Spending time outside is such a gift. Being surrounded by grass, trees, flowers, bugs, and fresh air makes me realize, once again, how blessed I am to live in the Pacific Northwest.
I’m also reminded that I am soooo not a city girl. I crave quiet mornings, the song of birds speaking to each other, and the opportunity to open windows and let the outside in.
My morning walks with Bailey are an essential part of my day. It’s right up there with reading my Bible and breakfast! 🙂 When I miss any of these 3, my day just doesn’t work out the way it should.
There comes a time, however, when a morning walk is not enough. That is when an adventure and a chance to explore is called for. A time to go out and see the beauty of creation and to intentionally seek out details I would otherwise miss.
Grand adventures are not always needed. A visit to a local trail or garden works just fine. A trip like this is an opportunity to grab my camera, jump in the car and sometimes drag along any family or friends who would like to go me.
A local adventure is fun and is a great opportunity to find Be Still Moments. If you can go with a small group, it will make it even more fun because it gives you a unique chance to connect while you stop and smell the roses.
I also use trips like this to use my camera, and view the world in macro. I love to walk around and look for details and pick pieces of out of a larger scene or landscape. It’s a fun challenge to look for the beautiful and the unexpected.
My camera is a tool that helps me to be in the present and in the moment. While in the “zone” I’m not thinking about what is next, not thinking about the website project that is not going as planned, not thinking about my book writing project (which is thankfully almost done!), and not think about the next thing on my to-do list.
It’s the perfect time to step back from the workaholic pace I usually keep and slow down.
The benefits of taking the time for outdoor adventures include things like:
- Our breathing slows, and deepens
- Our blood pressure lowers
- Our racing thoughts slow down and possibly even stop
- Our feelings of high stress start to ease
- We are more in tune with our surroundings
To collect memories on these adventures, I use my both my good old digital SLR camera and my iPhone. You, however, might want to journal, draw in a sketchbook, video record the trip, have a deep conversation, or just sit, close your eyes and listen.
No matter how you choose to observe and collect these Be Still Moments, they are gifts to treasure and save.
The photos here were all taken at the Shore Acres Garden, one of my favorite destinations here on the Oregon Coast. On this trip it was fun to have my Dad, my nephew, and my niece with me. The purpose of this trip was a photography field trip for my niece; it was great to see her come alive as she learned to work with a SLR Camera and not just her iPhone. Next up, we get to make a photo album from this trip!
The 4th of July weekend is here; I’m think it is time for another outdoor adventure!
Marta Goertzen is an entrepreneur, writer, WordPress Website developer, and nature photographer. She daily explores the trails and beaches of the South Central Oregon Coast with her dogs Oliver & Mochi. You can follow along on their adventures on Instagram. Marta also fully believes that change starts with gratitude and that gratitude can change everything. Find out how with the “Grateful Friday 7-Days of Gratitude Starter Kit”
One of the things I like best about your outdoor adventures is that you end up sharing such beautiful photos!!
That is a big part of the fun for me too!!