Nature Inspired Postshttp://endowingnature.squarespace.com/journal/en-US2009-11-30T23:57:56ZSquarespace Site Server v5.8.3 (http://www.squarespace.com/)Be Part of Nature - Not Just a Spectatorhttp://endowingnature.squarespace.com/journal/2009/11/5/be-part-of-nature-not-just-a-spectator.htmlSteph Morrison2009-11-05T15:30:31ZConnecting With Nature God Outdoor Activities connecting fishing natureJust finished reading the superb and enlightening book "Last Child in the woods" by Richard Louv. Following is an excerpt from the book which is some thoughts from Robert F. Kennedy Jr. I felt immediately connected to what he was saying and it helped me in how I connect God and nature. I also agree with some points he makes on interaction with the outdoors and how too many rules and restrictions results in a separation with nature which is a negative situation for everyone.

We're part of nature, and ultimately we're predatory animals and have a role in nature and if we separate ourselves from that, we're separating ourselves from our history, from the things that tie us together. We don't want to live in a world where there are no recreational fisherman, where we've lost touch with the seasons, the tides, the things that connect us - to ten thousand generations of human beings that were here before there were laptops, and ultimately connect us to God.

We shouldn't be worshipping nature as God, but nature is the way that God communicates to us most forcefully. God communicates to us through each other and through organized religion, through wise people and the great books, through music and art, but nowhere, with such texture and forcefulness in detail and grace and joy, as through creation. And when we destroy large resources, or when we cut off our access by putting railroads along river banks, by polluting so that people can't fish, or by making so many rules that people can't get out on the water, it's the moral equivalent of tearing the last pages out of the last Bible on Earth. It's a cost that's imprudent for us to impose upon ourselves, and we don't have the right to impose it upon our children.

I believe we have too many societal measures taking place that are creating a huge space between people and nature. We're not supposed to be protecting nature to the extent of not interacing with its true essence. Although don't have a great interest for fishing myself, I see it as a great way to be in nature; not as a threat to the fish. I love to walk through the woods at my property and hope to see some tree house built by my son which isn't a damage to the trees or a dangerous feat for my child but an awesome way for him to truly interact with nature. There are definitely areas of nature that, as a society, that we're taking advantage of and there needs to be limitations, but we still need freedom to experience nature as God intended.

]]>GROWING IN NATUREhttp://endowingnature.squarespace.com/journal/2009/10/21/growing-in-nature.htmlSteph Morrison2009-10-21T20:47:05ZChildren & Youth Connecting With Nature attention deficit disorder creativity nature therapy stress reductionChildhood depression, teen depression, ADHD, teen crime and drug abuse; I’ve been reading up on how several situations involving children and adolescents have been addressed through some type of nature therapy. A casual term of “nature-deficit disorder” describes the negatives effects that a life cut off from free play in green spaces can lead to. Essential for healthy development of a child, outdoor free play describes openly exploring and playing with an outdoor environment through all senses in their own space and time. With urban areas seeming to take over much of our lands green space and legal and regulatory restrictions on natural play, we have a generation of kids that have a high incidence of nature-deficit disorder. First hand experience of nature is being replaced by the second hand, often distorted, dual sensory (sight and hearing only) one way experience of television and other electronic media.

There are so many benefits of nature, which feed the growing mind and body:

Nature is a place to use all your senses and to learn by doing; multi-sensory experiences in nature help to build the cognitive constructs necessary for sustained intellectual development and stimulate imagination by supplying the child with free space and materials for creativity and problem solving.
It doesn’t make you feel like you have to conform to any image as the misleading landscape of our man made world tends to do with advertisements, billboards, and other media; it’s just there and excepts everyone just as they are.
A calming, tranquil and active environment, nature involves the senses to help with stress reduction, improving attention span and rejuvenating your spirit by being a short escape from challenges of life.
nature presents the young (and everyone) with something greater than they are - it offers an environment where they can easily contemplate infinity and eternity. Without that experience, we forget our place, we forget that larger fabric on which our lives depend.

My inspiration for this topic comes from a book I’m reading called “The Last Child in the Woods” by Richard Louv. The following statements, from Louv’s book, are from or about children/ young adults spending time in nature, usually their first encounter:

Describing his time spent on an Nature Reserve, a late teen/early twenty year old says “When I come here, I can exhale. Here, you hear things; in the city, you can’t hear anything because you can hear everything. In the city, everything is obvious. Here, you get closer and you see more.”
In relation to a story of overcoming some hardship as a child, a woman says “There is something about nature that when you are in it you can feel that there are far greater things at work in the world that oneself. It puts one’s problems in perspective and makes challenges seem less significant. It can be an escape without actually leaving the world.
After a court appointed 2 week excursion to a remote Alaskan Tribal Village, some troubled city teens had this to say of their experience: “I never seen a place so dark at night. I seen seals, bears, whales, salmon jumpin’- and I caught crabs and oysters, and as soon as we caught ‘em, we ate ‘em. I felt like I was in a past life.” "I never saw a bear before. I’m scared of bears, but when I saw them, I had no stress. I was calm, free. You know what was great? Picking berries. It was addictive. Like cigarettes. Just the picking, just being out in the bushes.”
A parent said she had recently begun taking her son to the local park for 30 minutes each morning before school because the weather was nice, and they “had some time to kill”. She then said, “Come to think of it, I have noticed his attitude toward going to school has been better, and his schoolwork has been better this past week. I think it’s because spending time at the park is pleasurable, peaceful, quiet, calming.”

Growing in nature is being part of the bigger picture. Rediscovering the link between human creativity and experiences in nature could offer a new branch of therapy for such syndromes as attention deficit disorder. Children naturally crave the outdoors as it’s an integral part of developing our senses. We can comfirm this fact by watching what happens to the senses of the young when they lose that connection with nature and by seeing the sensory magic occur when children, and even those beyond childhood, are exposed to even the smallest interaction in a natural environment.

Nature is perfectly imperfect, just like humans. We were made to be involved with nature.

]]>The Bare Necessitieshttp://endowingnature.squarespace.com/journal/2009/9/30/the-bare-necessities.htmlSteph Morrison2009-09-30T16:53:06ZConnecting With Nature Tips to Simple Living bare necessities faith mother natureLook for the bare necessities

The simple bare necessities

Forget about your worries and your strife

I mean the bare necessities

]]>Earth Arthttp://endowingnature.squarespace.com/journal/2009/9/15/earth-art.htmlSteph Morrison2009-09-15T16:08:16ZConnecting With Nature Earth art earth art gardens natureMy recent trip to the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, Ontario provided an interesting exposure to art truly inspired by nature. This was not art displaying a nature scene on a common medium but art created with nature. Called the 'Earth Art Exhibit', 12 Earth art installations were scattered over the 2700+ acres of the Royal Botanical Gardens property making the tour of unique, flourishing gardens, trailing forest and marsh and carefully designed rock gardens an extra special event.

To better explain the Earth Art concept I'm quoting below from the brochure I received at RBC:

Earth Art - Art in nature, nature in art. Artists create one-of-a-kind environmental art installations throughout our cultivated gardens and natural lands...

Earth art's root's stretch back to the 1960s with a show at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Curator Willoughby Sharp invited artists Walter De Maria, Jan Dibbets, Hans Haacke, Michael Heizer, Richard Long, David Medalla, Robert Morris, Dennis Oppenheim, Robert Smithson, and Gunther Uecker. Together these artists created a new style of installation work - earth art.

Earth art has evolved as an international phenomenon, and over the decades, has become less about concept and more about the aesthetics of integration. It also involves notions of sustainability and site awareness. With its Earth Art initiatives - three shows to date - Royal Botanical Gardens brings great knowledge and expertise in working with nature to integrate the sculptures produced during their Earth Art exhibits.

Seeing these insightful artistic displays of nature, some being expressions of our natural world, some depicting the importance of preservation and more, created mind provoking thoughts on how I can be creative on my own property. Living on many acres of forested land and a rather huge yard, I'm in the beginning stages of producing my personal one-of-a-kind earth art exhibit.

Royal Botanical Gardens will have this exhibit on until Thanksgiving (Oct.12). Click here to be directed to the RBC website and view a short clip on these exhibits.

]]>Acai ~ The Antioxidant-Rich Palm Fruithttp://endowingnature.squarespace.com/journal/2009/8/21/acai-the-antioxidant-rich-palm-fruit.htmlSteph Morrison2009-08-21T19:08:18ZFruit Power acai amazon antioxidant juiceThere's been alot of buzz about a certain berry that is so beneficial to our health it should be a household staple. The acai {ah- SIGH-ee} berrys' power mostly comes form the antioxidant activity that is extremely greater than any other fruit. Antioxidant is a broad term to describe compounds derived from fruits and vegetables that work in the body to combat the harmful effects of free radicals, which are unstable molecules in the body that contain oxygen and attack healthy cells. An example of an adverse reaction caused by free radicals can be seen in one's skin after unprotected exposure to the sun's harmful UV rays. Premature signs of aging, including the appearance of wrinkles and brown spots, are symptomatic of adverse reactions involving free radicals.

The environment that the acai fruit grows in is what creates this great superfood. The acai palm are the tallest trees in the Amazon and provide shade for other vegetation so they've learned to adapt to absorb more solar radiation than any other plants in the rain forest. To survive the flood conditions of the Amazon rain forest, which can leave their trunks under water for days or weeks, the acai palm tree has developed a special defence strategy. These environmental stresses from the sun and climate have helped to develop the trees' unique defense compounds as a coping strategy for the harsh habitat which is then passed on to those who eat the fruit.

A quote from John Muir comes to mind "Nature teaches more than she preaches." and what a great teaching we have studying the acai palm tree. It's been put in a harsh, extreme environment where it continually has to survive through conditions that obliterates most life and it produces such a remarkable and beneficial fruit. Works that way in us humans too, if we let it. The more we're able to adapt and survive through harsh and unfavourable conditions and keep a positive attitude, the more we can produce amazing and beneficial resullts for ourselves and ideally, many others.

I discovered a health and wellness company that has created a functional fruit beverage with the base being the acai berry and have been consuming and lovin this drink for a month or so now. There are many interesting and wonderful effects of this and many other fruits that I'm now very eager to learn and post about. For more info on the acai juice

Information sourced from "Success at Home" Magazine Vol 5 issue 5 August 2009 Article "Acai the fruit of Life" by K Shelby Skrhak

]]>How to think organic in the gardenhttp://endowingnature.squarespace.com/journal/2009/7/29/how-to-think-organic-in-the-garden.htmlSteph Morrison2009-07-29T20:43:45ZOutdoor Activities garden organic pesticides plants soil suzukiI've never been much of a fan of pesticides, herbicides and all those other "-icides" that make plants disease- and pest-free. I suppose part of the abstinence from chemical sprays is due to ignorance; I didn't know too much and never encountered any problems big enough to warrant chemical intervention. However, I've been hearing quite a few people mentioning their gardening challenges, saying "we can't spray those pesticides anymore", sounding frustrated and hopeless. It wasn't so long ago that we weren't technologically advanced enough to have these commercial chemical resources and society just followed different rules for encouraging healthy plant growth.

How do gardens survive nowadays without disease and pests taking them down?

With a "Less is more" philosophy.

Here are a few ideas to keep in mind to help you know that organic, natural gardens are better for you and the earth:

Good, healthy soil is the foundation of a bountiful garden - fertilizer should be your home grown compost not commercial chemical fertilizers that are high in salt and dehydrating.
Fungi, bacteria and protozoa are part of the healthy soil infrastructure. These microorganisms allow flora and fauna above and below the ground to naturally thrive.
Of 30 commonly used pesticides; 19 have studies pointing toward carcinogens, 13 are linked to birth defects, 21 with reproductive effects, 15 with neurotoxicity, 26 with liver and kidney damage, and 11 have the potential to disrupt the endocrine (hormonal) system.
Of 30 commonly used lawn pesticides, 16 are toxic to birds, 24 are toxic to fish and aquatic organisms and 11 are toxic to bees.
More than half of the 30 commonly used lawn pesticides are detected in groundwater. More than 75% have the potential to leach.
By eliminating use of pesticides and synthetic nutrients, maintaining high levels of organic matter in soil (compost) and maintaining proper levels of soil moisture, you'll encourage the healthy soil needed to increase resistance to pests and disease in your plants and supply proper nutrients in your soil.
Put the right plant in the right place! Know the ideal conditions for plants and trees and plant them in their proper growing environment. This encourages plants to be at their healthiest and strongest and they'll naturally be pest- and disease-free.

Respect the surface of the Earth and that same earth will give back a bountiful harvest and beautiful growth.

David Suzuki Digs My Garden Contest is open til August 4th. Check it out for some interesting prizes for motivating your organic gardening.

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]]>Self Care Missionhttp://endowingnature.squarespace.com/journal/2009/7/12/self-care-mission.htmlSteph Morrison2009-07-12T16:14:33ZConnecting With Nature mission statement nature self careDo you have a personal mission statement?

A specific sentence that can focus on what you personally stand for and attract into your life is a excellent starting point to know your purpose for being put on this earth. We need to take care of ourselves and know ourselves so we can put all that good that rests inside of us out into the world. A few years back I created my personal mission statement and refer to it often to keep on track and remember what my overall ongoing goal is.

My Personal Mission Statement: "To empower myself and others to live more clearly, simply, and fully"

I came to define my personal mission statement after experiencing self-nurturing or self-care techniques. Since being introduced to the concept of nurturing myself I have more focus and feel more authentic than I ever have. Even though I have experienced great results from focusing on my self-care, I still struggle with maintaining my self care practices and finding self-care techniques that are most effective for me. I gravitate towards the outdoors stuff, like walking or biking and noticing natural occurance like wildlife, trees and gardens/flowers. I've taken that focus on the internet to provide products for camping, hiking and backpacking, creating this blog to bring focus to the nurturing ways of nature and have been joining social sites to interact with other like-minded people and to influence others to turn to nature to find their "roots".

Focus on what your overall reason is for living by nurturing yourself and taking up regular activities that you enjoy. Some of those activities should include feeling the connection to nature through camping, nature walks/hikes, and just spending time outdoors and being aware of your surroundings but there are also lots of other stuff to take time for yourself. Do you enjoy sewing, scrapbooking, writing, photography, baths, meditating? Just do whatever you seem drawn to, but make sure it's just about you. The concept of self-care is very important to me to better deal with others and to feel more balanced, relaxed and rejuvenated. After spending time on you create your personal mission statement that can direct you to live more clearly, simply and fully.

]]>Nature for Your Healthhttp://endowingnature.squarespace.com/journal/2009/4/20/nature-for-your-health.htmlSteph Morrison2009-04-20T13:17:27ZConnecting With Nature health nature outdoors relaxIt's no secret to the majority of people that nature does something to help us relax and calm down. The popularity of cottages, camping, hiking, and other outdoor activities displays that fact. The city dwellers, people with hectic lifestyles and high stress jobs will almost always pick a vacation destination that includes alot of time in the outdoors. I would expect that it's not always a conscious choice to spend some time with nature, but our human nature subconsciously directs us to nature when we're in need of some rest and relaxation.

I can personally relate my experience of a change in perspective from spending more of my time in the outdoors after moving to the country. It's been a gradual change - no aha moment - but the more I embrace our natural world the more I feel the improvement of my overall outlook on life. Nature exists in a self-sustaining way. I'm not just talking about the trees and plants but also the wildlife, insects and how all these different parts of nature rely on each other but not in a dependent kind of way. They are just supported by each other. Humans are definitely part of that interwoven connection, but it seems that humans are the only part that resists connecting. My fairly new relationship with God has been part of that realization of the connection in nature and to nature. It seems that God has created a perfectly interwoven world but given humans the option to choose to see this or not. It's quite a profound realization so I am glad to have experienced life without seeing the nature connection and coming to a point where I do see and feel that power of connecting.

Some things need to be believed to be seen. Believe that being connected to nature will improve your life and you will see the rejuvenating results. Not only just spending time in nature but using herbs and essential oils taken from plants, eating more whole foods directly grown from the earth, creating a home environment with plants and animals and if you can't get ouside to enjoy the sounds of nature, listen to the many recordings of the outdoors that have been made to help us relax and let go of any tension.

Connect to Nature for your Health

]]>Solar Food Dryinghttp://endowingnature.squarespace.com/journal/2009/4/2/solar-food-drying.htmlSteph Morrison2009-04-02T22:32:32ZConnecting With Nature camping dehydrating food solar food drying I'd been familiar with drying food with commercial food dehydrators when I came upon the beauty and simplicity of solar food drying. I felt I'd hit the jackpot of nature's bounty - no electricity, using up all my grown produce, taking advantage of local fruits and vegetables, and preparing tasty, balanced meals for food on my camping trips. Using the suns' natural energy for drying meat, vegetables and fruit from local harvest is a timeless tradition of preserving without adding anything for preserving. Food drying is a very practical plan for meals and snacks for camping, hiking, backpacking and the many other outdoor excursions. Foods consist of 50-90% water, so dehydrating food can greatly reduce pack size and weight and since a great variety of foods can be dried you can enjoy various meals for your oudoor life.

A few advantages to drying food as compared to other food preservation methods:

Simply and easy - slicing is about as difficult as the procedure gets
dried food retains more nutrients
no energy used for solar drying
dried food is concentrated, reducing bulk and weight 50-90%
drying requires fewer containers and less storage space

My new found interest in solar food drying came from a book I'm eargerly reading and some of the facts above are from "The Solar Food Dryer" by Eben Foder

I haven't made my solar food dryer yet, but I can't wait to connect to probably the oldest method of preserving food and to be even more dependent on the sustainable energy from nature.

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