Friday, October 17, 2014

The City Hiking Continues

Fish Creek Provincial Park,
Calgary, Canada
October 2014
Fish Creek Provincial Park, 
Calgary, Canada
Last weekend we went walking/hiking in Fish Creek Provincial Park in Calgary. Exploring the natural world close to home is proving to be a delightful eye-opener. I've always known we don't have to plan epic adventures to play and enjoy outside, but before I didn't make the time for the wee trips.
I am now. And really enjoying it!

If your weeks are like mine, weekends are used to recover from the stress of the week before and gear up to do it all over again.  (The immediate question of why pops up, but that's another blog post. ;))
I'm really digging this quieter approach to outdoor play time.

Where are your favorites spots to play outside?

Happy Hiking, Happy Reading, Happy Writing.




Sunday, October 5, 2014

Getting Local: Exploring Local Pockets of Nature this Fall

Mini pumpkins, October 2014
I love Fall. Every season has its charm, but Autumn is my favorite. The crinkle of dried leaves underfoot or their rustle in the breeze is a melody I look forward to every year. The air feels different, too. It can be crisp or a last ditch warm, but it is undeniably "fall" air. I get to see my favorite constellation, too. Orion is back in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where summer is a bustling play time, fall is a more reflective, internal time for me. I have to switch to a slower pace. I just have to. After the natural full throttle of summer, in autumn I quiet down and go into nesting mode. I enjoy cooking and baking more, I knit, I light candles, I listen to calmer music, I read more . . . you know, nesting. I also like to be outside and feel the natural world doing the same thing.

Aspen Yellow, October 2014
Yesterday we went to a local corn maze. I know, not exactly wild, but still a beautiful exercise in witnessing Mother Nature. She does rock our food sources and although the point of that corn field was for entertainment, it still holds natural energy. And as I was walking through that field, the total history nerd inside was thinking of all the fall traditions associated with corn and pumpkins. There were times it was easier to feel those connections to our natural world. The good news is we can still plug back in if we want. I'll be honest, it helped going early before the crowd became a crowd.

Today we went "hiking." I absolutely adore hiking in the mountains, but finding closer pockets of the natural world to explore and enjoy is more practical some weekends. Like today. We explored a local park along the Bow River that is indeed a city park, but had trails that you can forget how close to neighborhoods or Deerfoot/Highway 2 you really are. Going at 8:30 on a Sunday morning helped, too. Not many folks out on the dirt paths that early. :) And we got to hike alongside the Bow River. Rivers can be bring that touch of wild energy to urbanized places.

I'm roasting a turkey today for Sunday dinner. Not the norm in our house(!!), but today I wanted traditional. And the nesting of Autumn continues . . . I've learned to embrace it and see where it takes me.
Carburn Park, Calgary, October 2014

Happy Autumn.