When we were kids underfoot, driving our parents crazy, monopolizing the TV and always moping around the house sighing "I'm Bored", my mother would always end up yelling "GET OUTDOORS". Which would inevitably turn into, "There's nothing to do". And my mother would say "Get out and blow the stink off ya". I still don't know where that old saying comes from, but I recall being offended as shoved my shoes on and shuffled out the front door as fast as my feet could take me.
I guess the point is, no one is telling me to "Get outdoors" these days, and I find my weekends being repeated with the same monotonous chores. Sometimes as an adult we have to plan for these things. And I am not just talking about an afternoon spent doing yard work, although I know there is many a gardener who delights in the task. I'm talking about a little exploration...a change of scene.
I'm longing to try kayaking (I did once before, I was 24 and had been out really late the night before....it was not pretty), to stand on top the cliffs (far from the edge of course) of Cape Chignecto, to make it to Cape Breton and walk the skyline trail, to try Tidal Bore rafting. And these are some things I hope to achieve this summer. But I also need to be realistic. There are some weekends where that just isn't going to work. Where I need to stay a little closer to home. But that doesn't have to mean I'm confined to the house, yard and grocery stores does it?
Mother Nature has a voice that screams "GET OUTDOORS, but I have muffled it with the washing machine, the lawnmower, and even worse...the television! Oh Mother Nature, I have taken you for granted, but no more.
I, Cynthia, do solemnly swear:
Shubie Park in Dartmouth in the fall (a 5 minute drive from my house). It's a beautiful park with an attached campground and lake right in the city.
Shubie at Dusk
This is the beach at Lawrencetown, just 20 minutes up the road. I used to go here after supper all the time, just to watch the surfers!
No matter how cold, Claire and best pal Riel will always manage to jump in the waves. And somehow be warm enough in the car to demand ice cream on the way home.
I guess the point is, no one is telling me to "Get outdoors" these days, and I find my weekends being repeated with the same monotonous chores. Sometimes as an adult we have to plan for these things. And I am not just talking about an afternoon spent doing yard work, although I know there is many a gardener who delights in the task. I'm talking about a little exploration...a change of scene.
I'm longing to try kayaking (I did once before, I was 24 and had been out really late the night before....it was not pretty), to stand on top the cliffs (far from the edge of course) of Cape Chignecto, to make it to Cape Breton and walk the skyline trail, to try Tidal Bore rafting. And these are some things I hope to achieve this summer. But I also need to be realistic. There are some weekends where that just isn't going to work. Where I need to stay a little closer to home. But that doesn't have to mean I'm confined to the house, yard and grocery stores does it?
Mother Nature has a voice that screams "GET OUTDOORS, but I have muffled it with the washing machine, the lawnmower, and even worse...the television! Oh Mother Nature, I have taken you for granted, but no more.
I, Cynthia, do solemnly swear:
- not to sleep in on Saturday mornings unless it's rainy
- not to drink too much wine at a BBQ so that I can actually go for a walk after dinner
- not to let the laundry pile so that my weekends are spent climbing a mountain of laundry rather than a real mountain
- not to go to the grocery store when the sun is shining and at times when I know there are more people than Tweens at a Justin Bierber concert
- I will remind myself of the beauty that is around me
- I will say I enjoy long walks on the beach and actually mean it
- I will breath the fresh salty air
- I will feel the satisfying ache of tired muscles after a good hike
- I will "Blow the stink off" me and my daughter, on more a regular basis
Shubie Park in Dartmouth in the fall (a 5 minute drive from my house). It's a beautiful park with an attached campground and lake right in the city.
Shubie at Dusk
We went to take pictures at the start of the fall colours, Claire found some ducks instead!
These are the locks along the trail.
These are the locks along the trail.This is the beach at Lawrencetown, just 20 minutes up the road. I used to go here after supper all the time, just to watch the surfers!
No matter how cold, Claire and best pal Riel will always manage to jump in the waves. And somehow be warm enough in the car to demand ice cream on the way home.This is Victoria Park in Truro. I love to stop here whenever I pass through.
Victoria Park has beautiful falls!
And all kinds of ladders! This is Jacob's Ladder. Aptly named, you can only see half of it from the bottom.
So I would love to hear from you! What will you explore in the great outdoors near you?
Victoria Park has beautiful falls!And all kinds of ladders! This is Jacob's Ladder. Aptly named, you can only see half of it from the bottom. So I would love to hear from you! What will you explore in the great outdoors near you?
Our trip to Nova Scotia reminded us how important it is to really take some time and enjoy your surroundings. We stayed in Lawrencetown Beach and loved every minute of it. Now, back home, we're trying to take an hour a day to enjoy our own beach and beautiful surroundings.
So glad you enjoyed your trip to Lawrencetown. It's really close to my home, about a 20 minute drive. When my daughter was younger we used to like fly kites up over the hill from the Tea Room. Now she just likes to run through the waves no matter how cold. When the tide it out it's nice to walk the beach. And I always enjoy watching the surfers. No matter what you do, I think spending more time outside, switching off is good for the soul. Whether you spend it listening to the rush of ocean waves or hiking through the woods, watching mamma ducks lead their babies into a quiet stream, there is something about it that rejuvenates me. I've never felt more like myself as I have these past few weeks enjoying the beauty around me. A blog about Kejimikujik Seaside to come. Beautiful trails leading right to the ocean.
Thanks for your reply Furkidsmom.
Cynthia