Connecting to nature through poetry and prose
Today's Haiku: Budding red mapleFramed by the silent gray skyWelcome the spring snow Haikus are quickly becoming an integral part of my sit spot practice. I have found this process of putting my experience into the short, concise form of a Haiku beneficial to expanding my awareness to what is happening around me. I usually... Continue Reading →
Over the past few months, I have made friends with a couple of red squirrels. Well, that might be a little bit of an exaggeration. It is closer to the truth to say that we have learned to coexist on this little plot of land. The red squirrel is one of the smaller tree squirrels.... Continue Reading →
This week’s sit spot haiku: As the sun risesThe neighborhood comes aliveRejoice in bird song! What is the sit spot? A sit spot is a foundational practice for many people who are looking to develop a deeper connection to the natural world. The sit spot is a place where you can go and be with... Continue Reading →
I think the common grackle is anything but common. It is a medium sized black bird with yellow eyes. These birds are slightly larger than your common blackbird, at about 12 inches long, with a tapered bill and a glossy metallic look to their feathers. Photo: cwatts/Flickr (CC BY 2.0) Grackles are omnivorous birds and often... Continue Reading →
The Black-Capped Chickadee is a small songbird common to the Northern United States and Southern Canada. Its characteristic black cap and throat with white cheek makes it fairly easy to recognize. The Chickadee, who feeds on seeds, insects and spiders, can often be seen sharing its space with other small birds such as the Nuthatches... Continue Reading →
I first became aware of Richard Louv's work when I read Last Child in The Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, (2008). In this book, Louv explores the emerging research on the beneficial impacts of nature on the well-being of children. Louv suggests that a lack of nature connection in the lives of children... Continue Reading →
Resources: Forest Bathing by Dr. Qing LiWalk in the woods for wellness: Health benefits of forestsForest Therapy Association of the AmericasPhytoncides: The Science Behind Forest Bathing BenefitsJapanese “forest medicine” is the science of using nature to heal yourself—wherever you are
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