It's 'getting to know you day' over at Create a Connection and Holly brought up the idea of nature-deficit disorder and the way children play today in carefully organised time and space. She asks:
1) What are some of your memories about the "great outdoors?" (games
played outside, camping, hiking, bike riding, running in the rain)
I was always a big shelter builder (psychological possibilities? hmmm). That is to say I often built shelters, not often big shelters! Treehouses, tents, teepees, caves, anything I could manipulate to create cover, from prying eyes if not from the elements.
We spent childhood summers in Nova Scotia, exploring rocky beaches. Armed with only a couple of cookies and an apple we would disappear for hours, only returning for meals. My Dad would take us on afterdark walks, leading the way as Gandalf and we would have a bonfire and roast marshmallows.
Later, although living in the suburbs, we had a gang of friends that ranged all over the local wildernesses - the ravine, the creek, the woods behind school, the big rock, the field, the school playgrounds out of hours. We played our own variation of hide and seek, where you had to keep moving. We found clay deposits. We played on the rope swing and found frogs and turtles.
2)
Do you spend a lot of time in the outdoors, or have you lost touch with
nature? If you've lost touch with it, how could you incorporate more
of the outdoors in your every day life or would you want to?
I am lucky as a teacher - I have garden access and playground duty, so I am more aware of weather and seasons than many people are in their office blocks. I have lost touch with nature in my everyday life. Mostly due to the rat race aspects of my job. On the weekends I have been in a state of recovery and felt too tired to go anywhere. I know nature would restore me if only I could drag myself towards it. We both like to hike, so we are planning to start doing that again in September. In the meanwhile, I will be going camping early in August.
3)
What small thing can you do (or are you doing) to ensure that the earth
and all it's bounty will be here for future generations?
I try to say no to a plastic bag as often as I can. I try to recycle as often as I can and make good choices in my packaging.
4) Can you share one or two links that showcase the great outdoors or some way to help heal the earth?
This one showcases the wonder of trees.
This one helps you save money and in most cases reduce your impact on our earth.
5) Feel free to share a picture of you in your environment, enjoying the outdoors and just plain having fun.
