Saturday six

Yesterday kind of got away from me and to make up for missing the Friday five (two weeks in a row.... sigh), I thought I'd pen the equally list-oriented and cleverly named Saturday six (which, if you look at it, can actually be seen as a bonus, or plus one).

As a member of the David Suzuki Foundation, I regularly get updates from the organization that works to "protect the diversity of nature and our quality of life, now and for the future." This month, I received an e-mail about the 30x30 Nature Challenge which encourages (or rather, challenges) Canadian to spend 30 minutes in nature each day for 30 days starting May 1st.

According to the DSF, the health benefits of spending more time outdoors in nature include reduced anxiety and depression, decreased stress, increased energy and increased immunity, among others. 

It even makes you happier and nicer, says Suzuki.

I had the opportunity of testing this theory out for myself this week as I spent an average of three hours a day outdoors gardening.

You heard me: the citycountry bumpkin has developed a green thumb. And feels happier. (As to whether or not I'm nicer, I assume that's up for discussion.)

While three hours is decidedly more than thirty minutes I can't tell you how different I felt after having my hands in the ground.

The first day was a little hit and miss, logistically, as I had not yet differentiated the perennials from the weeds, but after a while I came to recognize the various plants and flowers growing around our house. Each morning was like Christmas as something new popped out of the ground, budded or better yet; flowered.

Hope you enjoy as much as I did.

 

And a few shots I captured at the end of the week, before stormy weathers hit.