#nature

#nature

I'm sitting across from a brilliant operator, the kind who's built three companies nearly from scratch, and I notice his screen saver: early morning light spilling gold across the ocean. I laughed and shared my phone screen: dawn breaking over a lake, that first blush of sun hitting the water. That shared knowledge, that we both like launching our days by anchoring ourselves in a moment of nature, we both understood the value.

The title of this final book, sent to her publisher in January 2018, a week before she died, might look ironic, but with a writer like Le Guin you can't be too sure. Her science fiction is full of journeys to different worlds, and many of these poems reference journeys too, both in this world and into the next.

Then the Goethe Lakes, Goethe Peak and what's left of the Goethe Glacier. This is the Glacial Divide, beyond which lies Evolution Valley, where I hiked as a 20-something on the John Muir Trail - a blissful 26 days beyond the range of communication, during which we carried everything we needed on our backs, along with a few things we didn't really need but wanted anyway. No one had cellphones back then.

A 2022 study demonstrated that viewing an environment with natural elements stimulates a flexible imagination. The authors noted that nature allows our minds to temporarily detach from daily states, such as moments when we are in a daze or daydreaming, to obtain "flashes of inspiration." They provided evidence demonstrating that more unique and diverse creative ideas become possible when opinions are flexible, as may occur when we are in natural environments.

Intrigued, I descended some 250 steps to find Kedara Water Garden thrumming with life. A majestic series of three natural spring-fed pools dotted with waterfalls, wooden daybeds, and gargantuan trees and palms appeared before me. Gede was spot on when he told me, "When I'm down there, I always feel the energy and tranquility. You're in the middle of beautiful Mother Nature, and you cannot compare it with anything else."

Black walnuts hitting a barn roofFairly rapped the morning.          Massachusetts,Autumn. Orioles and pumpkins.And the crack of those round shellsLike a hardwood mallet hammering a wedgeInto the moment, splitting it ever open Up ahead, letting it travel with us,Us into it, articulatedOngoing: whatever was to happen nextAnticipated as half-consciouslyAs the smack of the next mailed walnutOn the roof, but at exactly what Interval none of us could tell.

The grasses have now dried and turned golden, the air filled with the scents of fall. Eszter stops, "A moose!" Down in the willows along the creek, a single moose munches on the plants. We are far enough away to pleasantly observe the stoic creature in its home, a lovely spot in a high meadow tucked between mountains with no one else around except for us.

Valley of Fire State Park showcases stunning red Aztec sandstone formations, especially striking during sunrise and sunset, providing a perfect day trip from Las Vegas.

The area promises wine, walking, seafood and an eclectic history from prehistoric cave-dwellers to Agatha Christie.

What Nomad Sikkim is doing is connecting that cultural strength with the global digital economy. This is tourism with purpose, where visitors don't just come and go, but become part of the local story, supporting livelihoods and preserving heritage.

During the pandemic, when we were both working from home, my husband and I started having a daily 'tea-and-toast break' when our schedules accommodated. It provides a few minutes each day when we talk, laugh, sit in the garden, or otherwise relax and enjoy each other's company.

Freya Bromley reflects on how nature's restorative power is significant for her and emphasizes the community she discovered through a women's swimming retreat in Cornwall.

The squirrels dance effortlessly across the snowy branches, showcasing their agility and vivacity, contrasting sharply with my own frail state of health as I observe from my sick chair.

New Zealand's North Island offers diverse family adventures, from Auckland's food scene to Māori cultural experiences in the Bay of Islands and magical Waitomo Glowworm Caves.

"Whenever you think or you believe or you know, you're a lot of other people: but the moment you feel, you're nobody-but-yourself."

White Sands National Park is the largest gypsum sand dunefield in the world. It covers 275 square miles with glittering white sand and unusual desert vegetation.

Africa's off-peak or "green season" offers a vibrant landscape and intimate wildlife experiences with fewer crowds, making it a unique time to visit.

"Salute," like many of Schuyler's best works, is a form of strenuous mental calisthenics presented as an easygoing nature poem. "Past is past," it begins.

At my father's funeral, I struggled to articulate something profound, but ended up tossing dirt onto his coffin, which felt like shouting at him.

How do the small birds in the street know how not to die— that whatever they gather, hunger for, is never enough to keep them in the road when our wheels bear down upon them?

Honeymoon Island State Park offers over four miles of pristine beach ideal for wildlife sightings and shelling, giving a quieter alternative to developed beaches.

Goldsworthy's sheepskin rug made from shearing scraps, stained and stitched with thorns, invites a visceral appreciation of rural life, juxtaposing luxury with the harshness of nature.