This time of year, it seems, one should spend more time outside. An immediate reason might be yard chores: weeding and putting down lime are two examples. The lawn hasn’t needed mowing yet, although some around me have already fired up their mowers.<\/p>\n
On the west coast, we don’t have winter the same as the rest of Canada. The lawn stays green all year. However, it doesn’t grow much. Once the leaves are down, the landscape lies prostrate against wind and rain until spring.<\/p>\n
During the gloomy months of winter, the west coast resident might “hunker down” in the home, turning to books, chess, and Internet research. An academic, of course, likely finds such pursuits appealing anyway.<\/p>\n
When the sun breaks through, though, staying indoors seems less appropriate than during the windy, rainy months of winter. Yet, the indoor activities have come to define the lifestyle. Doing “what you did last week” seems natural. Furthermore, you likely have unfinished projects from those indoor pursuits.<\/p>\n
For me, transitions can be challenging. With the yard chores beckoning, I always enter “spring mode,” having no choice. However, this year, I’m doing so for another reason as well: to escape the mental staleness that can so easily develop by living in routine.<\/p>\n
I’ve gotten out the field guides and started going to the woods to search for the plants and birds I know await me. Already I’ve made a couple of finds; I look forward to sharing them in coming posts:)<\/p>\n