Mimmsical Creations

Over at Create a Connection, Holly is guest hosting the Getting to Know You day this month! She talked a bit about "nature-deficit disorder" (which I'd never heard of) and asked us to answer questions about the "great outdoors! Here are my answers to her questions.

1) What are some of your memories about the "great outdoors?" (games played outside, camping, hiking, bike riding, running in the rain)

When I was a kid, I spent a LOT of time outside. We lived half a block from the town swimming pool. I was there all day every day in the summer. No worrying about sunblock back them. I've got some pretty serious freckles from sun exposure!

My friend Bobbie and I used to ride our bikes all over our street. (It was a dead end on the "wrong side of the tracks" so we could ride all over without worrying too much about being hit by cars.) I can remember pretending that our bikes were cars - following the "rules" and parking, etc. I also loved to do gymnastics, so I was always tumbling all over our big lawn. (Oh to have that much energy again!)

We went camping some when I was a kid - but it was in a trailer not a tent. We went to Red Feather Lakes - which isn't too far from where I grew up (and where I live now). I loved playing in the stream that went through the camp site. We did a bit of fishing, but not a lot. Every summer, we also went to Durango to a church camp. My mom was the camp cook and my dad brought his guitar and sang. I got to be a camper. I have some very fond memories of that camp! The area was gorgeous (of course!) and we did a lot of fun things. (I'll have to see if I can dig out some photos!)

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 don't spend very much time outside anymore. There are aspects of being outside that I love, but I cannot handle the heat of summer. I don't go out if it's too hot - I just melt. I love the mountains, and love living so near them. (I think we'll be heading into the mountains tomorrow with our Texas visitors!)

My true love is the ocean though. Living in Colorado poses a problem to getting there often enough. I am drawn to the ocean! Both Mike and I hope that we'll live near enough to go to the shore every weekend at some point in the near future!

I could literally spend hours on the shore - just sitting and watching, or walking along the sand. I'd get out a lot more if I was near the ocean!!

I also love fall when the weather cools off (typically at least) and I can spend an evening sitting outside!

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 worry a lot about the state of our world. Global warming is a real, serious issue that I'm afraid we can't do much to reverse at this point. We do recycle. I drive a small, fairly gas efficient car.

Other than these small things, I'm afraid I don't do much. I am learning and becoming more aware though. Education about the status of our earth is important!! The changes I notice about my little area are scary. It never used to be so hot here, and the weather has become more extreme! I don't like it!

4) Can you share one or two links that showcase the great outdoors or some way to help heal the earth?

An Inconvenient Truth - a very important film.
Live Earth

5) Feel free to share a picture of you in your environment, enjoying the outdoors and just plain having fun.