Nature Journaling Reduces Stress

I’ve mentioned many times that I love to journal, and I usually write surrounded by plants and nature. I use nature journaling as a creative form of self-expression, but I find that it also promotes relaxation and calmness.

Journaling at Burden Falls in Southern Illinois

Many people journal. In its most basic form, journaling is a daily record of news and events that happen in a person’s life. Writing down our day-to-day happenings saves that information in an organized manner and helps us remember it later. I’ve been journaling since I was a teenager, and my family often enjoys reading my old entries, reminding us of fun family times.

Nature journaling provides all this and much more. We all intuitively know that being in nature makes us happy. In fact, research shows that spending just 20 minutes in nature can promote health and well-being. Journaling while surrounded by nature allows us to slow down and see the natural world from a different perspective.

Relaxing in nature provides mental and emotional clarity to express our private experiences, thoughts, and feelings. While doing this, we begin to relax, thus enhancing the outdoor experiences even more. After all, have you ever stayed in a bad mood while surrounded by nature? Journal takes that positive experience to a deeper level and makes it last longer.

Journaling is not difficult to do. You don’t have to write a magazine-quality short story, just write what you see and feel. Over time we all develop our own style that works for us. Although most people journal with pen and paper, there are no rules. Some people prefer to blog, scrapbook, tweet, or use a smart-device writing app. You could also express those same thoughts through music, art, pictures, videos, and more. Be creative. Adding sketches and pictures makes the nature journal even more meaningful.

I admit there are times when I have a bit of writer's block while journaling. Although I usually write my general observations, sometimes I do come up with witty, inspirational thoughts. It is often surprising what inspirational ideas I find while in nature.

There are many writing techniques to help inspire our nature journaling activity. Start with the facts by writing down the date, weather conditions, and journaling location. Then sketch or write down your observations of that place. What do you see? What does it remind you of? Does it make you wonder or ask questions? 

Happy Journaling!

Originally Published in Canton Daily Ledger Column 9-30-2017

Backyard Greenhouses Extend the Garden Season

Every year my dad (Ron Simmons) starts many annual plants for our family in his backyard greenhouse. I get most of my flowering annuals, vegetables, and herbs from dad’s greenhouse. His plants are amazingly healthy and grow better than any other plants in my gardens.

Dad's greenhouse

I see more and more hobby greenhouses and hoop-houses popping up in homeowner’s backyards. What’s the difference? They are both very similar. They both extend the growing season in spring and fall, sometimes allowing edibles to grow year-round. Both hold in the heat with a covering, usually plastic. Greenhouses typically grow plants on benches or tables, while hoop-houses grow plants in the ground. Greenhouses usually have a supplemental heat source, while hoop-houses trap the sun’s heat inside to warm plants in the ground.

Dad's greenhouse

Due to their relative low cost, hoop-houses are becoming more popular than greenhouses. Hobby greenhouses costs vary from several hundred to several thousand dollars. Operating costs can be high if year-round heating and cooling are required. Greenhouse kits are probably the easiest way to get started, or like my dad, you can design and build your own. Dads’ greenhouse started with recycle glass windows, but due to hailstorm damage he later replaced those with greenhouse polycarbonate panels.

Most hobby greenhouses grow plants in soil, but hydroponics and aquaponics are also options. Hydroponic systems grow plants in nutrient enriched water, instead of in soil.

On a recent trip to Monterey California, I visited a small community garden on the campus of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies where my son Derek is going to grad school. The garden had a small aquaponics system in the back where fish are raised in tanks that supply nutrient rich water to hydroponically grown plants. When I was there in April, they were growing lettuce, Swiss chard, and onions.

Backyard Greenhouse Basics was the topic of a University of Illinois Extension Four Seasons Garden webinar series. Extension Horticulture Educator Kim Ellson explained how, regardless of their shape or size, greenhouses allow us to get a head start on our favorite plants and be outside whilst the weather is bleak.  Kim discussed how to get the most out of your backyard greenhouse.

If you’ve dreamed of having your own greenhouse, let this be your year to make that dream come true. In just a few years, the savings from growing your own food will pay for the greenhouses. 

Originally Published in Canton Daily Ledger Column 5-21-2016

Green Space is Necessary for Life!

Are plants just pretty or do they really make our lives better? Look around you the next time you drive through town. Are there enough green spaces around your community? Research has found that plants are beneficial to our health and psychological wellbeing.

University of Illinois researcher Bill Sullivan, Associate Professor of Horticulture, studied these issues. Dr. Sullivan’s research addressed the question, “Does having everyday contact with nature affect a person’s functioning?” That is, is there a connection between the presence of nature and effective human functioning?

Frances Kuo and Bill Sullivan of the University of Illinois Human-Environment Research Laboratory studied these concepts in Chicago’s Robert Taylor Homes, the largest public housing development in the world. The Robert Taylor Homes consist of twenty-eight 16-story apartment buildings. Most of the complex is an urban desert – concrete and asphalt cover the spaces between the buildings – but there are pockets of trees here and there. Kuo and Sullivan studied how well the residents of Robert Taylor were doing in their daily lives based on the amount of contact they had with these trees.

The study found that when compared to people who live in places without trees, residents of Robert Taylor Homes who live near trees have significantly better relations with, and stronger ties to their neighbors. Trees are important. Frances Kuo put it well when she said, “Before we started our research I would have said, trees are nice, but the problems we’re facing in our cities and our budgets are such that I’m not sure it’s worth it.” “I think that through this research I have become convinced that trees are really an important part of a supportive, humane environment. Without vegetation, people are very different beings.”

For more information visit the Human-Environment Research Laboratory website. The information is certainly applicable to smaller towns as well.

Plants in my home office be a window that
looks onto the plants in my backyard. 

But plants are just as important indoors too. Plants are an integral part of our homes, offices, and shopping malls. This is not just a fad. Plants serve a purpose in these places by filling a psychological need, enhancing our environment, and are also a satisfying hobby. But more than that, indoor plants help cleanse the air! A study done by NASA investigated the potential use of plants as reducers of indoor air pollution on Earth, and in future space habitats. They found that certain plants not only clean the air of pollutants, but also reduce airborne microbial levels and increase humidity.

Research in these areas will continue at the University of Illinois and beyond. For those of us who love plants, the results are not surprising. Plants are a necessary part of our lives!

Originally Published in Canton Daily Ledger Column 9-23-2000

A New Direction Riding a Tiger in California

After many years of road touring my husband and I decide to go a completely new direction and get an adventure motorcycle, trading our 2009 CVO Ultra Harley for a 2020 Triumph Tiger 900 GTPRO, with an added 52 Litre Trekker Top Box. The Tiger fits in the 6 1/2-foot bed of our Ford F150 pickup truck and allows us to explore more remote locations. Compared to the Harley, I am a more active passenger on the Tiger, comfortably experiencing more of the ride (and more locations) than ever before. 

Our month-long stay at an Airbnb in Morro Bay is the perfect place to trial the new bike. Here we are close to our sons and many outdoor recreational opportunities. For us, this is a great way to safely vacation during the COVID pandemic. 

Although the California Butler Motorcycle Maps provide us many great riding options, it is the impromptu suggestions from local adventure riders that send us new directions and on our best journeys. Follow our route described below on this Google Map link.

Another Triumph rider at the gas station near our house said one of the best road rides in the area is State Route 41 between Morro Bay and Parkfield. Route 41 is a smooth paved road that winds through avocado and olive groves. Between Atascadero and Creston, we witness amazing vistas, including steep straw-colored pastures and dense groves of trees. Just past Shandon we turn down Cholame Valley Road towards Parkfield. On this paved, but bumpy road we ride through farm fields on either side, while trees dot the hillsides farther away. 

"Jerry's Corner" on the San Andreas Fault 

At the end of the straight Cholame road, we meet another biker on his KLR 650. Jerry enthusiastically informs us that we are stopped right on the San Andreas Fault line and suggests several area roads to explore. 

We follow Jerry’s advice and wow! We ride through the quaint town of Parkfield, which has eclectic, fun looking – but closed - establishments that we need to visit once COVID is over. The Parkfield-Coalinga road winds us up into the mountain. As Jerry warned, the road turns into the hard packed dirt of the Parkfield Grade with incredible mountain views. The Tiger’s off-road mode performs perfectly, providing grip and traction on the steep, dirt road. Although the road is uneven with occasional debris, the Tiger absorbs the bumps well for both driver and passenger. The steep slopes and hills below us look like velvet shining in the sun, with shades of tan, green, and blue.

Parkfield Grade

As we climb higher in elevation, the scrubby trees turn to taller evergreens, with large pinecones covering the road in places. We pass many cattle gates with open range cows grazing along the roadside. At Route 198 we stop at a roadside pull-off for granola bars and water. Although the weather was warm and sunny until this point, from here we have a windy, cold ride on U.S. Route 101 back to Morro Bay. The Tiger’s instrument display records the day’s ride at 195 miles, over 4 ½ hours, averaging 42 mph. 

Jerry also suggested we ride Peach Tree Road, so we head back there another day. This time we take Old Creek Road from Morrow Bay to State Route 46, which passes through Paso Robles wine country. Grapevines fill our view on both roadsides. In San Miguel we stop for pictures at the mission, then take Indian Valley Road to Peach Tree Road.

San Miguel Mission

At this point the landscape turns to cow pastures on treeless, steep slopes with short sage-green plant cover. Well-rounded hills roll one after another, often looking like camel humps. 

Peach Tree Road

Peach Tree Road is a paved road that climbs along the San Andreas Fault line. At the top, we stop for a snack and water break. Three other adventure bike riders and a farmer ride by, but otherwise we are all alone. It is so quiet here, with the birds serenading us as we soak in the beauty around us. The fault area is a steep cut in the ground with a small stream and a flat grassy area near the bottom. 

Peach Tree Road takes us to State Route 198, which we ride back to Parkfield Grade. Riding the other direction this time, the Grade’s pavement is rougher and the dirt road bumpier than before. The Tiger’s off-road mode helps some, though there are a lot of “wash boards” in the dirt. We snake up and around the mountain and down again, all next to a steep edge. Some of it is good scary and all of it is spectacular. At one point a cow calf on the road stares at us as we ride by. 

Parkfield Grade

After passing through Parkfield again, we stop at “Jerry’s corner” for a snack rest before finishing the ride home. This corner is by a creek with a nice blend of large oak trees and open pasture. We watch many birds there, including red tail hawks mating, cute little acorn woodpeckers, magpies, and a bald Eagle souring overhead. 

On the way back to Morro Bay via Route 41, we stop at a Taco place outside Atascadero for supper. It has COVID safe, outside dining and the best chili-relleno I’ve ever eaten. All in all, another great moto day riding 189 miles, almost 5 bike hours, averaging 38 mph. 

Our new Tiger motorcycle is the perfect addition to our retirement travel adventures. In the past, we’d often been at a road intersecting gravel and pavement and wondered what’s down the gravel road. This adventure bike takes us a new direction, down dirt and gravel roads, where we see breathtaking views and experience exhilarating rides. We can’t wait to see what direction our bike will take us next. 

GOOGLE MAP

Green Plants Improve our Health

St. Patrick’s Day reminds us to look for green. Green is the color of peace and serenity and important for our psychological wellbeing. Plants play a big role in filling that psychological need. Much research has been done on the importance of plants in our lives.

Have you ever noticed how people choose seats next to plants when given a choice in malls or parks? Our world is busy, and we are constantly bombarded with noise, movement, and chaos. Plants help relax us. Because of their simplicity, plants, or natural scenes, reduce physical and mental excitement and improve our health.

Research has found that in offices with plants, employees are more content and comfortable. Plants in an office result in higher office morale and less absenteeism. Employees exposed to plants were more creative and productive. This, in part, is why you find plants in most business settings and other interior settings. The federal government has strongly endorsed the use of plants as an integral part of office interiors.

Shamrock plants in the University of Illinois Conservatory

As St. Patrick’s Day approaches, remember how important plants are to our psychological wellbeing. A popular St. Patrick’s Day plant is the shamrock. Although there are several types available, the most popular is the Oxalis due to its shamrock leaves. The leaves are in threes, with each individual leaflet 1½ to 2 inches wide. Available with purple or green leaves, this plant is easily grown for table tops or hanging baskets. An added plus is the white or pink flowers that open in winter and spring and continue all year round with sufficient light.

The shamrock plant is a bulb or tuber. After flowering, leaves may die down and the tubers benefit from rest in drier soil and cooler temperatures. As new growth resumes, move it back to a warmer location, increase watering, and resume fertilizer applications. The plant prefers bright light without direct sun.

At times I have seen other plants sold as shamrocks. These include ordinary lawn clovers, weedy oxalis plants, and other clovers. However, the shamrock described above is the only one that makes a nice, long-term houseplant.

Another good green St. Patrick’s Day plant is the green carnation. These are white carnations dyed green. Use them in a vase or as a corsage. These are usually readily available this time of year. If not, you can easily dye a carnation green by letting it drink green colored water. White flowers can also be painted green with special floral paint.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Originally Published in Canton Daily Ledger Column on 3-13-1999

Gardening with Kids

Gardening is for everyone but is especially important for children. I cannot over-emphasize the importance of gardening with kids. It encourages personal growth, environmental stewardship, hands-on learning, improved nutrition, community involvement, and family interaction.

During my 25-year career with Extension I’ve attended many programs on how to garden with kids. Each time I come away even more convinced that every child must have an opportunity to do hands-on gardening. It is vital information they will use for a lifetime.

My sons had fun gardening in our yard. 

Make gardening fun! Here are some ideas to consider.

• Play detective and investigate the site. Look for sunny and shady spots. Dig in the soil and discover its characteristics. Run water and watch where it runs away or sits.
• Do an art project to draw out the planting. Have them measure, graph, create shapes, and count outside. 
• The fun part is preparing and planting. Let them do it! Granted, it might not be perfect and it might not be the way you would do it, but to a child it is great.
• Maintenance sounds dull and hard to most people but make it a game. Play a watering race using spoons, cups, watering cans, and the like. Go on a weeding mystery mission to find the “dreaded bad weed of the day.”
•  Develop awards for the best flower, vegetable, weed-free bed, etc. Let everyone win!

Want more ideas? There are many reference books available for reading by adults and children. There are storybooks for children, videos, smart apps, and computer programs. Have kids join 4-H and do one of their many plant-related projects. Search the Internet. University of Illinois Extension has several interactive horticulture sites for kids, including The Great Plant Escape, The Adventures of Herman (the worm), Let’s Talk About Insects, Secret Life of Trees, and Trees Are Terrific.

Teach kids about plants. While doing so, we will teach kids fundamental science principles that are necessary for life.

Originally Published in Canton Daily Ledger Column on 9-16-2000

Earthworms ...Not just good fish bait

One of my fondest childhood memories is dew-worming with my Dad (Ron Simmons). We’d go out at dusk with a red lighted flashlight, sometimes after Dad had watered an area earlier in the day. I don’t remember ever buying worms; we just “harvested” them ourselves. Even as a child I learned the best way to grab a worm without breaking it before it escaped back into its earthly home.

Dad and me fishing on Anderson Lake

Most people know that earthworms (also called night crawlers) are very beneficial for our soil. They daily consume their weight as they grind large organic materials into smaller ones. The University of Illinois Extension Herman the Worm website) calls the earthworm “one of nature’s top soil scientists.”

Worms benefit the soil in many ways. The add air and water, which produces a perfect growing environmental for most plants. They essentially “turn” the soil as they bring organic matter down and mix it with the soil below. When they eat, they leave behind castings that area very valuable type of fertilizer. The equivalent of about one third pound of top-grade fertilizer is produced per worm each year. As the website says, “Having worms around in your garden is a real good sign that you have a healthy soil.”

A fact about earthworms that most people don’t know is that they are not native to North America. Early European settlers brought them here during the 1600’s and 1700’s. They tagged along in the soil of plants brought from their country. Fortunately, this foreign critter has proved to be mostly beneficial.

Here are some other interesting facts about worms. In one acre of land, there can be more than a million earthworms. The slimy excretion of earthworms contains nitrogen, which is required for plant growth. Baby worms hatch from cocoons smaller than a grain of rice. Worms don’t have eyes, but they can sense light (which is why Dad and I covered our flashlights with clear red covering). The number of rings or segments of the body is species dependent: the common earthworm has about 150 segments while the red worm has about 95.

Obviously, worms are an important component in any composting process. An increasingly popular form of worm composting –vermiculture –uses worms to turn kitchen scraps into compost. It is easy and cheap. This process uses a red worm, not the larger earthworms. Take a plastic bin with holes drilled in it, newspaper, soil, worms, and fruit or vegetable peelings and you’ll soon have “black gold” to use in houseplants or outside.

So, the next time you thread a worm onto a fishing hook, remember that they are much more than fish bait. Good luck fishing and Happy Father’s Day!

Published in Canton Daily Ledger Column on 6-15-2013

NOTE: Since this article was written, the invasive jumping worm has been found in Illinois. View this Invasive Species Alert: Jumping Worms for more information.