Getting outside

For a family that lives on 25 acres, we seem to spend most of our time indoors, especially in the winter.Â Now that Kaia is at home most days, I thought it increasingly more important to make getting outside a priority!Â So, we’ve added a weekly Outdoor Hour Challenge to our studies.Â This week, we got outside and made it a point to keep quiet and listen to the things around us.Â It was so peaceful and replenishing.Â The 20 minutes outside turned into a couple of hours for Kaia while she ‘ice skated’ on a puddle of water.

Here are my notes from the things I heard/sensed/saw while outside:

The trickle of water from the stream to the pond
paw prints (raccoon?) in the snow on the pond’s ice
the crunch of our feet falling on the snow
crisp, cool smell of the air
happy bock-bocking of the chickens enjoying the warmth after a month of freezing temps.
snapping of the branches in the trees
young buds of this years leaves and fruit on our trees.
the smile on Leif’s face as he looks up to the clouds

10 thoughts on “Getting outside”

Just wanted to stop by and tell you how much my family LOVED the soap you sent us in the Pay It Forward package. If you have a recipe you could share that would be great.

Glad you are enjoying the warm weather. It’s been nice in northern MI for the last couple days as well.

you inspire me. we bought a book on self-sufficiency last year and we pine from our s. jersey wee little house for some land to do the very same thing you are. love your thoughts about what you saw heard felt smelled … super cool

Welcome to the Outdoor Hour Challenges. What a wonderful blog you have…I will have to come back later and read a little more!

I loved reading about your day outdoors and thank you so much for sharing your link.

Barb-Harmony Art Mom

I’ve thought about doing the Outdoor Hour Challenge. I do not like being outside in the cold but I know the fresh air and exercise is good for us and maybe if we made it part of our studies it would be easier for me to push myself to get outside.