Get outside to enjoy spring's slow, amazing approach

 


By BECKY THOMAS

Staff Reporter

Things on the world stage aren't looking exactly rosy lately. Heck, things aren't looking great on stages smaller than that. It's easy to get caught up in the budget crises, natural disasters and political unrest that seem to be circling all around us.

Ultimately though, sometimes it's necessary to disconnect from all that and take notice of the world around us. Despite its slow start, man, am I excited about spring. I think now is a good time for everyone to take a moment and get outside to witness the natural world waking up from a long winter. The 24-hour news cycle can wait.

Please don't get me wrong. It's important to stay informed about the worlds around us, both big and small. The world is becoming smaller with each advancing technology and each new baby born, and it is imperative for us to understand what's happening in Europe and Japan and Libya, though it might not affect our lives as much as the state budget crisis or the city council coverage in your humble local paper.

But as I get older, time seems to fly by faster with each passing year and it seems that many of us don't spend enough time outdoors, enjoying all nature has to offer. Spending time outside has been shown to be a natural mood lifter. Studies show that just five minutes spent out in the fresh air offers significant mental and physical health improvements, yet so many times we choose the treadmill over the trail, the grocery store over the garden or the television over just about anything else.

Take it from me, after a long day's work sometimes it's easier to plop down in front of the TV. But nearly every time I resist that temptation and head outside instead, I'm rewarded. Just this past Monday, after we were pelted with a late spring snow shower—along with those tiny snowballs that remind me of Styrofoam, we don't have those in Wisconsin—I got home from work after 6 p.m. and really wanted to reacquaint myself with the couch. But of course, the sun had to peek its delightful rays from around the clouds and I hauled myself outside.

I ended up on a wonderful jog along the Spokane River, where the tiny leaves on all the shrubs were shimmering with the melted remains of those weird snowball things and the purple bell-shaped wildflowers seemed to have weathered the storm quite well. I even scared up a few of my absolute favorite birds: California quails. Honestly, if there was a television show that was just California quails strutting around with their little forehead feathers bobbing, I would watch it. But the real thing is so much better.

So as the weather starts to warm up—and it is! Just be patient—make an effort to get out and enjoy the outdoors.

There are countless ways to enjoy nature. Give your bike a spring tune-up and head out on the trail. Plan the layout of your vegetable garden and plant the leafy greens.

Rake your yard and set up your lawn chair to appreciate how good it looks. Go for a walk after dinner and try to identify the constellations.

Think you're too busy? Take a minute to soak up the sun outside your front door as you head off for work in the morning. Or take five minutes, and see how much better your day is for it. Happy spring everyone!

 

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