Every day is a new adventure. This is why nature is such an important part of my life. Not just from a business or educational perspective, but as an opportunity to explore what’s literally right under my nose. Becoming a Texas Master Naturalist couldn’t have fit into my life any better. I took the class in Spring 2015, graduating with class #36.
I started my journey in nature with butterflies and, over the years, I continue to learn that even though I plant for pollinators, a whole ecosystem moves in. Birds of all kinds, even birds of prey, along with varieties of insects and other wildlife. It teaches me how important everything is. That dead stem from winter has possible life in it, something we don’t often think about. The adventure is learning something daily. Our day-to-day schedules can be so busy with hustle and bustle. But nature teaches me to slow down and observe, to allow a sense of wonder to take over and guide me into new areas of investigation.
This past week I learned just how hardy our Texas natives are. We had record-breaking temperatures for a week, and I was looking forward to seeing what held up. To my surprise, even seeds that had just sprouted were fine. Some things were frostbitten, but a good 90% survived. With my phone camera in hand, I snapped photos of many plants and some critters that made it.
I have some chrysalids overwintering and I checked on those. So far so good. They are alive. I know this because they are pliable. Isn’t nature amazing!? We think of these things as being so delicate, yet they can survive a week-long freeze. How do they do it?
This is where your wonder comes in, where you get intrigued and start to look for information on how and why. I’m always searching for new information. This keeps me on track with my lifelong education. It keeps me grounded and focused on the nature right under my nose.
Our journeys in nature can mean so many different things. Find what peaks your interest. Go out hiking, meditate deep in a pastoral setting, swim in a natural spring. Just sit, be still, close your eyes, observe with your ears, feel the breeze caress your body, let the sun kiss your face, and take deep slow breaths. And, as funny as you may find it, hug a tree, show it gratitude and thank it for all that it provides. You’ll be amazed at how wonderful you will feel afterwards.
You can connect with Drake on her personal Facebook page here, or the website of her business, The Nectar Bar, here
