Steve`s Country
For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Join Me For A Walk?
Hello to all of you on this rather cool autumn day. It is cloudy and windy which makes it feel a bit cooler than it really is as well. However, the sun is peeking out now and then, and this is autumn so we must expect this kind of weather up here in the north. However, there is some warmer weather coming for 3 days early next week. That would be very nice. I’m a little slow getting my post out again. Sorry about that. Technical difficulties is what I like to call it. Anyway, even though it’s a cool day, how would you like to join me for a little walk today?
It’s actually a good time for a walk down to the river. Most of the path is nicely sheltered from the wind, which is perfect on a day like this. Of course, it is necessary to dress warmly too. A sweater and warm jacket are definitely a good idea. We are not likely to see much bird life now. Mostly all I see these days are blue jays, chickadees, nuthatches and ring-billed gulls. Maybe a woodpecker or two. And eagles are always flying around once we get to the river itself. Quite a difference from even 2 weeks ago, there was still a lot of different species around at that time.
But there is still the fabulous scenery to enjoy and who knows what else might show up for us? Hopefully not a bear though. That is one animal I don’t want to ever see along this path. Not at all. Not me. No one can out run, out climb or out swim a bear. Just can’t be done. A black bear can run 30 mph (50 kph). And it can reach top speed in 2 or 3 strides. And they are amazingly strong animals. It’s best to stay as far away as possible.
Listen. Do you hear that? That odd noise is a flock of sandhill cranes flying south. Unfortunately they are above the clouds so we can’t see them. But they have such a distinctive call making them easy to identify. And that call travels a very long distance too. They will fly in flocks of 200 or more birds. Some days it’s possible to see a couple dozen flocks fly past in just 2 hours.
Did you hear that crackling sound? That’s a large animal for sure. Yes, there he is, just off through the trees over there. A nice young buck. Hmm, he’s pawing the ground, that’s not such a good thing. It means he is nervous. And nervous animals can be dangerous. I’ll talk to him. There. Now he has relaxed. See? He is even coming a little closer. Too bad there are so many branches in the way. Hard to focus and get a good picture of him. And with the cloud cover and thick trees, there just isn’t much light, making for poor picture taking. Oh well, better than nothing.
Here we are, finally at the river, and the sun is shining now a little. And look out over there. Two Canada geese swimming calmly past. I wonder why they are not with the rest of our local flock. Too bad the sun wasn’t shining when we saw the deer. Oh well. Guess we will continue with our walk another time. This is getting a little long. After all we need to tell of all the mushrooms we saw along the way. And other things too. I do hope you continue to enjoy your day and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
© 2019 Steve McLeod.
Outdoor Benefits. Part 4.
Hello once again everyone! Here we are with part 4 of our mini series on the benefits of spending time outdoors. If you missed the first 3, you can find them here, part 1, part 2, part 3. No matter where you live, getting outside on a regular, and preferably daily, basis is just plain good for your health, both mentally and physically. And no matter what your age, from kids to older folks, you really should be spending some time outdoors daily. It’s very important to teach kids this idea, because today way too many kids are spending their time indoors glued to a screen of some kind and that is just not healthy.
If you have children I would really encourage you to make sure they get some outdoor time each day. Take them for walks. If you have any nature trails in your area, take them on those once in a while. Teach them the joys of being in nature. We are fortunate here to have several nature trails. And they are different lengths and skill levels so there is something for everyone. The path I go walking on is one of those trails. Children with ADHD have been known to concentrate better on tasks after a walk in the park. That ‘green’ of the outdoor space is really what does it.
Did you know that being outdoors actually helps to set your sleeping cycle? There are certain cells in our eyes that need to get enough daylight to make sure our body’s internal clock works properly. And it’s the early morning sunlight that we need most. I’m not just saying that because I’m a morning person, studies have shown this to be true as well. So if you have problems with sleeping, try getting more of that early morning sunlight, it just might help.
Spending time outside can also help us to focus better and be more creative. Are you having some problems and you just don’t know what to do? Maybe as a blogger you are having a problem with what is called ‘writer’s block’? Well, spend some time outdoors. Being in nature helps our brains to clear a bit so that a lot of thoughts get out of the way and we can better concentrate on the problem at hand. Go for a walk in the park, or sit in that green space for a while. It really does help our minds settle down and allows us to refocus a bit. Obviously the more time we spend outside the better, but even a short time can help us to think more clearly and deal with those problems.
Well, in this mini series we have looked at some of the benefits of spending time outdoors and, of course, there is always this basic fact, it’s just fun. I hope you have enjoyed this series and that you are having a wonderful day! God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
© 2019 Steve McLeod.
Steve`s Country 