Monday Musings on the Creator in Me

Wonders of Wildlife

This week at HSB we're celebrating National Wildlife Week (it's later in Canada -- some time in April). It's hard not to consider the awesomeness of the Creator in and around us when we celebrate wildlife, don't you think? There's a part of us that just responds to the natural world . . . and that inspires us to think about life and beauty and miracles, all of which come from the Creator.

While I'm not great at making time for my family to have concentrated time in the midst of wildlife, I do value it. So for today's post, I thought I would brainstorm a number of ways we can appreciate the wonders of wildlife in creative and fun ways. Feel free to add your own ideas in the comments below.

• Visit local conservation areas and explore, explore, explore. Take cameras and nature journals to capture images of what you observe.
• Arrange a community clean-up in your area. Even if you just go to a local wildlife area as a family and spend an hour collecting trash, you'll be actively supporting the natural habitat while enjoying the beauty of it at the same time.
• Borrow books from the library about wildlife in your area and see if you can find some examples that you read about.

• If you can't get out to enjoy the wildlife in person, explore it with films and video clips, like this one:

• Take advantage of resources available through your national wildlife association. The Canadian Wildlife Association, for example, offers downloads, e-cards, videos, games, booklets, posters, and study kits.
• Explore wildlife through art. Learn how to draw your favourite animals and plants -- and study the work of other artists. Here is a link to a  list of Canadian wildlife artists.
• Each day this week, spend 15 minutes outside doing something related to the natural world. Here is a list of suggestions, including simply lying under a tree and looking up.

What ideas do you have for enjoying wildlife in your area?