Out and About

For today's Ten on Tuesday, Carole wants to know 10 Things I Love to Do Outside.  I'm taking a page from Kym's book, and going to say this list is things I love to do outside right now, at this time of year.

It's actually funny to me that I spend as much time outside as I do.  Growing up, I probably spent as much time as the next kid did outside, playing, riding bikes, and who knows what else.  But in high school, college, etc., I spent most of my time indoors, at classes, studying, working at my many jobs.  Anyone who knew me then would be surprised that I like being outdoors at all!

Anyway, I do, and here is my list.

1.  Listening.  No matter what time of day, I like listening to birds, train sounds, the wind in the trees, squirrels chattering, dogs barking, etc.  If I am walking along the river trail, I like hearing the ducks and geese discuss varying topics, and the sound of the water sloshing.

2.  Looking.  I love seeing who else is out and about, any dogs on walks, architecture, clouds, trees, flowers, just about anything.

3.  Thinking.  Being outside just for the sake of being outside is conducive to thinking for me.

4.  Walking.  I love to walk, and can fortunately walk almost anywhere I want to go on any given day.

5.  Hiking/trail walking.  Occasionally when The Tim and I are off on a day together, and the weather is agreeable, we'll hop in the car and venture somewhere nearby for a hike or a trail walk.  A lot of the time, we take Dug with us, which means we are moving about in a very leisurely manner ...

6.  Reading - but it has to be the right kind of book!  Some books do not lend themselves to being outside, at least in my universe.

7.  Knit.  I enjoy knitting outside, but only when it is something portable like a sock, hat, etc.  Big projects are too much to carry around.

8.  Sit.  I love to sit and just watch the world go by, whether it's on the front stoop, in our garden, waiting for someone I'm meeting somewhere - it's just enjoyable to me.

9.  Listen to music.  I love to sit in the garden and hear music through the windows, and even better, I like to go to outdoor concerts on a lovely, cool evening.

10.  Ride my bicyle.  I love riding my bike, especially along the river path.  It's good exercise, and it's something fun.

I notice that a lot of people said they like to eat and cook outside.  I enjoy that in theory, but not always in practice, so I didn't add it to my list.  I know you are probably shocked ... ;-)

Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience

- Ralph Waldo Emerson