All the rain this week made me think of a favorite passage from Henry David Thoreau's Walden, as he observes rivulets of water running down an embankment in the spring. Whenever I read it, I am reminded of the valuable insights and meditations people stand to gain when they spend some quiet time alone, observing nature. It is fuel for the imagination and a healing remedy for the soul. From ...
nature as therapy
Solitude on the Peaks
I have just returned from a rejuvenating getaway with the best person I could think of to spend three days alone in a fire lookout tower with...myself. I rented Bald Knob Fire Lookout for the weekend, and set off with my books, my banjo, wool and needlefelting tools, the makings for delicious meals, and some Laphroaig single-malt scotch. I had been on several fire lookout trips before, discovering ...
Laura Ingalls Wilder on Nature
(Home From the Hill by Fran Brooks) This is one of my favorite articles written by Laura Ingalls Wilder on the importance of nature in childhood. I am a firm believer in the necessity of the outdoors for children in developing a healthy sense of place and inter-connection with the world around them, and although they may not all be raised in the environment recounted by Wilder ...
Beach Hikes for Sensory Therapy
Our world today is a busy place, and for children, especially those who are more sensitive, this can be a lot to deal with. Some of you might have heard of Sensory Processing Disorder or Sensory Integration Disorder, and some of you may not. Because it has become a more frequent diagnosis for children today, you might have a child with identified sensory issues, or know someone else who ...
Raising Nature-Centric Kids: It’s All About the Little Things Around You
Kids love the outdoors. Given any opportunity, they jump in the dirt with abandon, marvel at little bugs and creatures, collect rocks and flowers, and make themselves right at home. More and more frequently, I am hearing about things like Nature Deficit Disorder and how children are spending more time plugged in and less time tuned in to the outdoors. Diagnoses of ADD, ADHD, ...