Living So Much Outdoors: day 20

Here's something for this Alaska Girl to truly appreciate--living so much of life outdoors.

Although we definitely spent more than our fair share of time outdoors in Alaska, weather usually wasn't real conducive to regular day-to-day outdoor living for us. We tended toward getting what needed to be done indoors first, and then suiting up for some outdoor time.  Here we are, heading out on a hike nearly 2 years ago this week. 

What an absolute joy it is for us this fall, to incorporate so much outdoor time into daily life, whether it be chores, education, meals, art, or hang-out time.

We have discovered the particular pleasure of having a back porch, coupled with lovely, mild weather to enjoy it every day.   We eat meals and celebrate birthdays on the porch.  We breathe the fresh morning air while getting some snuggle time in.

 

It's a wonderful place for bird watching and bug watching, and can be a thrilling place for storm and shower watching.  It's also a magical place for an evening cup of tea.

We're avid readers, and I tell you, it's hard to beat a back-porch hammock with sweet breezes flowing through for a reading nook.

Furthermore, the back porch is a great place to

simply.  just.  be. 

As blissful as back porch time can be, sometimes, you just need more sun, with your toes in the grass.  This is why we've done our fair share of homeschooling outdoors this fall.  We particularly love to do this in the dappled sunshine, under a shade tree.

 I find myself willing and able to do a lot of the messier experiments and projects, which I normally would have passed up in Alaska.  We would pass them up, not due to lack of interest, but because of logistical roadblocks.  An example of this would be, creating a model of the Nile and then overflowing the banks a couple times per week in order to make the banks flourish and grow.  It just doesn't work well in 20-30 degree weather in October.

So for now anyway, we will enjoy our in-and-out, out-and-in lifestyle in the South.  We'll swing in the hammock, pad through the warm grass on a sunny fall day, and grow our Nile River banks, while God-willing we'll grow and thrive ourselves. 

And we'll give thanks.  Lots of thanks.

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