Mother's Day 2026: Let Nature Mother You

Mother’s Day always comes with a fanfare: Hallmark stores, flower shops, advertisements, brunch reservations.... It's a revered holiday with a lot of hoopla, as well it should be! (Says the mother in me! Birthing is hard work, and we moms deserve a lot of credit for the houses we run and the parenting we do on the daily.)

But this year especially, I'm walking into Mother's Day differently, having said goodbye to my mom 4 months ago. We are also in the middle of closing up my childhood home--a family home that predates ME. Estate sales, papers to be signed, packing, real estate agents.... It is a huge memory flood over here. I'm moving that home to my heart where it used to be a house of which I have a key. I’m still figuring out how to carry my mom with me in a world where I cannot call or text her. 

It reminds me that that Mother's Day can come with tenderness and quiet complications for some. "Motherhood" and "mothering" take many shapes. It shows up in the care others offer us and the things we do for others. Aunts, grandmothers, step-mothers, foster families, teachers, mentors, friends, pet mamas, good neighbors, self-kindness...we all mother (and are mothered) in our own special ways. Even if it's tricky or complicated or non-traditional.

In this time of loss for me, I've noticed that nature has been mothering me a lot lately. A beach trip a few weeks ago did wonders for my equilibrium. I've found myself marveling at the birds and critters that abound. A lot of my gratitude journal points lately have been the warmth of the sun and the flowering of the trees after a really long, hard winter. Mother Earth has reminded me of how therapeutic she really is, especially when we need it. It also reminded me that while grief doesn't really take a holiday, it doesn't cancel out joy. Both can peacefully coexist, simultaneously... which is pretty heavy sometimes for an overthinking gal.

May this spring and this Mother's Day, remind you of all the special memories you cherish--whether it be with your own mother, your mother-figures, your children, or Mother Earth. The good, the messy, and the imperfect. May this "May day" help you "care-forward" (for the planet, for your people, for you) in one of these many ways by letting nature mother you:

•  Take a slow walk somewhere that feels like “home ground.” It might be a backyard, a neighborhood sidewalk, or a local park. Soak in your senses as you walk, taking note of three or more things someone taught you to notice: birds, clouds, the feel of grass, the blossoming flowers, the smell of rain. the warmth of the sun.

• Plant something. A tree in your yard, herbs in a pot, or flowers in a community garden. Plant it in honor of someone who mothered you or simply as a thank‑you to the planet that keeps mothering us all.

• Find an old photo (digital or printed) of you and your mom or someone else who's meant a lot to you. Soak in the memories of that space and place. 

• Reach out to someone who has "mothered" you by making that phone call or writing them a note, text, or email. Share with them how much they have meant to you. Send it or pay tribute in a way that is meaningful to you.

• Hug the people or pets in your life you have mothered. Feel it deeply, and lock in the moment.

• If Mother’s Day comes with emotions you can't handle, you always have permission to step away from the noise. Spend an hour outside doing one quiet act of care for you: bird watching, tending your garden, picking up litter, creating art al fresca, or simply sitting under a tree and breathing.

This Mother’s Day, I'm going to try to let nature be the lead. I'm going to try pay attention and be in the moment, soaking up what I can, and honoring the myriad of emotions that pass through (even as they change at any given moment). I'm going to try to be the best mom I can be to my own kids--the furry one too. I'm thanking the universe for the gifts I've been given and the memories I hold. I'm going to let nature mother me... and may she do the same for you.

Happy Mother's Day.

Photo created at Canva.com with my photos.

Easter 2026 & The Renewal & Resilience of Nature In Springtime

Easter comes every year, for both the religious and the secular folks. For some it might be just a date on the calendar. For those in Christian traditions, it's the resurrection of Jesus after His crucifixion. For others, it's all Easter bunnies, hidden eggs, chocolate, & family feasts. For still others, it's the coming of spring with nature waking up. For many, it is the mix of all. 

From the nature side, Easter is often the world outside your window and the start of Spring: unexpected blooms popping from the ground, the arrival of bird songs at dawn, mud prints from little feet on your kitchen tiles, and sunbeams cascading through your windows earlier than they did the week before. Spring has this quiet way of insisting that life keeps going, even after the meanest of cold seasons... which this year felt true, for sure.

The cyclical nature of ✨nature✨ is a comfort in the way it circles and returns each year. We can count on it. The freshness of the rebirth of warmer weather and longer days can be a comfort--especially for anyone who struggles with seasonal affective disorder and the long, dark, gray days of winter. We are waking up again. Warming up again. 

I find definite comfort and a "coming to life again" during this rebirth season of Spring and Eastertime. There is an additional comfort to that, especially in a time where our national and global headlines can feel heavy. Whether it's political, social, humanitarian, economic, or climate/environmental news, we as a planet of people are living in a time where the many stories can feel overwhelming and exhausting

And yet, even as the TV ticker at the bottom of the news telecast scrolls by with one hard story after another, outside our windows there is a different headline is running. The circle of nature shows consistency, rebirth, and the resilience of nature. People are resilient too. This is evident in the slow, hopeful work that we all do to repair and restore what is broken, what needs healing, what needs attention. That is the message in the biblical story of resurrection and Easter, but it also is the message in every good news story of conservation and environmental stewardship. Regeneration and restoration are real.

For those who are religious, Lent is the 40 day observation prior to Easter to focus on prayer, fasting, reflection, giving something up, or doing something extra. Perhaps this Easter, regardless of whether you are religious or not, we all could celebrate in a similar way, honoring the cycles of life and countering the the weight of the news we hear. Perhaps this Easter we all do something to lift ourselves up, showcase the hope, and do something meaningful outside ourself. Doing it for our hearts, our homes, our community, our planet. A random act of kindness, if you will: 

• Mend one thing. 
• Plant one thing. 
• Protect one thing. 
• Reuse one thing rather than throw it away. 
• Write a letter to someone to show how they made a difference in your life. 
• Share positive messages on social media to purposely make someone's day.
• Take food to someone who could use a helping hand. 
• Volunteer your time helping to beautify a park, pick up sticks from the winter, serve food at a homeless center, read to others at a community center or school.
• Donate to a cause that helps others.

We can’t fix every headline or heal every hurt, but we can choose to be part of the quiet, local restoration that happens in ordinary places with ordinary people. One small deed, one planted seed, one well-written read sharing gratitude may serve as the small, simple act of repair that says, “I see the brokenness, and I’m still choosing hope.” 

Imagine a world if we all did that, and these small gifts lined up side by side, across neighborhoods and nations. They would collectively add up to something bigger than any one of us individually. The outcome would be the creation of a community that keeps showing up for each other and for the Earth, again and again, just like Spring.

Watching Wildlife

As the weather is growing nicer in a lot of parts, here's some great advice from the National Park Service for anyone who may be out and about, exploring nature and doing some wildlife watching. 

Never forget--you are out in their natural habitat--THEIR zone... so leave them alone!

Video from https://www.nps.gov/media/video/view.htm?id=896DD4B2-2884-4A25-9EDF-DF574214BC22, title art created at Canva.com

The Power of Parklets

Funny....sometimes when you run across something for the first time, the next thing you know is that you are seeing it everywhere. 

This is what happened to me regarding parklets.

A parklet is a little do-it-yorself mini park, which urban areas and city dwellers are creating more and more of to counter green up the space, cutting down on the concrete jungles of urban areas. They help soothe both our physical and mental health by providing these pockets of green.

I ran across parklets in the the OneTreePlanted article by Gabrielle Clawson entitled Good News! 30 Positive Environmental Stories From 2023, which I used for the creation of my March 6th blog post "Postivtive Environmental Stories for 2023." Parklets was listed as Clawson's #12 item. 

Parklets reminded me of downtown Annapolis during the pandemic. Restaurants took away parking places on the street to bring out planter boxes and more tables so that people could have the restaurant experience while dining outside. String some lights, make it cozy, bring in the greenery, and voila--goregous outdoor seating, with friends and family, for safer, accessible, open air dining during Covid times.

Next thing I know, parklets and their nature and health benefits are everywhere!

Parklets started their modest beginning in 2005 in San Francisco, and since then have begun popping up in many different ways. They bring about greater connections and a sense of community. They widen and invite greater outdoor living. It all is part of what makes a community "livable."

Looking for all the benefits parklets provide: Check out any of these articles: 

• Happy Eco New's Parklets: A Small Way to Make Big Cities More Livable
• Guardian's More Flowers, Fewer Cars: The Rewilders Turning Parking Spaces Into Parks
• Georgetown University's Creating Community and a Sense of Place, One ‘Parklet’ at a Time
• Washington DC's Department of Transportation Parklet's Program Guide
• National Association of City Transportation Officials' Urban Street Design Guide

In the market to make your own? Check out Happy Eco New's How to Build a Parklet DIY.

With spring having sprung, makes me want to go out and find a li'l parakeet of my own to go and just soak in the sun, maybe a snack, and enjoy a little people watching along the way!

Images from https://scs.georgetown.edu/news-and-events/article/7858/creating-community-sense-of-place-parklet and https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2023/1/19/baltimore-wants-permanent-parklets and  https://www.cincinnatimagazine.com/citywiseblog/covington-parklets/ and https://www.capitalgazette.com/2019/09/01/parklets-in-west-annapolis/

The Beauty of Each Season: Spring

Spring is my season! The warming of the days. The daylight getting longer. The freshness and color that starts sparking the world. The winter hibernation coming to the end. 

It is the season I wake up. 

The first day of spring this year happened on March 19th. 

I'm always curious why sometimes it's the 21st or the 23rd, and know it has to do with the rotation of the planet and it's tilt, plus throw in a Leap year, and it always shifts slightly. In fact, this year is the earliest it has ever been in the 128 years of recording this data.

But spring is here, and there truly is beauty all around.

Following suit from my last "Beauty of Each Season: Winter," I popped back to @PositivelyPresent's Instagram page and found her graphics on Spring--so whether it is your season or not, my you find some love and lessons in this season!

Images from https://www.instagram.com/positivelypresent/?img_index=1 and spring photos from my camera, compiled in canva.com

United Nations International Day of Happiness: March 20th

"Happiness" is a concept that has popped up a lot lately. Most recently when my daughter was on an academic spring break trip in Spain, and mentioned that everyone, everywhere she visited, seemed happier than we do here in America. 

With school, we are currently just starting our spring break, which of course is the epitome of happiness for teachers and students alike. Moreover, after break, we have a faculty/staff book club starting with Shawn Achor's book The Happiness Advantage: How a Positive Brain Fuels Success in Work and Life. Achor also has a TED Talk on the subject.

About a month ago, I was gifted tickets to see Dr. Laurie Santos at the Baltimore Speaker Series. Santos is a psychologist and professor at Yale, and her "Psychology and the Good Life" course has been Yale's most popular course in 300 years. It currently too is a free Coursera program of 10 modules, which starts March 16th. She also is the creator of the Happiness Lab podcast.

Or maybe it's just the cusp of spring, longer days, blooming flowers, and all of that, which makes me happy too. 

Thinking too about happiness led to me to think about mental health, and how we as an American society are facing a mental health crisis of epic proportions and all-time highs. The post pandemic epidemic.

As I was pondering all of that, I came to find out that here, during my school spring break, the United Nations' International Day of Happiness falls right smack dab in the middle of it--on March 20th annually. First celebrated in 2013, the UN General Assembly aimed in the day to honor and recognize “a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes the happiness and well-being of all peoples.”  It ties to the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals and views happiness and well-being as a basic human right. Here is the video introduction including Pharrell William (creator of the song "Happy" speaking about happiness its global impact.

Additionally, the World Happiness Report for 2024 is due out at noon (EST) on UN's International Day of Happiness. In it, it will reveal general overviews of the trends as well as a list in order of the happiest countries in the world. Last year's 2023 report placed Finland at #1 for the 6th year in a row, based on these key features: social support, income, health, freedom, generosity, and the absence of corruption. This January 2023 article from CNBC also proposes that countries like Finland place a stronger emphasis on the following than we do in the United States: more vacation time for employees, a stronger sense of community, lack of a comparison view of each other, and a tie to nature are key features also at play. Might be something there!

For some ideas on. how to bring a little more happiness into your life, check out the website International Day of Happiness.

Videos from: https://youtu.be/fLJsdqxnZb0?si=sqjhkTy6HjyVwxF9 and https://youtu.be/VMbaOcyDtsQ?si=oQ0nxLIBgNGmuHzj and https://youtu.be/ISRAWFwLoyw?si=ivcy7um7bHEK0ztr, infographic from https://nationaltoday.com/international-day-of-happiness/#:~:text=When%20is%20International%20Day%20of,the%20celebrations%20may%20change%20that!, image from https://www.dayofhappiness.net/

Nature Activities for Kids

Because Earth Day should really be everyday....

Because spring has spring.... 

Because kids need to be outside more and get more Vitamin N...

And because I absolutely love this graphic....

graphic from https://www.facebook.com/MindShift.KQED/posts/pfbid02Rn8AZxPQSoAWiSa1PkqyQjepk1LG58Zjxa9GYEMAtUyuBqBgbMFZvZVMmVNmQyXFl

Happy Easter

 For those of you who celebrate Easter, may this spring season and your holiday be a joyous one.

"Spring adds new life and new joy to all that is." - Jessica Harrelson

Image from Canva.com

Soaking in Spring

I'm blessed to live in the Metropolitan DC area, which puts a lot of amazing places just a stone's throw away. 

I'm also incredibly lucky in that our school provides a 2 week spring break, which opens up a lot of time for adventures. During my recent two weeks break, I had the perfect mix of reading, writing, road trips, home improvements, sleep, exercise, and decent weather. That combination always makes for a nice deep level of rest, recuperation, and revitalization.

One of the many road trips took me on a day adventure to Washington, DC right at the height of the cherry blossoms and peak bloom. While photos never do true beauty justice, here's a compilation of the visual awe of the day. Even though I've been to DC many times, some of the scenes, especially in the spring, never disappoint.

I've written before about the importance of travel, yet it always bears repeating. We become stagnant if we stay in the same place with the same exposures all the time. It opens our eyes and our hearts in so many new ways. We live life more fully in the moment, creating lasting memories while we soak it all in. Our heightened senses help widen our perspective as we take on new experiences and sometimes even new cultures... even here in our own country or even neighborhoods in our own cities. 

As the weather starts turning nicer and our days start getting longer, this is the perfect time to embark on an adventure or ten. Find some new places to patter about, and soak it all in this spring. Especially more and more as I reflect on the passage of the 3 year anniversary of the start of the Covid pandemic and all the remote life that led us to live, it seems more and more like we need to get back out and experience new places. I'm blessed that I was able to do that this break--both close to home and far away. We need the novelty to break through our boredom!

Photos from my computer and compiled using iPad app PicEdu.

Do Nothing Day

Sometimes you need a "Do Nothing" Day. That's where I was recently at after a particularly full week of work and a whole lot of extracurricular, parental driving. This followed up another full week of germs when deep in our house. [Somehow, maybe 30 years of teaching, I ended up with super immunity and fared better than the rest!] 

As I was contemplating that and my "sit-outside-and-contemplate-stuff-on-a-beautiful-spring-day" mood, I was reminded of this infographic I'd run across around Earth Day on MindShift's Facebook page. It was posted with the following caption: 

"We could never have loved the Earth so well if we had had no childhood in it." –George Elliot #sketchnote via @kwiens62

I found myself on my Do Nothing Day finding a sit spot, reading on my patio, gazing at the clouds, petting the dog, and ultimately writing here. 

Phineas & Ferb definitely said it well:

"No place where we have to go....so we're just going to go with the flow... Slow down, look around you, throw your to do list away... Let's have a Do Nothing Day."

Yes, a Do Nothing Day is the right answer in every way!

Video from https://youtu.be/eB9H4HVeMW4; infographic from https://www.facebook.com/MindShift.KQED/posts/4991285797573966

Nature Is Part of Our Nature: A Reminder of the Benefits of Being Outdoors

Spring has sprung and the weather is warming. Thank the Lord almighty! The long winter with the Covid connection on top was getting to be too much. 

I'm gleefully ready to move on from the winter blues (made worse this year from the pandemic) and and probably an inkling of seasonal affective disorder. Spring is the perfect time to reset our internal clocks and sync them with the biorhythm of our circadian clocks. We finally get to feel the sun on our faces, warmth rewarded with short sleeves, and I'm finding myself outside and writing in a state of supreme bliss in my favorite office!

I often find myself circling back to this topic of the therapeutic nature of nature. Where we get our Vitamin D from more sun than our vitamin bottles, and we can rejoice in Vitamin N: Nature. 

Yes, theoretically we can do this in the winter too, but I am indeed a winter wimp, smiling more in the sunshine and warmth.

Nature certainly is part of our nature. This image showcasing a slice of a tree stump and a fingerprint really does put the finger on the pulse (pun intended).

These articles highlight the multitude of ways 4 mentally, physically... of ways being out in nature can "do a body good" psychologically, spiritually, physically, mentally, "decompressionally," educationally, developmentally, with your sleep health, and more 

• The Positive Effects of Nature On Your Mental Well-Being

• ScaryMommy's Blog Post: "We Should Try To Take The ‘1000 Hours Outside’ Challenge––Here’s Why"

• Outside Play is Crucial for Emerging Readers and Writers
• Exposure to Morning Sunlight Profoundly Affects Mood, Health, and Nighttime Sleep

• 11 Scientific Benefits of Being Outdoors

And just a few from the GTG Archives:

• Nature = Necessity Not Amenity
• The Benefits of Being Outside
• Why We Need Environmental Education
• Linking Nature, People, & Mindfulness
• Go Outside

So do yourself a favor: Find a nice healthy snack, a lovely lemonade, a tasty green tea, or just a big thermos of water and go find yourself some nature. Maybe a hike, a picnic, a sit spot, or a lounge chair. Soak up the sun, watch some birds, listen to the pounding of woodpeckers and other bird calls, watch some scampering squirrels or chipmunks, marvel at the glistening of sun on a body of water....and bask in the benefits of being outdoors. 

Images from: May you find yourself: https://www.facebook.com/chelsey.bahe/posts/10164989735150581; Tree seasons from http://www.felicia-levy.com/2017/10/14/seasonal-affective-disorder-sad/; Tree-fingerprint from https://www.facebook.com/flowwellbeingnetwork/posts/226598855788156

Happy Easter Weekend 2021

It is in the spirit of spring weather that I send you warm wishes for a joyous Easter. 

Be healthy, safe, and breathe in the beauty of the outdoors.

Image created at canva.com

Backyard Birding with Merlin

I've mentioned before that sitting outside here in the warming season and gazing about while typing is a favorite past time of mine. Along with the visual glories, there also comes a symphony of sounds--those human-made ones from the neighborhood and the busy street not far away, and also a bounty of birdcalls come sounding down on me from our tree-lined back yard. The bird feeder that my husband and son religiously refill also makes us a local hot-spot with our feathered friends.

On a beautiful day, I'd rather be outside than in front of our television and its full DVR or faced with the endless possibilities of Amazon Prime and Netflix. Now, with more of us at home than before, seems like I might not be the only one based on this Dan Friedell article I ran across: "Tired of Netflix? Birds Provide a Show Right Outside Your Quarantine Window"

As he details, this is the season for returning birds, he also mentioned that (of course) "there's an app for that." And who better to be from than Cornell's Lab of Ornithology. The app, Merlin, is your helpful, handy, pocket birding coach created for beginner and intermediate birders. Not only can you list descriptors to help you identify your newest flying friend, but there's also a photo ID feature built in. Additionally, you can download bird packs for your geographical region. Given they have content for over 6,200 bird types, narrowing down your local finds is a must. Once you start going through the descriptors, you can also click a speaker on the app for each bird for further identification by way its birdsong & bird call. I think my feathered-fellows this morning were a type of sparrow--House, Song, or maybe Chipping. It was quick, and still being a newbie, it was one of my first go arounds!

Merlin is a powerful resource right in your phone. Ultimately, it may serve as a good gateway to unplugging!!

Speaking of which....I have a cardinal hopping on my fence...gotta go and be a bird watcher!

Photo from my phone, and Merlin logo from https://apps.apple.com/us/app/merlin-bird-id-by-cornell/id773457673

Mothers' Day 2020

With this being Mothers' Day weekend, I was struck by both the idea of motherhood in general as well as the idea of Mother Earth. These two quotes resonated with me.

In some ways, "Mother" and "Mother Earth" could be interchangeable between them both. 

May you spend quality time with Mother Earth, and cherish time or memories with the special people in your life you mother or who have mothered you in one way or another. Happy Mothers' Day.

David Suzuki image from https://www.facebook.com/108872667224248/photos/a.108878547223660/108881403890041/?type=3&theater and the other one created at Canva.com

More Contemplations During Covid-Season

I keep referring to this time, this social distancing, coronavirus, remote learning isolation time as the “zombie apocalypse.”

Partly for my own comic relief, and partly because it’s like the freaking Covid-19 is the battalion of zombies we are at war against, here in the apocalypse.

Two weeks ago I got something in my email box from an education company that said 70% of students were partaking in some degree of distance learning. This does include my own children and my own students, and at this point I feel it must be even more than that as social distancing rules tighten for more and more communities. My role as an elementary school Technology Specialist has me fielding the never ending tech help desk while also supporting teachers and parents in this time of tech triage. We have had 3 weeks of at-home school days and Zoom days and Seesaw days under our belt at the elementary school, semi-settling into this new style of delivering education from afar, attempting to get used to the new normal.

As adults, closest we can get to friends & family is FaceTime and Houseparty hangouts, holidays, and happy hours. I think back on my teen years and couldn’t even imagine this level of isolation that my own children are encountering. Friendships are happening by way of texting, and their main time together are in video chat rooms and on gaming platforms. Thank heaven for the tech time for connection, but man, I know I’m mourning the real face time that my kids are losing out on.

Life in the age of Covid-19.

As I'm pondering all of this, here are some of the things I have noticed, all of which have really surprised me:

• My inability to shut down and step away from the ever-blurry life, when my home office is my tv room, and my computer/iPad/phone never stop acting like the Bat Signal in Gotham City.

• My comfort in being home where it’s safe and germ-free, keeping us from exposure out in the world.

• My delight in the fact that at least this happened in the spring, not the depressing gloom of wintertime or the oppressive heat of summertime. At least the daily view and the backyard patio are a respite from the over-techified world.

• My over-saturation in mindless "over-scrolling" in Facebook, Apple News, and Words with Friends... which lead to my need to "step away from the phone!"

• That ever-present, low grade anxiety which has attributed to every aspect life. It’s unshakable, and I found evidence for it in reading a very good article which explained how this constant, lingering angst gets in the way of focus, explaining why I can’t get deeper into books than the comfort food equivalent of Harry Potter and picture books. 

• That a FaceTime call and visually checking in on people is so much more rewarding than an audio phone and texts--but that after a day of "zooming" sometimes that's the last thing I want to do.

• That upgraded wifi is worth it!

• That I’m tired of seeing myself in the 1” x 2” zoom gallery view window.

• That I can have a fabulous outfit waist-up, cute hair, make up, and even accessories... all the while being in yoga capris and Bobbie socks. This apparently is the new normal when it comes most people's "work from home" outfits, without giving it a second thought.

• That I’m grateful for my low level, pre-Peloton bike for letting me get my heart beating and my step count above 546, which seems to be my default daily work average unless I make a concerted effort to change it up.

When will this be over is a big time question, and more so everyday is this one: who and where will I be when this is all over? No answers yet as we are all dependent on heeding governor "stay at home" orders, and if the curve is actually flattening. So many new terms that we weren’t even using a month or two ago.

I’m listening to the rain right now. One of those slowing moments of gratitude. I'm especially thankful that it is raining here during the dark of bed time for the hope of a sunny patio day tomorrow. But I'm feeling the cleansing power. May it cleanse, soothe, bring perspective, and lull me to sleep... while also awakening me to a new day, a renewed sense of hope, a newly opened sense of wonder and optimism. Three cheers to the scientists and vaccine creators... and the day we are finally on the other side of all of this. May we remember all we sacrificed and lost, while also hugging our loved ones!

Be safe out there as you take every precaution you can!!

Images from https://catchymemes.com/post/612780987358773248 and https://nusd.org/remote-learning/

Family Celebrations in the Age of Coronavirus

During Spring Break, I was supposed to go visit my mom for a "Mom and Me" solo venture where I flew in for the bulk of the week. It's become a bit of an annual tradition, and one of our favorite times of the year. This year, that trip was canceled, due to the growing concerns over coronavirus.

Mid-March, we were also supposed to have a family gathering with my husband's family for his father. Again, amidst the closing of schools and the encouragement of social distancing and self-quarantining, that was canceled. And don't even get me started as we curiously await what's to happen with senior year prom and other events like graduation, and my daughter's birthday. All the while doing remote learning school using Zoom & Seesaw.

Passover was this week. Easter is tomorrow. More big family events for many people. Again, quarantines are in place and it's far more prudent to social distance as I see the growing numbers on the maps I daily stalk of Johns Hopkins, World Health Organization, and US's Center for Disease Control.

It's making for a weird spring, that's for sure.

It's certainly the right thing to do to try to flatten the curve for the hospital and keep this growing pandemic from doing just that--growing. But even with the right mindset of being "safe" versus "stuck" at home, it's still makes for an awkward spring season.

That's where gratitude comes in handy: I'm grateful it is spring, because it's the return to my back porch & the birds and flowering trees. I'm thankful we live in a time of tech where I can FaceTime & call my mom several states away, be connected with all via social media, binge watch whatever I'm watching these days, & be able to teach remotely via the computer. I have my family of four under the same roof & we are all safe. We live in the day of modern medicine. We still have access to everything we need. We have the gift of time in a way we've never had before.

No, we won't be having the Easter we expected, but just like everything--it's a matter of perspective and the attitude you bring it. One day, this will all be behind us, and my hope for you is the memory of this time lasts so you can really find that gratitude in the little things. For some inspiring Easter quotes for those of you who celebrate that holiday, check out Parade Magazine's list of 100 Easter Quotes--both sacred and secular. May your weekend be as beautiful as you make it and a gift, no matter what!


Image from https://parade.com/1006821/marynliles/easter-quotes/ and https://www.facebook.com/WarehamDNR/photos/a.502105013206703/2809933259090522/?type=3&theater, https://www.kindpng.com/downpng/himhJR_spring-break-clip-art-hd-png-download/ and https://www.philipchircop.com/post/64037338700/gratitude-unlocks-the-fullness-of-life-it-turns

Hiking For The Win

I mentioned a few posts ago that I'm on Spring Break right now, while also on the "stay at home" plan given our global health issues. As a way to offer up a change of scenery to my family, we went to a state park that is about a half an hour away from home. The spring weather was upon us and it was a perfect day to be outside. Better yet, after a week at home, in "Spring Break mode but yet not," it was the perfect time to NOT be at home.

My family and I needed the fresh air, time to move our body (and scale some mega hills), to hear the birds, to hear at the sound of the water, to get the chance to skip some stones, to embark on nature's scavenger hunt, to be in a no-phone-zone. The purposeful unplugging was what I needed to stop endless, mindless scrolling of Apple News & Facebook, too much texting, and stalking different health websites and pandemic maps. It was 2 hours well spent, just "being." It really was bliss and a welcome respite. I think for all 4 of us!

A day or so after our hiking adventure, I ran across this Collective Evolution article by Alanna Ketler, published nearly 4 years ago, entitled "Doctors Explain How Hiking Actually Changes Our Brains." Despite its age, it's still timely--perhaps moreso in this time of being banished under social distancing and house arrest. The woods and hiking were the perfect place to be and the perfect change of pace. I had been finding myself during this week very unfocused. I had just come off a huge project, and I knew I was on the cusp of embarking on remote learning right after my 2 week break, so I felt the need to take some level of an actual break. But most of my week was more in canceling my planned pre-pandemic travel plans, couch potatoing, website surfing and news overloading, leaving a low-to-high-grade sense of anxiety, lack of focus, tiredness, and overall aimlessness.

Just as Ketler's article suggests, everything that I needed to change my brain was really out in those woods. Along with our trek, it reminded me of everything I have read and know about the calm that comes with time from outdoors. The reduction in stress hormones and mental fatigue. The ability to improve focus. The major points of the article come in its headings:

• Hiking in Nature Can Stop Negative, Obsessive Thoughts
• Hiking While Disconnected From Technology Boosts Creative Problem Solving
• Hiking Outdoors Can Improve ADHD in Children
• Hiking In Nature Is Great Exercise and Therefore Boosts Brainpower

It also was a good opportunity for family togetherness--something you'd think we'd have more than enough of in the house we've been in for a week. But with teens and devices and their own rooms to hole up in, quality time doesn't happen the way you'd think it would with our "quarant-teens." 

The shared experience gave our family new scenery to ponder, the outer world to investigate, and even the opportunity to help Mom cross the stream by way of walking across the fallen tree--all without falling off and into the stream below! It was just what the doctor ordered! We need to make more time for it!

Photos from my phone--who's only use & purpose that day was to snap some shots, map our route, and in case of emergencies. All other phones stayed safely locked in the car--much to the original chagrin of my teens, but a well-played Mom move that reaped its rewards!

Happy 1st Day o'Spring

Ah, the first day o'Spring is upon us: March 20, 2019. Spring Equinox.

From this point on, days get longer than the night. Why? Because the sun is directly over the equator and will be shifting (due to our planetary tilt) so that the sun shines and aligns more directly over the Northern (versus Southern) Hemisphere. While this all happens, Fall descends on the Southern Hemisphere. Warmth is on the way for those of us north of the Equator.

And who knew: it happens on the same day as the "Super Worm Moon"--apparently, for the first time in 19 years! And... our last "super moon" of the year.

"According to National Geographic, on March 20, the Super Worm Moon will be 223,309 miles from Earth at 3:45 p.m. EST, making it especially close to the planet. Then, at 9:43 p.m. EST, the moon will reach its full phase and appear 14 percent larger and 12 percent brighter than usual."

What are you going to do to celebrate the start of spring?

-Plan an evening picnic?
-Go on a long walk?
-Stand an egg on its end?
-Look for signs of Spring?
-Plant something?
-Eat healthy?
-Renew your resolutions?
-Unplug and step away from your tech?
-Set your table with some flowers?
-Camp out on the patio with a good book?
-Plan ways to get in your 1000 Hours Outdoors for the year?
-Set your sights to the sky to see the Super Worm Moon?
-Night time moonlight hide and seek?
-Have an evening bonfire?
-Make plans to celebrate Earth Hour coming up? (March 30th, 8:30-9:30 pm in your time zone)

I'd love to hear what you choose to do. Whatever it is--enjoy the warm spring winds that are coming your way.


Images from https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2019/03/19/supermoon-spring-equinox-2019-why-moon-shine-brighter-first-spring-night/3209726002/ and  https://www.kidspeakdallas.com/events/first-day-of-spring-2019-semester

Happy Easter 2017

Pic created using PicCollage.