Summertime sunshine makes it almost impossible to resist the beauty of God's creation, but sometimes it's too hot to get out and about. Luckily, there are ways to enjoy the great outdoors from the comfort of the Bethesda Gardens assisted living community. Here are six ways you can admire nature in person and from afar — both inside and out of the assisted living community.
When the weather is fine, consider an excursion to one of Frisco's beautiful parks. Between Frisco Common Park, Frisco Central Park and the Texas Sculpture Park, there are plenty of slices of nature left in the city. The grass, rocks and water features can be relaxing to sit near, and there are plenty of activities one could do while they enjoy their time in the sun.
Parks provide the perfect environment for a picnic. A blanket on the grass and a nice brunch can occupy a sunny afternoon spent with the birds and the butterflies. Here are over fifty simple picnic options that are healthier than other meals but just as delicious.
Fresh air makes moving around more appealing. Use the outdoors as an excuse to go for a walk. If you or someone you know has a dog, bring them along if you want some company. Go for a stroll among the trees and get some exercise and vitamin D.
For a different kind of exercise, bring a yoga mat to set up and stretch out in the grass. Yoga offers a variety of benefits to your body, and trying yoga outdoors may provide a tranquil exercise. Find out more information on yoga and its health benefits before you give this one a try.
The summer heat in Frisco can regularly reach 90 degrees, so sometimes it's necessary to admire the world from an air-conditioned room. Luckily, the age of technology makes this possible as dozens of documentaries have been made to both educate people and allow them to admire the complexities of the earth's ecosystems.
If you want a longer experience of nature content, there are several miniseries available that can keep you entranced for several hours in the depths of the Pacific or the jungles of the Amazon.
Here are some nature programs to get you started:
• Planet Earth 1 & 2
• March of the Penguins
• The Blue Planet 1 & 2
• Our Planet
• Seaspiracy
• Nature's Most Amazing Events
For more regular and on-demand content, try checking out the Discovery Channel, National Geographic and the History Channel. Each channel has several resources online, on apps and on television available for viewing. Check online databases or the Frisco Public Library for content to read and watch.
Appreciating the creatures of the earth is a rewarding way to pass the time and find gratitude in the world God created. Birds are some of the cleverest creatures on the food chain, and observing them can be more fascinating than one may think.
Thankfully, bird watching has been made easier than ever in the modern age. Researchers at Cornell University in New York developed a free app you can download called Merlin Bird ID. With this app, you can view information about the most common birds in your area including what they look like, what their call sounds like and even what their song sounds like when they're singing in the trees. This app makes it easy to identify and listen for your favorite birds in Frisco.
Anybody interested in gardening can bask in the wonders of creation by participating in the circle of life. It's an extraordinary experience to watch a plant grow from a tiny seed into a fully-grown plant.
Gardening is a versatile option because you can choose what you grow. Depending on the plant, you can grow it inside or out and can be as involved or passive as you please. For more hands-off plants, try a succulent or cactus. To enjoy gardening year-round, consider growing onions or garlic. For a quick and easy start, try transplanting some basil. So much is possible with gardening and it's a great way to bring nature indoors to enjoy day or night.
The singing birds and cooling breeze offer an ambience that's difficult to capture indoors. Reading under a shady tree or on a bench can help you lose yourself in a book or devotional. Sitting in the sunshine while doing everyday activities like reading or talking on the phone is a simple way to enjoy nature within Bethesda Gardens assisted living community.
For a list of new books to try, check out this blog.
The most extensive experience you can have outside without traveling the entire world is ironically found indoors. The internet has an endless list of resources you can use to learn about, see and admire nature. YouTube alone has more hours of nature than one can view in a lifetime, not to mention the dozens of live animal streams available for free. Try visiting zoo websites or check out The Nature Conservancy.
Connecting with nature has become easier than ever. Whether at home or in person, you can relish God's gift of nature every day and praise the beauty of the world you get to call home with the simplest acts like smelling the flowers or opening a window for some air. Consider bringing the outdoors inside today.
