Out

I love going outside... if it's not too warm, not too cold, not too windy, not too rainy, not too snowy and the sun is shinning.  This shakes out to about 7 days a year in Minnesota.  I wish I weren't like this, I hate that I'm like this actually.  The thing is, while I'm only motivated to go outside when the weather is perfect, if I make myself do it anyway, aside from heavy rain, once I get out there, I always love it.  I don't know why I have this resistance in me but recently I decided to ignore it.  During the school week I normally shoe the kids out the door for some fresh air before we start school while I get ready for the day but over the past few weeks I have been going out with them.  And not just going out with them but letting myself explore with them, hike, or simply sit quietly listening to the courageous birds brave enough to stick out a Minnesota winter.  Last week, deep in the woods we discovered a whole new land (which they fittingly named "Roxaboxen" after one of our favorite books) complete with "houses" and "bridges".  One day we heard an owl hooting, right in the middle of the day.  Today we sat on tree stumps and listened to the chickadees.