Nature Walks

another picture of the botanical garden

botanical garden

Oh, how I miss having a back yard. Living in an apartment complex has limited my ability to do back yard things such as reading a book in a lawn chair, or picnicking without having to take an elevator down ten flights and bike to the nearest park. Some days I explore the bike paths around town to see all the green and brown and blue that surrounds this city. Other days, I prefer the view standing still instead of whizzing by me in a blur of color. I still want a back yard, but the flower garden and nearby lake are passable substitutes.

another picture of the botanical gardenThe teeny tiny university botanical garden in the photo above is the perfect hideout. It’s so small that nobody goes there other than to eat lunch or bike through it. Nevertheless, there are tons of beautiful flowers and the vines and trees provide refuge from the sun on a hot day.

wingraOn days that I long for solitude, I frequent the park and read a book. It’s refreshing to see all the families, bikers, runners, and dog owners out enjoying nature. Home is a quick walk away so there’s no pressure if I have to run home and take care of something. You can also go for a swim in the lake, but cold weather has made the water less appealing.

Where do you go to reconnect? Do you have a back yard littered with stunning flowers and vines or do you travel to the nearest park to get away from city life? Let me know in the comments. Thanks for reading.

9 responses to “Nature Walks”

  1. Hi Jess! At present, I’m lucky enough to be living in an area where there are a slew of parks that are a short drive away. Even when I was living in the city of Cleveland proper, it was just a short walk or bus ride to a nice park on the shores of Lake Erie. It wasn’t the safest walk in the world though.

    Ironically, the area where I felt most disconnected from nature was in rural, northern California. There may have been incredible Redwood forests nearby, but since I didn’t have a car I couldn’t get to them. There were smaller parks within walking distance to me, but they weren’t exactly the sort of places where one should go alone – unless you’re bringing a needle and syringe with you. It’s remarkable how one can be surrounded by nationally-acclaimed natural spaces and be unable to safely access them.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I totally relate to that! I lived in a state with access to the Appalachian Trail and the Adirondack Mountains and I wasn’t out hiking as often as other outdoorsy people. I’ve heard about the struggles of using public transit in CA from friends as well. Knowing someone with a car is a useful thing but other times you really just have to appreciate nature from where you’re at.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Yea, sometimes options are limited to whatever patch of trees might be within walking distance.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I forgot to mention surrounding yourself in hundreds of house plants. Apparently house plants have been shown to improve mood…So far I have 6 and nothing has changed. I’m assuming its an exponential relationship and maybe one can never have enough house plants to truly reach happiness. But I’ll be the first to find out.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. House plants have been shown to improve one’s mood? I had no idea! Maybe I should get some…

        Make sure to keep a mood journal as you acquire more house plants. Then we’ll be able to see at which point your happiness levels start to improve 😛

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  2. I am fortunate enough to have a back yard and I love spending time there! I like to grab my camera and take pictures of things in my back yard. Until I took the time with my camera, I didn’t really appreciate the beauty of the space. I also have walking trails near-by that take me through the neighborhood. Not only do I get to enjoy the beauty of the walking trail, but I greet neighbors as we walk by and some times strike up a conversation.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That’s a good point. Walking past the lake, it’s easy for me to forget the beauty of living here. But taking a picture and sharing it, or even hanging out with friends along the shore makes me recognize that I do have some scenic views to be thankful for. It sounds sappy but it’s the truth. Thanks for reading!

      Liked by 1 person

  3. I’m finding recently that I can find nature in all sorts of places-poems and books, just walking the kids to school etc. If you look for it you’ll find it!(but back gardens are great!)

    Liked by 1 person

  4. I need nature to reconnect. When I cannot go to the countryside, I am fortunate to have a garden, so lying on the grass is wonderfully grounding.

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