough to drive), my bicycle came in handy for a variety of tasks. I used to babysit for a neighbor that lived several miles away. My mom would drop me off at this job on her way to work in the morning, hauling my bike along in her trunk. I would babysit until around noon each day and then ride my bike home. There were some glorious hills on that route. I still remember the feel of the wind of my passing as I tore down them, thrilling to the speed and the blur of the passing scenery- farmland, woods, wild meadows.
     This morning, these memories came to my mind as I rode with my husband on the newly opened Sam's Branch Greenway (see link below) for the first time. He had already ridden on it several times before this trip and was familiar with the course. It begins close to our home- the drive there takes about ten minutes. We have been wishing for quite some time for something like this to be built near where we live and now that wish has come true. The greenway is not yet complete. We have been watching the progress of the construction of a piece that is even closer to our house than this piece. It will all be connected when it is done. I am so excited to see this kind of project happening. When I first noticed the work beginning, I assumed it would be just another subdivision, something we have too many of in our area as far as I'm concerned.
     I was thrilled this morning to see what a beautiful job had been done to create a place where nature is on all sides and wildlife abounds. A wide variety of birds flitted about in the trees on either side as I rode, some even swooping across the path around me. Squirrels, rabbits, and even deer made appearances in the underbrush and woods. There were lovely views of the Neuse River, especially from a bridge that you ride right over the river. I felt increasingly peaceful as I rode, my mind drifting to a variety of topics and memories. By the time I returned to our car, my legs were tired, my backside was sore, but I felt happy, carrying the treasure of my memories of the ride back to my home. I'm ready to go again!

http://getgoingnc.com/2011/06/5-miles-of-greenway-emerges-in-johnston-county/http://getgoingnc.com/2012/03/3-6-mile-stretch-of-johnston-county-greenway-opens/

It's The Little Things

"A man's interest in a single bluebird is worth more than a complete but dry list of the fauna and flora of a town."
-Henry David Thoreau

     My family and I have been doing a lot of camping and just hanging around outside lately. Again and again, the beauty of the little details around us that not everyone notices has caught my attention. Too often, I think people, myself included, get so busy and entangled in the regular and at times monotonous events in the web of life that we forget to look around at the little miracles that surround us.
     Many times, all I have to do is pay attention to what my kids are paying attention to in order to get a nudge toward what is too important to miss. There is infinite wonder in an anthill, a garden full of sipping bees and butterflies, a wriggling millipede, the shed skin of a cicada still clinging to a tree, or flowers nodding in a breeze on a drowsy summer afternoon. If we take the time to pause and enjoy these moments with our senses fully engaged, we find refreshment and inspiration. My own little sage, pictured above, made me smile just the other day as we were walking, when he stopped in the middle of his stride, turned to the side, and picked a dandelion puff. With great delight, he blew and set the seeds dancing on their way in the sunlight. That is someone with his priorities straight, as far as I am concerned.

Toads Make Me Happy

     For as long as I can remember, I have loved toads. Not what most people would consider a beautiful creature but to me quite enchanting. I wish I had a copy of an early photo of me to post here as a very fitting illustration of this lifelong affection. In the photo, I am about three or four years old, standing in a little wading pool and wearing a light blue bathing suit and a big grin. In both hands I am clutching a huge toad so that it is facing me with its long legs dangling down. One of my cherished memories of childhood is the many times I collected toads and deposited them gently in my doll's baby carriage and gave them a stroll around our yard. Now, only one toad would not do; I was not satisfied until I had located three of them. At that point, I would call them "The Kingston Trio" and spend quality time with them before giving them a kiss good-bye and releasing them back into the wild around our house. None of them ever turned into a handsome prince, by the way. Word of my obsession spread around the family and I can remember receiving little toad and frog related gifts during that time. I still have a few of those items even now.

     I have been thinking about toads quite frequently lately as we seem to have a healthy population in our yard this summer. For the past two years, I have been encouraging the growth of a flower garden at the front of my house. It is coming along well and attracting many bees, butterflies, and, yes, toads. My daughter and my son are learning the fine art of holding toads carefully but firmly enough to prevent their immediate escape. Of course, there is the occasional peeing incident but they've learned to roll with it and wash their hands afterward. It has given me a lot of happiness to see their enjoyment of toads and excitement about getting to observe them up close. Hopefully, it will be something they will pass on to their own children someday.

     So, that is the story of my lifelong love affair with toads. I think an appropriate quote to honor that affection is one by John Constable. "I never saw an ugly thing in my life: for let the form of an object be what it may- light, shade, and perspective will always make it beautiful." From my perspective, these creatures are one of the most beautiful on earth and I am so glad they are here to share it with us.

Beginnings...

     I've decided to begin this blog with two quotes from Henry David Thoreau, one of the inspirations for my proposed ponderings here.

"To be admitted to Nature's hearth costs nothing. None is excluded, but excludes himself. You have only to push aside the curtain."

"You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment."

These two quotes hit me hard today as I was thinking about the past few years. I have always loved being out in nature, indeed, I would rather be there than anywhere else I can imagine. I have always loved writing and was a pretty prolific writer in my earlier life but the obligations of college, working, and family have kept me from it for many years now. Recently, several friends have started blogs and inspired me to try it as well. In the least, it may provide me with a much needed creative outlet in brief bursts of blogging.

     So now, I launch myself on this present wave and push aside the curtain to seek Nature's hearth and find solace and peace there in God's creation. Stay tuned for my next post in which I plan to tell a tale of the beauty of toads and their influence in my life.