Day 328 - Nature’s Gifts

While many, many people are lined up in the cold or hustling and bustling through tangled webs of retail purgatory, either online or in person, I am sitting looking out the window at a true gift. A gift that is always available. And it is free.

Nature. 

I too once fell into the trap of taking advantage of sales and organizing an ungodly shopping schedule to save a few dollars, but I refuse to indulge in Black Friday anymore. Instead of saving a few bucks, I'm hoping to catch a glimpse of some in my backyard, if they have survived hunting season so far. I am not saying it is wrong to shop ‘til you drop. To each his own as long as no one is getting hurt. A healthy balance in life is important. I just feel time in nature is incredibly undervalued and appreciated.

I just hope to spend more time and energy on things that are more meaningful. Nature is the gift that keeps on giving. Every day, new opportunities arise when exploring nature. An Ice Age Trail friend of mine sums up the evolving experiences in nature very nicely. Even though the trail is technically around 1,200 miles, when asked how long it is, she says over 4,000 miles. She says this because you can hike the same section of trail in each season and get a completely different experience. I feel the same way about every natural space I visit with my family or on my own. Nature is the gift that keeps on giving. On our farm, even mundane chicky chores offer up new interactions with our feathered friends. Each hike in the trail provides new perspectives on what project we might want to tackle next. If nothing else, every golf ball hunt offers new golf balls. 

As our farm evolves, I am confident we can share the generous gifts nature has to offer to anyone and everyone interested. Our master plan involves utilizing nature. Whether it is nature play days, citizen science events, nature art opportunities, or potential partnerships with our neighboring nature preserve, the gifts nature has to offer will only get bigger and better.