While I have never been super into making firm New Year's resolutions, I do like reflecting on, and setting goals for, the upcoming year. The introspection, optimism and list-making involved in this process are totally my things. So, naturally, Ellison and I sat down to reflect on the growth of 'Girls in the Park' in 2015 and discuss the direction we would like to take this blog over the next year. We have some great things in store for in 2016!
I'll be the first to admit that in our house we are not as diligent about living as "natural" or "green" a lifestyle as we could, or should, be given the fact that every Saturday morning there is a beautiful farmer's market held literally steps from our house where we could buy all the produce, eggs, and dairy we would ever need, or the fact that Trevor hunts and packs our freezer full of fresh vension, hog and turkey so we shouldn't have to buy meat at the grocery, or the fact that we are completely aware of the negatives associated with a generally wasteful lifestyle. But for some reason (laziness? disorganization?) we don't get all our produce at the farmer's market, we still end up buying some of our meat at the grocery and we are absolutely wasteful in ways to numerous to count.
So, I decided that since we are moving into a new house, it made sense to start fresh and really make a committment to live as naturally, sustainably and as environmentally responsible as possible. We don't really know what we're doing, but the whole family is on board! Ellison is not only interested in, but also appreciative of, the fact that we are making this type of effort. It's great to see her enthusiasm for something so important! These changes will not only help keep the planet healthy , but help us stay healthy, too. And that's where 'Girls in the Park' comes in - we want to share our journey to a healthier, more natural lifestyle with you in hopes that it will help us stay focused and mindful, but also serve as inspiration for you to incorporate some of these changes in to your own routine. Small changes can bring big results!
So, I decided that since we are moving into a new house, it made sense to start fresh and really make a committment to live as naturally, sustainably and as environmentally responsible as possible. We don't really know what we're doing, but the whole family is on board! Ellison is not only interested in, but also appreciative of, the fact that we are making this type of effort. It's great to see her enthusiasm for something so important! These changes will not only help keep the planet healthy , but help us stay healthy, too. And that's where 'Girls in the Park' comes in - we want to share our journey to a healthier, more natural lifestyle with you in hopes that it will help us stay focused and mindful, but also serve as inspiration for you to incorporate some of these changes in to your own routine. Small changes can bring big results!
“Whatever change you desire for the world, create that change in your own life. You are here for a purpose. Seek it out. Hunt it down. The greatest misery is to be purposeless. The great depression of our age is not economic, but spiritual. Our spiritual poverty is rooted in our purposelessness.”
When Ellison and I started this blog in August, we wanted a place to share our outdoor experiences. A way to chronicle our time together and the fun we had traveling, hiking and exploring. 'Girls in the Park' was born out of our desire to get outside as much as possible. However, over the past few months, we realized that while we love hiking - seeking out new trails, physically challenging ourselves - what we love the most is simply establishing our connection with nature. And that this connection can be made in many different ways. This is what we want to share on 'Girls in the Park' - ways to connect to the natural world. Ways to ensure that as kids grow up in a modern world, they don't lose sight of the fact that the earth can provide physical, emotional and spiritual nourishment. The basic foundations of playing in the woods, learning about where your food comes from and simply observing the natural world around you are integral parts of childhood. Or at least we think they should be! We'll still share our hiking trips and outdoor adventures, but we'll also feature things such as easy gardening for kids, seasonal and local recipes and ways to live a more environmentally friendly lifestyle.
'"Teaching kids about the natural world should be treated as one of the most important events in their lives. What could be more important than understanding the world we live in?"
In the spirit of New Year's resolutions and the pursuit of greener living, here are a few things that Ellison and I would like to do more of in 2016.
1. Give back
There are so many ways that we can help others, and the environment, within our community and we want to make sure we show our love for both by giving back. Giving is not just a random act of kindness. It is an investment in humanity. In return we become more than ourselves, we transcend. This transcendence is the key to peace. And y'all, Ellison and I are nothing if not promoters of world peace.
2. eat local
As we mentioned, there is a farmer's market in our neighborhood every Saturday - and numerous others held throughout the city - so it seems a shame not to take full advantage of the oppportunity to buy local ingredients. Plus, Ellison loves to cook and try new recipes so buying and eating local is a win for the planet, for local farmers, for our health and for Ellison's culinary education. There is even a local-ingredient meal weekly delivery service available to help make sure we stay on track (it's www.eatthe80.com for those of you in the Gainesville area). I'm sure we'll be using it often given my track record with actual cooking (I can cook, but I usually don't. Again, laziness.)
3. explore
Since we have a lot of house renovation ahead, there aren't as many big family vacations planned for this year. This means more weekend road trips to places we have been meaning to check out. We got a great book about local area hikes (here) and are looking forward to trying a lot of new trails, we need to work on our paddleboarding and kayaking, and there are numerous gardens we want to visit throughout the state (like Naples Botanical Gardens and Florida Botanical Gardens).
4. protect the environment
So we aren't the "greenest' house on the block. But we want to be! We're going to try to establish habits that make conserving resources as easy as possible. Once we create new, healthier patterns of behavior, we're hoping that going green will become second nature in our house (this website has great green info for Gainesville residents). But honestly, if we manage to get our stuff in the recycle bin and conserve more water then that will be a pretty good start.
These are our goals for the new year and we're pretty optmistic about accomplishing them, mainly because whatever we manage to achieve is still a step forward. Our focus is going to remain on what we can do, not what we can't. While 2015 was a wonderful year, there is a lot to look forward to in 2016. We are excited to share new experiences with you on 'Girls in the Park' and hope that together we can continue to create a fun space that is encouraging, supportive and inspirational. A huge thank you to all of you who regularly read our blog and a warm welcome to those of you checking us out for the first time. This site is a love letter to nature, to family and to the power a single act has to change the world.
Happy New Year!
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