Yardening and Outdoorphins...

Bear here...

Hi everybody. As you might have noticed, we like to yarden & have our yard look more like a natural setting than a typical mowed lawn. It's more interesting and it's more biodiverse, so it is better for the planet. Theresa read somewhere that more natural settings also create "Outdoorphins." They make you feel good like endorphins do, but are from Nature instead of from workouts. (She could explain better but I'm typing the blog and I sooo don't speak science tech.)

A lot of people drive a long way to see parks and the wild, to get back to Nature, but wouldn't it be nice to walk out your door into a park like setting?  A yarden that looks a little wild can bring you lots of joy and be healthier. Here are some photos of our yarden/ small park...

Welcome to our home that is certified wildlife habitat. 


Our shade garden (pictured right) makes a cool path to our backyard. The path is also known as Fern Alley. 

The other side of our house has our Celtic Cross garden which has edibles along with the flowers...

... we also built a small pond here that gets lots of frogs and toads.

Some people think branch piles are ugly but we don't. We have lots of birds that use the Birdie Condo for shelter. (How many can you see?) 

We even have hawks that visit us. I'm guessing the other birds get nervous when he comes over and says "let's do lunch."

We also have fun safe space for our cats. We built them a catio big enough that we can be comfortable sitting with them.

Here is a better look at how our pond area can look like a park area.

Hopes this helps inspire you to yarden instead of yard...  Ooo... Theresa found the article from Forbs and here is a small part of it...

Type at ya later...

Think You Don't Need Houseplants? Science Says Different...
​
Whether it's a bland living room or boring workspace, potted plants are a safe bet if you want to jazz up interiors on a budget. Interestingly, spending a little green on greens can do wonders for your well-being as well. A significant amount of scientific evidence suggests that being around greenery can stave off stress, elevate mood and improve cognitive function, among other things. ‘Nuff said. Here are five proven reasons you need some houseplants in your life RN:

• They reduce stress and anxiety. According to a study published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology, active interaction with indoor plants (like touching and smelling) can reduce physiological and psychological stress. What's more, even the potting soil can help you keep a handle on daily stress and anxiety. This is because soil contains microbes dubbed "outdoorphins" (M. vaccae) which work as natural antidepressants. "It boosts your mood by releasing cytokines, which then leads your brain to produce more serotonin. So, just by being around soil, these outdoorphins flood your body and boost your mood," writes Joey Doherty, a Certified Wellness Counselor. Although a walk in the park would be more effective (due to increased exposure to those microbes), being around houseplants can be beneficial too. "It has also been established that plants confer positive changes in the brain's electrical activity, muscle tension and heart activity," notes environmental health expert Danica-Lea Larcombe, in an article published in The Conversation. Place potted lavender or snake plant in your bedroom to de-stress and sleep better.

If you want to read more, see the full article here.