Is it possible to have too much of a good thing? Possibly, but only if you fail to appreciate it all. And there is so much to appreciate. Another new study -- there are so many of them -- attests to the quality of life enhanced with exposure to nature, adding the proviso that only those who open their senses fully to the natural world while within it, not those who do so with cell phone in hand never absorbing what surrounds them, receive the health and healing benefits available to anyone.

It puzzles us beyond belief when we see people hurtling through the forest trails, never letting go of their cellphones, speaking into the ear of someone at the other end. There are times when we've seen people focused on their cellphones when we begin our circuit and an hour or hour-and-a-half later, see those same people still engrossed in conversation with their cellphones.

Those who ride bicycles at breakneck speed down the hillside trails of the ravine do so for reasons other than to touch nature, and it's debatable what kind of benefit they derive from the experience, as well. Others ride their bicycles into the ravine at a leisurely pace, park them out of the way, stroll over to the creek to look for waterfowl that occasionally can be seen, sit awhile in tranquil repose beside the creek and the mesmerizing flow of the water, and it's clear that they are in the process of appreciating what surrounds them.

We had another beautiful day of intermittent sun, with a temperature high of 25C, small breezes and dry atmosphere. Very warm, but certainly tolerable. Jackie and Jillie were anxious to get out for their traipse through the forest trails. They're far less interested in being out in the backyard, though they'll tolerate it if we're outside; more interested in being out at the front of the house so they can monitor who goes by on the street. In the ravine, though, the ambience is one of exploration and discovery and they make the most of it.

As do we, for the time we're out. Those studies that conclude the benefits to be had with outdoor exposure for people accustomed to spending almost their entire waking hours indoors, don't necessarily recommend long extended periods and frequent excursions to natural green areas. In fact, what they recommend is relatively modest; 20 minutes of exposure, three days a week to achieve health and well-being benefits. Any increase in that minimum recommendation is increasingly positive.

Although we spend infinitely longer and more frequent periods ambling through forest trails, we also spend quality time in our gardens. It's a different kind of experience; still touching nature where she lives and being among the vegetation that she retains the creative formula for, but the pleasure involved in the gardening ritual is entirely different; a sharing of creation with the great creator. 

The beauty that surrounds us overwhelms our senses at times, excites our pleasure and encourages us to never stop. Of course whether it's hiking forest trails or gardening, a certain amount of energy expenditure is involved and that too is a necessary requirement for health; exercising the body as well as delighting the spirit. Jackie and Jillie told us so.

Of course there's the household and it too demands attention. And so we multiple-task ourselves daily as well as bring order and leisure, pleasure and duty to our lives. I wasn't looking forward to it, but decided today to de-pit a large bowl of cherries, because we have an excess of the delicious fruit. I pulled the stems, halved the cherries, extracted the pits, and prepared to bake a cherry pie. It took a while, but the end result will be appreciated for dinner-dessert tonight.