05.02.07
Posted in Nature, Wellness at 9:03 am by Ric
Of all the posts I’ve added since I began this weblog, more than half have been primarily about nature observation or season change. I knew it would take this slant be maybe not that much. Since my practice deals with wellness and helping others restore comfort and balance to their lives why all the emphasis on nature?
When we notice our surroundings we are more connected with them and we see ourselves as part of a bigger picture. In the process our wellness is improved and our life is more in balance.
For most people that come to my office, stress is a large issue. I know from my years of working in a stressful corporate job that if I put all my energy into the task in front of me and tune out my surroundings I also lose touch with myself and my body. I’m operating mostly out of my head. It is when we lose this awareness of self that we fall into patterns of discomfort. When we break the connection with our tasks, even briefly, and return to ourselves it allows our body to do it’s job of keeping us in balance and comfort.
When we cast our gaze outward at our environment it helps get us out of our heads. By honing our skills at observation it allows us to make a healthy habit of being a part of our surroundings rather than separate from them. When we take the larger view we use more of ourselves. This balance of self benefits our physical, emotional, and even spiritual life.
We spend much time each day outside even if just it’s walking to our car or driving to work. Even if we work in a sea of concrete and buildings there is still natural light (and dark). There is wind, blue sky and clouds. Even the unnatural sounds become a part of the environment. Cars passing by echo against the buildings. Horns honking, people walking, construction sounds. They all remind us that we are a part of something bigger.
Observation is a skill we have all possessed. Young children are naturally inquisitive. No one looks with more awe at their surroundings than a child. As adults this awe is not lost, just forgotten. With practice we can get it back. It only takes a few seconds to do so.
What are you noticing?
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04.22.07
Posted in Nature, Wellness at 4:48 pm by Ric
I went to a city park last night an hour or so before sunset, set up a lawn chair and just watched. The last two hours, or so, of the day is my favorite time. At this time things take on a glow and the angle of the sun creates shadows, for instance in the ridges of the tree bark, giving much depth to everything. This is in contrast to the flat lighting of 2PM.
I walk through this park often but sitting and doing nothing I was amazed at how much I saw besides the usual song birds:
- Across a small stream I saw two deer that stayed within view the entire hour I was there.
- Nearby was a Beaver, not in the water but moving in and out of the ground cover.
- A pair of Wood Ducks landed in the stream. After a while the male flew out and circled the park before returning to the water.
- At least 30 feet up in a tree four very small, young squirrels, apparently too young to stray far from the nest, none the less seemed to have a great time climbing around the branches up to 10 feet away, sometimes chasing each other, sometimes hanging upside down under a branch.
- Several adult, or at least adult sized, squirrels foraging on the ground.
- Birds that I don’t usually see in town. Couldn’t identify most but I think one was a Phoebe.
- On top of all that the Cottonwood trees were starting to leaf out, the first tree leaves I’ve seen this year.
There were a lot of people around engaged in various activities. None seemed to notice all the activity I saw.
It’s amazing what you can find when you just stop and notice. “Being” rather than doing.
Just be.
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04.17.07
Posted in Nature, Wellness at 11:49 am by Ric
I made a trip to Iowa this past weekend and visited the Ledges State Park. The most notable feature of this outing was the ubiquitous presence of Turkey Vultures. This was probably due to hills which provide updrafts for these huge birds to soar on. I was reminded just what an inspiration soaring birds are, Turkey Vultures in particular.
Facts
Turkey Vultures probably got their name due to their red head which resembles that of a Turkey. The red is from their skin, the head being naked. This is likely an adaptation due to the fact that they stick their heads in animal carcasses which they feed on. The fact that they dead things turns some people off but this is a good thing if you think about it. Nature needs a cleaning crew. It also doesn’t detract from the beauty of their flight.
Turkey Vultures can be seen, commonly, in the state of Nebraska from March through October.
Their most common mode of flight is soaring, flying without flapping their wings. They do this by holding their wings out and allowing updrafts to lift them. Updrafts are caused when moving air hits structure like hills, trees, buildings, etc. They are also caused by rising heat from earth warmed by the sun.
This effortless flight allows the Vulture to conserve energy that flapping wings would quickly use up. This is useful when meals are often far and few between.
Turkey Vultures have the most aerodynamically efficient wings of all birds, achieving the greatest amount of lift from updrafts.
The wing span of a Turkey Vulture is 6 feet, making it almost as large as an Eagle. It can be easily identified in flight because it holds it’s wings in a V-Shape. For a better picture go here and here.
Turkey Vultures are one of the few birds that have a sense of smell, useful in finding it’s food.
Why Should We Care?
It’s hard for me not to be mesmerized by soaring flight. Nature provides us a way to get out of our ego-self and connect outward, greatly improving our sense of well-being. Birds that soar, at least for me, seem to become a vehicle for my own spirit to soar on.
Turkey Vultures in particular make flight look so effortless. In heavy winds they rock back and forth, going with the flow, rather than fighting it. In Colorado I once saw a Vulture flying near the top of a mountain. The wind was so strong it was spun upside down. It simply allowed itself to complete the circle and right itself again. I think there is lesson in this.
The next time you are driving a highway watch for these birds (OK, if you are the driver, for safety sake, don’t look). If you are anywhere out in the country, especially near hills, you are likely to see them.
Spend a few minutes watching their flight and see if you aren’t changed in some way.
May your spirit soar…
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04.11.07
Posted in Nature, Seasons at 9:37 am by Ric
Spring comes up in many of my conversations this time of year. Previous posts the past few weeks should show my passion for this season. I often start a conversation by asking people if they are enjoying spring. Lately the response is something like, “when it gets here I will”.
Many garden flowers have bloomed. Trees have flowered. The Redbuds and Magnolias were quite noticable. We had windows open, got out the fan, spent as much time outside as possible. I was even thinking about camping.
Lately we’ve had fairly cold weather, a contrast to the gorgeous weather a few weeks ago.
Actually it’s all relative. If we had a 40 degree day during winter we would think it was a good day. One thing I have to keep reminding myself is that Spring and Fall are transition seasons. We almost always get a wide variety of weather conditions. Winter and Summer usually provide three months of fairly consistent tempratures. Spring and Fall bridge the gap between the two extremes of cold and hot.
I was going through some old pictures of my dogs. I found some dated April 14, 1997 of my dogs in the back yard with several inches of snow on the ground.
I tend to easily remember the best weather in spring but when I really think about it I remember that the gorgeous days are separated by many days of variable weather.
This is what spring looks like. I love warm weather but on days like this, with a light snow falling as I write, I like to focus on the changes that have happened. Everything is still quite green. Looking at distant landscapes there is so much more to notice than the flat look of winter. The birds haven’t stoped their activities.
Enjoying spring! Dreaming of picnics!
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03.31.07
Posted in Nature, Seasons at 9:42 pm by Ric
Visited Boyer Chute NWR today with my wife. The drive there went from overcast skys to a light rain. The skys were dramatic.
At Boyer Chute the light rain suddenly turned to downpour (loved it!) getting us pretty soaked. We took refuge in the car driving to Blair. Just as quickly the rain subsided. The white smoke from a factory provided a contrast to the dark sky.
We ended up at Black Elk-Neihardt Park in Blair where the sun tried to come through but dark skies prevailed.
I’ve been delighted at all that has turned green or flowered. But the dark skies and the smell or rain were the highlights of this outing. Something about a March or April storm that doesn’t compare to any other time of year.
What have you been seeing?
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03.27.07
Posted in Nature, Seasons at 9:42 pm by Ric
The big change the past 5 to 7 days has been the greening of the landscape. Lawns have quickly gone from brown to green. I saw people at a golf course 2 days ago. The grass was so green it was stunning.
A shrub in my yard is leafing out. I don’t even know what species it is. But it’s tiny green leaves are the first I’ve seen this spring. This is such a huge change. Leaves show us the wind, waving back and forth even in the most subtle breeze. During winter the only way we see wind is when it is strong enough to blow the tree branches or snow (or send a grocery bag flying by). Leaves also allow us to hear the wind in all it’s force and all it’s subtilty.
In a week or so the trees will start leafing out. March is known for the phrase “in like a lion, out like a lamb”. The thing I associate most with April isn’t the emergence of flowers. It’s the way it starts with naked trees in the woods just starting to leaf out. Trees that you can see through. Then at the end of April we have a sea of green. What lies beyond is a secret we only uncover by going there.
Get out and notice!
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03.22.07
Posted in Nature, Seasons at 8:50 pm by Ric
Never mind that spring has officially arrived (as of March 20th)…
As I sat on my porch last night listening to Robins (more than I could count) singing everywhere, with thunder off in the distance, and damp air all around me, I couldn’t help but be amazed at how quickly things change. At the begining of the month it was winter cold and there was still a great deal of snow on the ground. Nature was still very much in that inward mode. Now things are starting to turn green, insects are appearing, the feel and smell of the climate has completely transformed. The birds were singing with such intensity, fliting from branch to branch, sending their territorial message to all within hearing distance. We’re past the small signs of spring. The bursting forth phase is here!
Get out and enjoy the changes!
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03.18.07
Posted in Nature, Seasons at 1:22 am by Ric
We’ve had some very spring like weather (Wasn’t Tuesday, March 13th gorgeous?), followed by some colder days. That’s March in Nebraska. The volatility of March can be hard on us but it is also a time of hope (see Time of Hope / Time of Difficulty). This brings me to the topic of the Official Start of Spring. This year that event occurs on March 20th at 7:07 CDT.
This point in time has less to do with actual weather conditions than it does astronomical events. At this time the center of the Sun is directly over the Earth’s equator. This event is called the Vernal Equinox. Equinox comes from Latin roots meaning “equal” and “night”. Day and night are of equal length. Actually that’s not quite true. Because the Sun extends well beyond it’s center we can still see part of the Sun after it’s center has gone below the horizon. There is a little more sunlight than darkness. But close enough.
From this point on daylight, for those in the Northern Hemisphere, will increase until it reaches it’s maximum during the Summer Solstice, June 21st, when the Sun reaches it’s greatest distance from the equator. Then daylight starts to decrease until we reach the Autumnal Equinox where day and night are equal again.
How can summer, and the hottest months of the year, occur after the days start getting shorter? The reason is the oceans which play a big role in our weather. It takes them awhile to catch up to the changes in light level.
Why do we even have seasons? The Earth tilts. During summer in the Northern Hemisphere we are tilted closer to the sun than the Southern Hemisphere which is experiencing winter. During our winter the opposite is true and we trade places, weather wise.
Whatever the reason for the seasons it sure beats having the same thing all year long.
Get out and enjoy the spring.
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03.13.07
Posted in Nature, Seasons at 11:17 pm by Ric
On Saturday I checked the nearby Silver Maple trees and the buds had not opened yet. Today they are in full flower (see above and below). I don’t know for sure but think this may well be the first flowering plant in the Omaha area. For more on this see the previous post Snow vs. The Coming Spring. Why is this significant? It’s a symbol for all the growth that is about to burst forth. Plus it’s a thing of beauty to behold!
Since these flowers are tiny they usually go unnoticed. While you are out in areas with trees look around. You are likely to see some. Silver Maples are widespread in the area.
Look soon. They won’t be here long.
Enjoy the spring!
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03.12.07
Posted in Nature, Seasons at 2:07 am by Ric
I hope everyone has had a chance to spend time outdoors on this beutiful weekend. Yesterday my wife and I walked around Wehrspann Lake (aka Chalco Hills). It was sunny, warm, and there was very little wind. I was surprised at how the lake was still frozen, enough so that many people were able to enjoy ice fishing. The Papio NRD has a web cam of Wehrspann. Just go to their main website (here) and click on Chalco Hills Web Cam. The picture is updated every ten seconds or so. It does look a little greyer than it really is but isn’t modern technology wonderful?
While there I saw my first Bluebird of the year. Cardinals are singing regularly now and Robins have just arrived in the area and taken up territories. I saw migratory robins starting 2 weeks ago but just Friday (March 9th) I heard my first Robin singing. I’ve also seen an insect here and there.
Small signs of spring but I’m loving it. More is on the way!
One of the things I notice about spring each year is that each phase passes rather quickly. Get out and enjoy it. It will be changing soon.
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