Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Simple Suggestion #50/100... Observe and appreciate nature

I'm blessed, because around here, there's plenty of nature to appreciate... like

... the saucy robin who sat on my Saskatoon berry bush with a big purple berry in his beak, taunting me!

... the little jack rabbit/"cut bunny" who has been eating a fair bit of garden vegetation over the past few months (and I thought it was the birds and or cut worms who were eating my beets!). Of course, it's hard to get mad at him when he looks so cute stretched out for a snooze among my flowers.



... the sparrows who seem to have "food fights" at our birdfeeder.

... the "did-I-really-see-that" hummingbird who visits our scarlet runner beans.

... the dragonflies that hunt our overabundance of mosquitoes this year. Be fruitful and multiply, mes amies!

... the clover and dandelion filled park across the street.

... the bees that never leave my roses!

There have been many studies done about the effects of nature on our sense of well-being. Even sitting at a window and looking at a tree has a calming effect on people who are stressed. Stats Canada tells us that 80% of Canadians live in cities, and I'm guessing that quite a few of us urbanites are suffering from nature deficit disorder. Human beings evolved in nature over millions of years, and it's only in the last two or three hundred years that too many of us have lost touch with the natural life that balances our neurological systems. We need more greenspace in our lives, and less air, noise, and visual pollution that push our brain's panic buttons.

So if you're able, get out and take a walk to see a bit of the natural world. If you're stuck someplace where you can't get a nature fix, here are a few pretty pictures to help you breathe a little easier, if only for a few minutes.
















P.S. Looking for more Simple Suggestions? Try here.

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