Today I volunteered at the Wildlife Refuge, something I regularly do on Saturday mornings since Chris is usually at his open studio. While at the refuge, I started reading a book called “Bird Watching for Dummies”. It was a quick read, but maybe not the perfect one for me to get hooked on Birding as a pastime. There are several other Birding Basics books at the store where I work, so I feel I have plenty of time to explore the possibility of becoming a birder. Honestly, if anyplace is going to turn me, it’s the Tualatin River Wildlife Refuge. 
I was considering writing about Birding today, but I only read one book and I don’t have enough information. But reading the book reminded me of an important aspect I developed for EarthFit, which is “Experiencing Nature”. And with that came, wouldn’t you guess it, a list!
Experiencing Nature is a concept of EarthFit that works in a more passive way, getting healthy and protecting the earth almost as if by through osmosis. The idea is to spend as much time outdoors, doing activities you enjoy. The possibilities are endless, but I did make a list of some of the ways you can enjoy the outdoors. This is by no means meant to be a complete list, just something I thought of in my 3 hour shift at the refuge.
Experiencing Nature
- Bird-watching
- Geocaching
- Kayaking/Canoeing
- Nature Crafting
- Zip Lining
- Gardening
- Snorkeling/ Scuba diving
- Paddle board
- Landscape Art
- Biking
- Hiking
- Kite Flying
- Beach-bumming
- Skiing/Snow boarding
female skier skiing downhill with sun and mountains. - Outdoor sports
- Jungle gyms
- Yoga
- Tai Chi
- Fishing/Hunting
- Surfing
- National Park Hopping
- Zoo/Aquarium Visits
- Blue Goose Hunting (that’s the logo for National Wildlife Refuges, I don’t advocate hunting for a blue goose)
- Animal Surveys
- Camping
- Ren Faires
- Re-enactments
- River Rafting
- Skating/ Skateboarding
- Rock-climbing
- Astronomy
- Wildlife Photography
- Hang-gliding
- Sky diving (I mean, not ME, but it is an outdoor activity you could try, if you wanted to die)
- Swimming
- Boating
- Dog-walking
- Trekking
- Running (if you are out of any other options, I guess)
This list could be subdivided into Leisure, Active, and Adventurous/High Energy activities. Sure you won’t burn a lot of calories flying a kite or doing landscape art, but getting outdoors is very healthy for you anyways. And the other important factor of being outside is building an appreciation for nature. This is where the osmosis sets it. The more time you spend doing an activity you thoroughly enjoy, outdoors, the more you will enjoy the outdoors. The more you enjoy the outdoors, the more appreciative you are for the areas that allow you to enjoy your activities. If you appreciate it, you will want to protect it. It may inspire you to volunteer, or donate to a cause. It may motivate you to take up the cause yourself and fight to protect it. This appreciation can encourage you to learn more about your natural area and what you can do to preserve it. Whatever the inspiration or motivation, getting outside is definitely a first step.
This list is helpful for me to find activities I may want to try. My good friend Judy in Seattle does a lot of geocaching, so I figured if I wanted to test that out, she would be a great resource. I know I have tons of resources (and not just field guide books) at the refuge to help me if I choose to go down those routes, too.
I plan to delve more into these ideas further down the road, but I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to show one of my lists, and explain a little how my mind sometimes works.
What are some of your Experiencing Nature activities?
Once we move I think my motivation to do landscape painting will increase tremendously, but currently when I think about doing a painting of our current area my thoughts on the matter are less than satisfactory.