Walking in Nature

“Life consists with wildness. The most alive is the wildest. Not yet subdued to man, its presence refreshes him.”
― Henry David Thoreau, Walking


Q on one of our nature walks in April. That's our driveway leading up to Constitution Highway (aka Route 20). It's called Constitution Highway because Montpelier and Monticello also reside along it.

Since moving to the "country" two years ago, one of my favorite things is being surrounded by all things GREEN. From Spring until Fall, there are enough leaves on our trees that we can't see any of our neighbors (and even in the winter we can only see one neighbor in one part of our backyard). Although I like this insulation, I also appreciate living on Route 20 since it gets plowed in the winter and makes it quick and easy to get into town year round.

I remember being pregnant with Quincy and having to commute an hour to go 11 miles to downtown DC...I feel so blessed that I no longer have that stress in my life! John didn't even have to commute but his blood pressure was bad enough living inside the beltway that he had to take medication to keep it under control. Two years of country life and John's blood pressure is great without any medication.

John sent me this article last week: How walking in Nature Changes the Brain Although it was a small study, it makes intuitive sense to me and my own experience validates the results: Nature is good for the brain and for the soul.