Moody Like the Seasons

Every winter the ground freezes and the hummingbirds feed more avidly at our feeders. The coyotes come out of the wooded ravine searching for food. In spring, flowers blossom and the weather warms. Then comes summer. Summer inevitably brings the ever challenging chore of maintaining the lawn, but summer does have some major positives -  sunshine. Fall is one of my favorite seasons. I love to watch the Northwest winds blow as the leaves fall off the trees and plumet to the ground. Fall’s turbulant temperament matches mine well.

There are a variety of things that I do to help my mood perk along during the different seasons. The summer’s sun provides warmth and produces vitamin D. That’s supposed to be good for you. Whether it really is doesn’t matter – the sun feels marvelous and is a natural mood lifter. I spend as much time as possible boating in the San Juan and Canadian Gulf Islands. Being on the water creates a calm and balance in me that is unequalled on land.

As spring approaches, I get excited about digging in the yard and planting vegetables and flowers. When the budget allows, I hire a gardener to do the mowing and weeding so that I can enjoy the fun parts of dirt digging. Fall is a great time to relax and spend time outdoors observing nature. The birds are busy all year round, but in the fall they scurry about hunting for food and seem eager to feed from the feeders placed close to the house. In winter, I tend to hibernate and become dreary and depressed unless I find an activity to keep me focused and engaged. My winter mood lifters involve staying active with shopping, going to lunch with friends, and working on a hobby or two. I also find that mild exercise helps me weather the cold, dreary, gray days of winter.

So, enjoy the sun, shop and share time and food with friends, dig in the dirt, find a winter hobby, and stay in rhythm with yourself and the seasons.