You are my Sunshine
Many outdoor experiences are grand fun; they reward the spirit and revitalize and invigorate the mind. But, for me, in particular, I adore the sun. Getting out and about on a shiny day is just so much better than venturing into gray mist, rain or frolicking under heavy, dull clouds - I don’t know if one can, actually, frolic in such circumstances, but I guess that's just me. Haha🙃
To begin with sunshine is a vitamin, obviously, you know that, but there’s no harm in lauding its benefits, especially when a little advertising goes a long way to improving health. But apart from the boost in vitamin D, the sun is a mood enhancer, a bright day puts a smile on most peoples’ faces (and it’s a lot cheaper than Prozac, honestly). If you don’t believe me just look in the mirror everyday after checking the state of the weather outside - see, I’m right😇
So, the best form of nature appreciation must be done in sunlight, because, well obviously, this is when you can actually see it (nature, I mean, of course) Trees are greener, shrubs less likely to trip you up and thorns far more visible. Don’t get me wrong, I love wild, overgrown vegetation and enjoy all the buzzy insects that add to the untamed experience. My point is that there are certain aspects of nature that require an alert system, like wasps; I promise that these beautiful creatures are more visible, especially at a distance, if the sun is shining.
The sun is also a very powerful symbol, because when you see it you are assured of certain absolutes that are highly encouraging, particularly on a foray into nature - bats, cougars and tarantulas are sleeping, see what I mean😍😍😍 It also means that it’s daytime (yes, it does), which by deduction (you, know logic??) assures you of certain security aspects that you wouldn’t otherwise need, for instance, if you were camping in an open area and the sun had been stolen and replaced by the 🌝 moon - which is dark magic at its best and at its worst, just plain sorcery - some people understand that trouble might be on the horizon (or outside the zipped-up tent) (There are people who don’t seem to mind this type of peril and actually enjoy the thrill, but I prefer to spot danger while I still have time to get into my car and put my foot flat on the pedal.)
The next most important point is that all views, mountain, sea and landscapes go better with a dose of dazzle, and on this issue I don’t believe that I need to provide suitably lyrical examples to make myself understood. (But I think one example can’t do any harm, right?)(or bore you to tears, but…) let me demonstrate :-
The types of back-to-nature experiences that I enjoy are sitting in coffee shops and restaurants with fabulous views of nature, climbing mountains (with ropes), walking on open expanses of beach, and swimming in the sea (where there are shark nets). All these activities are optimized by sunshine.
Five years ago we went on a particularly grand mountain-climbing-and-sea-swimming holiday and stopped halfway enroute to enjoy nature at a quaint mountain-top hideaway in Hilton (South Africa). The Guesthouse, called Gateside, is situated, slap-bang between rolling landscapes and exquisite tree-fringed valleys, truly breathtaking; nature at its best. But, but...for the two day hiatus that the detour took the sun refused to shine and I’m going to leave you with the pictures, to make my point.
To conclude
Sunshine and nature are the ultimate life-enhancing pick-me-ups, but they’re only perfect if as a pair.
All images are mine
I hope you all have a sense of humour