There lives the dearest freshness deep down things...

Yesterday my blog post was about how relaxed I felt after just a couple of days outside, camping and enjoying all that nature has to offer in northern Wisconsin.  Besides rain and mosquitoes and a poison ivy sighting and one rather large spider, I gloried in late blooming lilacs and lovely pink honeysuckle:

amazing sunsets:

and soul-refreshing sunrises.

Morning has broken, like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for the springing fresh from the world

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God's recreation of the new day

And while I was lucky enough to be able to spend my weekend in a lovely state park, getting outside really is as easy as walking out your front door.  So I was a little sad to read a study yesterday that noted we tend to underestimate how much nature affects our well being.  The report stated that even vague instructions to "spend more time in nature" has a positive effect on humans, but as we (and children in particular) spend less and less time outdoors we are developing what scientists have now coined ...nature deficit disorder.

Nature deficit disorder.  Now that, in my opinion, is about as sad as it gets. Let's get outside and soak up the sunshine.  As Emerson urges...Live in the sunshine, Swim in the sea, Drink the wild air!!  Poet Gerard Hopkins (1844-1889) must have agreed with Emerson when he penned the lovely poem below, God's Grandeur.

Have a wonderful day, and get outside!