Savoring the Great Outdoors

On a recent hike with my grandkids, our trail took us through the woods to a beach on Lake Michigan.

Our Friday Fox asked, “Do you have favorite spots in nature, such as a view, the woods, a sea or lake shore?”

First, let me begin by stating that if it weren’t for the fact that fresh air is good for me, I would probably rarely venture outside. I have a tendency to attract flying insects, I don’t enjoy swimming, I get headaches when in the sunshine and unless one of my kids or grandkids is participating, I don’t enjoy watching sports (other than Tiger Baseball). 

That said, as long as I’m indoors, I’m really not fussy about the scenery outside the window. Windows are there to let light in. I would probably not be too happy in a busy urban area, though. Big cities are for visiting, not for spending extended amounts of time. I’ve always lived in suburbia, so I’m used to seeing other houses, but there’s always grass and trees between them. 

I like being by water – I guess that’s a good thing, because in Michigan, we’re told, we’re never more than six miles from a body of water. However, I don’t particularly enjoy being in the water. I can swim, but I really don’t miss the in-ground pool that we had at our house. A day at the beach has never been my idea of fun.

I like being in the woods, as long as there are no mosquitoes. Maybe it’s all the extra oxygen coming from the plant life, but I feel a sense of peace when surrounded by trees. My grandkids and I have been enjoying weekly hikes this summer, exploring several different wooded trails. But camping in the woods overnight, without my comfortable bed and running water? No, thank you.

We don’t have mountains and deserts in Michigan, so I won’t go into those. They’re both appealing to look at, and I suppose if I were to move to an area with one or the other, I could deal with it. I don’t anticipate that happening, though.

In another month I’ll be attending a writing retreat in the woods near Lake Michigan. Six other authors and I will be working on our projects in a large house where we’ll each have a six foot table, a comfortable office chair, great internet service, and good lighting. Perfect conditions for getting work done – BUT if we want to take a break, we can walk two blocks to the lake, or wander on the paths through the woods. The garage is stocked with all sorts of sports equipment, bicycles, and two covered surreys. This picture is from our retreat in 2019 – you’ll notice that I’m sitting in the back, which meant that I didn’t have to pedal and I didn’t have to steer. 

I suppose if I had to select one favorite outdoor spot, it would be the area around this vacation house…or any place similar. I guess the woods and the water are what I enjoy. The eastern shore of Lake Michigan has lots of wooded areas open to the public, so I could go to a different place every day of the year and not visit them all! Fortunately, many spots like this are near me – there’s a nature center less than a mile away from where I live, with a stream running through it – so I can hike there any time I want!

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