Tag Archives: nature appreciation

Slow Earth Day

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We’ve been celebrating April 22nd as Earth Day since 1970.  It’s a day when people flock outside to volunteer for eco-restoration or to work on other environmental or community-minded projects. It’s a great time to get involved, be active, and make a difference.

But now I think it’s time Earth Day had a companion: Slow Earth Day. We need a day to simply look, listen, and above all appreciate nature.

Let’s start today… or maybe tomorrow.

April 18th is hereby Slow Earth Day.

DDahnDouglasSquirrel

 

Even ordinary things in nature can be amazing, if you look beyond notions of “good nature” or “bad nature”. Just look, and appreciate. At least for one day.

 

It may not be that great…but it’s a pretty good piece of turf.

From: Is Weedy the New Wild?

 

Earth Day is a day to get yourself outside. Slow Earth Day is a day to get outside yourself.

What would you look like to a woodpecker? Try seeing the world through wild eyes.

I did this illustration for my Federation Forest Project. We were trying to promote meaningful nature connections for children.

 

We’re all just big clumps of carbon-based molecules, arranged differently.

Ah, but what beautiful arrangements!

DeniseDahn_kid_in_nature4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Slow Earth Day!

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You might also like:

Forest Sketch

Old Growth Forests

Slow Nature

 

Nature lives

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The more you pay attention to the natural world, the more fascinating it becomes.

This week, a friend’s blog post reminded me about the importance of reveling in the complexity and beauty of life on this planet. Too often we get caught up in the big issues, the big problems, and the awful feeling that we’re headed for doom. It’s an unpleasant side-effect of paying attention to the environment.

But, in order to have a future we really want—one that is bursting with life, with nature—we have to be able to envision it. And, we can’t do that if we don’t even see and appreciate what’s out there under our noses.

Once in while, try simply noticing. Just notice.

If necessary, put on some rose-colored glasses.

DDahnWetMeadow2

Even earthworms are pretty cool. Did you know they’re non-native? They arrived via boat like most of the rest of us. Still, I like them.  I did this watercolor illustration for my Nevada Wildlife Project. It shows a slice of wet meadow habitat in the Steptoe Valley of Nevada.

 

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Check out the blog post by Trileigh Tucker:

Natural Presence