Nature | Gardening | Exploring | Nature Blog bio picture

Welcome to my blog!

nature |ˈnā ch ər| - noun
the phenomena of the physical world collectively, including plants, animals, the landscape, and other features and products of the earth, as opposed to humans or human creations.

human nature - noun
the general psychological characteristics, feelings, and behavioral traits of humankind, regarded as shared by all humans
- As defined by the New Oxford American Dictionary

Welcome to Nature Drunk, a nature blog where I write about my experiences with nature -- human or otherwise.

I live in far Northern California surrounded by mountains and lakes to the north, east and west, with a fertile agricultural valley to the south. This setting offers an abundance of resources to explore, providing me with plenty of experiences to think and write about.

My first priority is caring for my family, which includes an extended family of creatures that reside in and around my garden. When I am not tending to everyday responsibilities, you'll find me puttering around in my CA natives garden or picking fruits and vegetables in my intensively planted veggie patch/fruit orchard.

After recently deciding to take a break from pursuing a second degree, I found that with freed up pockets of time, my mind has relaxed and opened wider, giving me the ability to view and process life more clearly. As a result, my interest for and understanding of nature has blossomed.

I have come to the conclusion that nature and human nature, as defined above, cannot and should not be separated into two entities, rather I see them as holistically intertwined, connected by the air that sustains us. As we move through this world, breathing in and breathing out, someone or something is respiring, using the same molecules of air that at one time touched our lips or will one day touch our lips.

We all live together within earth’s complex biosphere affecting one another in ways that are greater than we might ever know. Our connection through physical bodies as well as spiritual fusion is fascinating to me. Although I may not understand nature in the same way a biologist, ecologist, or metaphysician might, I feel blessed by my realization of how amazing this intricate system in which we live is, and truly appreciate every breath I take.

Fascination with nature, whether it is through deep philosophical thought or by something as simple as noticing the humanity in another human, or by being surprised by the miracle of new spring buds on an oak tree, is a quality that I hope we all can tap into daily. Wouldn’t it be beautiful if we all were able to capture a wonderment of the natural world similar to that of which a child holds for the simplest things in life? Through this blog, I hope to inspire this sort of wonderment, both of the physical world and the human kind.

Blessings,
Amber

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Spring, She’s Finally Here

Posted in Gardening

My friend told me that as she drove her girls to school this morning, she had a “permagrin” on her face. And why? All the sunshine, of course! Sweet, sweet sunshine.

The rain has not let up for weeks. Not the drizzle sort of rain, but the angry, hail laced, coming down sideways in buckets sort of rain. The dreary, soggy days have caused even the most cheerful of friends to sink into a cesspool of gloom. But those days are over, at least for the next week. Waking to sunlight streaming through the window made me happy. My body felt light and my heart jumped for joy, causing my chest to tingle. I couldn’t wait to get outside, but first I had to get my son off to school and tend to some pressing office tasks.Working diligently, I pushed through, all the while longing to feel the sun on my shoulders. When I couldn’t take the waiting any longer, I grabbed my camera and skipped out the back door into the garden.

Rosemary and Carmella were scratching in the soil under the bottlebrush, letting the dappled light bathe their feathered backs. As I walked down the trail, they sensed my presence and nervously glanced at me, examining me like I was a stranger. That I was wandering around the garden seemed to shock them. It doesn’t surprise me that they have forgotten who I am; with weeks of wet weather, I haven’t spent much time visiting with them. Once they realized it was me, giver of all things good (corn scratch), they joined me on the lawn.

Sitting, chatting with the ladies, I noticed all of the blooming going on in the garden. California natives like Manzanita, Ceanothus, Ribes, scarlet mallow, and redbud brightened the yard. The peaches, pluots, and plums were finished blooming, but the blueberries and apples were just getting started. Spring, she’s finally here.