MZD - Ep 75 Getting Your Nature Fix on a Cold Winter's Day

On my writing desk sits a plant I named Emerson. He’s just a little guy not even a foot tall, including his pot. He’s a Pachira aquatica, also known as the money tree, Guiana chestnut, or saba nut. Emerson comes from Miami, Florida, a place much warmer than where he now lives.

 

The two things I love most about him, (not trying to be sexist here, he could be a her, except I named him Emerson), is that, first of all, he has four miniature trunks that have started to be molded into a beautiful braid, ending in beautiful green lanceolate leaves that grow in clusters of 3 to 5 leaves per stem.

 

The second thing I love is that due to the fact that he is a tropical tree thriving in wetlands and swamps, he is virtually kill-proof – pretty much immune to over watering. These dudes love water so, if you’re like me, you don't have to worry about any over watering disorders you may have, due to the fact that you underwatered all the plants you tried to grow in the first half of your life.

 

The reason he sits on my desk is that he has a job; and that is to inspire me and help give me a “Nature Fix”. Especially on days like today when it’s literally 12 degrees outside and my dogs look at me like I suggested they jump off the deck of the Titanic when I open the door and ask them if they want to go for a walk.

 

Emerson sits on my desk next to the books that I am currently enjoying, and he doesn’t seem to mind when I touch his leaves whenever I have the impulse or need to get a little nature-fix.

 

We all need Nature. It’s just that some of us feel the need more urgently than others. If you are looking for a way to feel close to nature in the dead of winter, you might consider buying a few indoor plants and studying and learning more about them. (A favorite hobby of mine is growing and killing bonsai trees. Not that I particularly enjoy killing them, or purposely try to neglect them – in fact I love them and think that they are so inspiring and beautiful. It just seems that as a collective, most bonsais are really particular about their owners, and would rather commit suicide than put up with an ignorant and irregular watering schedule. Still, I do have a particularly good relationship with a large Juniper named Mr. Miaggi that has seemed pretty happy in our household for the past couple of years. So I haven’t completely given up hope yet for my life as a bonsai caretaker!)

 

Here are a few other ideas for getting your “Nature-fix” on a cold winter’s day –

 

• Taking a trip to your local library, Barnes & Noble, or other cool bookstore and hanging out in the Nature section. If you have a good collection already, you might try studying a field guide or reading a great nature book or novel set in nature.

(A few examples include – “The Nature Fix” by Florence Williams, “The Nature Principle” by Richard Louv, any book by Annie Dillard such as “Pilgrim at Tinker Creek”, and of course Henry David Thoreau’s brilliant contribution, “Walden”. Right now my wife and I are enjoying “The Dog Master” by Bruce Cameron, (the same guy who wrote “The Dog’s Purpose”. It takes you back in time to the first relationship between wolf and man, and how it evolved into the relationship we now enjoy with our canine companions. It’s a pretty coo read.

 

• You could get your fix by studying hiking trails and travel maps you plan on doing or exploring in the next year. Melissa and I set aside sometime yesterday to just get away to a coffee shop and plan our hikes, travels, nature adventures, and 14ers we plan on climbing this year. It’s a great way to set an intention and have something to look forward to at the same time.

 

• Try revisiting your old nature journals, or sketching in a new one. This can have a calm relaxing effect on your spirit as it takes you on a virtual journey into the natural world.

 

• Watching inspiring movies set in nature such as “A River Runs Through It”, “Dances With Wolves”, “The Call of the Wild”, “Never Cry Wolf”, “Into the Wild” and “Fly Away Home” just to name a few of our favorites.

 

• Create your own Nature Zen Den filled with natural inspirations such as a Zen Garden, a beautiful water fountain, wind chimes and nature sounds, plants, Nature pictures and artwork, as well as pine-scented candles and lavender oils, patchouli incense, and so on. The key is to try to appeal to all the senses for the full Nature effect, which is so good for relieving stress and creating feelings of well-being.

 

These are just a few suggestions for helping you get you Nature fix on days when you can’t get outdoors. Try being creative and come up with some ideas of your own. You’ll find it’s well worth the effort!

 No go get your "Nature Fix" for the day!