{"id":1803,"date":"2009-07-07T14:10:45","date_gmt":"2009-07-07T21:10:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.janice-campbell.com\/?p=216"},"modified":"2020-12-03T20:36:58","modified_gmt":"2020-12-03T20:36:58","slug":"nature-fun-for-summertime","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/doingwhatmatters.com\/nature-fun-for-summertime\/","title":{"rendered":"Nature Fun for Summertime"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are days when nature finds us where we are. Two foxes strolled through the yard yesterday as if inspecting their own property. I’m surprised they hadn’t been frightened out of the neighborhood by the yapping of our little terrier who had spotted a doe browsing through the azaleas just an hour or so earlier, and was still “woofing” her displeasure at the trespasser. The foxes weren’t very big, but they sported bushy tails that were almost as big around as they were. I wish we’d had time to grab the camera!<\/p>\n

\"Have<\/p>\n

Later, we sat on the patio at the edge of the woods and watched as a hawk tended its nest of noisy babies. There was a lot of activity up there, and I kept a sharp eye on our smallest cat<\/strong>, lest she look a bit too much like lunch from the hawk’s lofty vantage point. All went well, and we were able to bear the mosquitos long enough to enjoy watching fireflies flicker across the lawn, and see the occasional bat swoop by.<\/p>\n

Sometimes, though, you may have to go out of your way to find touches of nature. Even if you don’t have wildlife neighbors as we do, almost any neighborhood offers many growing things to enjoy. I grew up in the heart of Los Angeles, and to outsiders, much of my world probably seemed paved over. It wasn’t though, and even in the heart of that big city, nature \u2014 plants, trees, birds, and wild creatures lived. Our tiny yard was a rich ecosystem of ferns, St. Augustine grass (nice for nibbling, if my mother didn’t catch me), an avocado tree, camellias, and many other plants.<\/p>\n

My father’s organic garden was across the street in a little triangle of land left over when a freeway was built. This little slice of nature featured lemon, lime, orange, kumquat, and peach trees, a compost pile, and plenty of fresh vegetables.\u00a0Less than a mile away was a park \u2014 not exactly a natural space, but open and ringed with fragrant eucalyptus trees. It had swings, slides, and plenty of space for running and playing.<\/p>\n

What kind of fun can you have in nature with just a few plants, trees, or rocks?<\/h2>\n