Tell Me Tuesday: How are you planning to connect with nature this long weekend?

For many of us, long weekends offer a special chance to get away from our regular lives in cities and towns and go “back to the land.”  For me, the August long weekend is extra special, because it means I’m going to a friend’s cottage on Georgian Bay, part of a long-standing family tradition.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A stunning Georgian Bay sunset (C) Riannon John/ WWF-Canada

It’s amazing – we spend pretty much the entire weekend outside. We swim, we hike, we sail, we canoe, we swim some more, we nap in hammocks and read in Adirondack chairs.  We enjoy delicious al fresco meals (accompanied by signature cocktails).  We listen for loons and enjoy our wildlife encounters – recent years have featured a juvenile black bear, a red fox family (a mother and two kits), and a rattlesnake, plus squirrels and chipmunks aplenty.  It’s my favourite weekend of the year for many reasons, including that it is a terrific reminder of why I care about the planet and what I need to do to protect it.  (And we have developed some really good signature cocktails.)
Clearly, others are taking advantage of this opportunity as well.  Our Facebook friends have shared some of their plans, including camping, exploring the great outdoors, walking in woods, and swimming in rivers.  If you can’t get out of town, it’s even a great chance to explore some local green spaces, or even enjoy your own back yard – which may even include a koi pond.  It all sounds like a perfect way to enjoy and celebrate the natural world for three whole days – thanks to Courtney, Louis, Susan, Anthony and Ivonne for their input.
Hopefully we can all find a way to get back to nature this weekend – if you have any other plans or suggestions to share, please let us know!