Giving Thanks to Nature

If you’re a fan of this blog on Facebook, you know I’ve been posting what I’m thankful for every day this month. I thought it might be fun to add a few more items and post the complete list here just in time for Thanksgiving.

This year, I am especially thankful for all the moments I’ve spent with my family exploring nature, discovering new things and connecting with each other and the world around us. I am thankful for:

• that perfect spot on a favorite river – the one that’s just right for skipping stones, floating boats, fishing and taking a dip in on a hot summer afternoon. 

• nature at the park – from ponds and nature trails to birds and creeks.

• nature’s constancy, so that I may share with my kids the special places of my youth.

• even the spookiest-looking of spiders, for without them, I would not have discovered their coolness through the eyes of a 6 year old.

• our U-pick farm adventures, which have filled our tummies with all-natural goodness and shown us where real food comes from.

• all of nature’s little surprises, like a rainbow on an otherwise average day.

• trees – from the ones just right for climbing (or hugging) to the ones so tall you have to strain to see the top.

• backyard gardens, where kids’ imaginations take flight as they discover & explore bugs, birds, flowers, plants, seeds, fruits, vegetables & more. 

• brisk winter days spent on nearly empty Southern California beaches.

• windy days, for they are perfect for flying kites with kids. 

• sticks and all of their magical uses. Where would our fairy houses be without them?

• birds – from our backyard crows to the small ones the little explorer chases away and the new-to-us ones we ogle on our bird watching adventures.

• nature’s seasonal treasures, like spring fields of California poppies and fall apple-picking adventures. 

• rainy days, without which there would be no puddle jumping.

• nature in the city – for pigeons atop light signals, squirrels spotted up-close and personal, breathtaking front yard gardens & dreamy tree-lined streets.

• the perfect patch of grass to lie down in and gaze up at the sky, especially if it’s at the bottom of a long grassy hill.

• unexpected (yet safe) close encounters with wildlife, like standing just a few feet away from a sunning great egret, with my 2.5 year old by my side. 

• sunsets so stunning that even the kids are in awe.

• easy to moderate hiking trails just right for little tykes.

• rocks – the kind you collect, the kind you skip on water, the kind you scramble on and the ones you long to climb some day.

• the chance to witness one of nature’s most amazing transformations – the caterpillar turning into a butterfly, then flying free.

• time spent at a favorite place in nature.

• the opportunity to explore nature away from home – in Hawaii, Las Vegas, San Diego and more.

What are you thankful to nature for this season?