By Jim Hines
The magic of Spring is upon us. It’s all about renewal, recharging and reconnecting during this marvelous season.
Renewal of our commitment to the natural world, recharging by allowing ourselves to spend quality quiet time out among the natural world, and reconnecting by making sure that our deep connection to all that is wild is a top priority in our lives.
With our wonderful and powerful rains this past season the natural world around us is alive, hills and meadows are a vibrant green, creeks and rivers are flowing, and flowers and shrubs are blooming.
Thrill yourself, stimulate your senses, touch the goodness of life and feel the freshness of the land. Wander the footpaths, walk the roads, bike the parkways and kayak the lakes or in the ocean, this is the season we have been waiting years for, the dryness is behind us, the positive outcome of rain rules this Spring.
Plant a Spring garden, the soil is perfect for it now, grow vegetables and fruits the healthy organic way and fill your yard with the bounty of endless flowers in bloom, flowers in bloom give you a positive start to each day. My yard is in full bloom now, so much color and I am dazzled.
Each morning I wake up and see flowers in bloom everywhere, the garden pond is full and all of my 25+ varieties of Japanese Maples are all leafed out with tender new foliage. And the Hellebore portion of the yard has new varieties planted in it.
Yes, try something new this season, whether it be a new variety of squash, a new peach tree or a new camellia or rose, allowing newness into your garden is part of the enjoyment of gardening.
And out in nature explore a new trail or visit one of the Channel Islands you have not visited before.
The newness of life this season extends to wildlife, spring is filled with the newness of birth, baby birds are hatching in their nests, newly born deer fawns are wobbling around on their new legs and you may come across coyote or fox pups, babies give us hope for the future, may they be nurtured and protected and grow up strong and resourceful.
Share the natural world with a friend. Have a picnic lunch at the beach. Walk holding hands with one you love by a lake. Birdwatch to see who observes the most bird species. Experience the joy of wildflower viewing with those you are close to.
This wonderful season draws out the good in all of us, we marvel, we are astonished, we seek, we care, and we spread that joy into our daily world.
~ For the wild, Jim