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Winter was a bit less eventful than usual this time around. We had enough frigid days to keep fair-weather lovers inside, but even the winter hobbyists of NEPA were sidelined for much of the season by sparse snowfall.
Today is the first day of spring, and it’s brought with it warm enough temperatures to remind us that our region is a beautiful place to get outside.
If you do nothing else today, take a walk. Put on your sneakers and breath some fresh air. Get your heart pumping for 30 minutes and notice the daffodils poking up through the ground and the trees beginning to bud.
A brisk walk or a light run around your neighborhood, in one of our beautiful state parks, or along the dike of the scenic Susquehanna River, will give you the exercise you need for the day while reducing your stress and boosting your energy.
As the season settles in and nicer weather allows, spend more time in your yard.
Rake up any leaves that are leftover from your fall cleanup or have fallen since you winterized. Bring your children or grandchildren outside to help. They always make yardwork more fun!
It might be too early to plant vegetables and flowers that are vulnerable to frost, but you can still get in your garden and clean up. Pull weeds, remove any dead material from last year’s growth, shape any unruly shrubs, and maybe spread some new mulch if you’re feeling ambitious.
Regardless of your goal, get your hands and knees in the dirt. Let yourself get lost in nature for a little while, even if it’s only a small patch of nature on your property. Gardening is a fun and rewarding pursuit that also takes a fair amount of discipline to do well. It gets you moving in ways you typically might not, and it’s a source of exercise through all of the warmer months.
Fishing is an outdoor activity that’s near and dear to my heart. You can do it all year round if you can stand the cold, but warmer days make it a much more inviting challenge.
It gets you on your feet and puts you beside or in the many sublime lakes and streams of our region. Whether you’re an experienced angler or just beginning, reeling in a fish can be quite a thrill. And if you have a “leave-it-how-you-found it” relationship with nature, you can catch and release without harming your fish to maintain the ecosystem you’re visiting.
If you decide to try fishing, you’ll want to make sure you purchase a license and fish for species that are in season. You can find a wealth of information on the Pennsylvania Fish And Boat Commission website, which has an easy-to-remember URL: fishandboat.com.
However you decide to greet spring, make sure you get out and stay out. The benefits of taking your recreation and exercise outdoors, including getting a healthy – not too much – amount of sun, are many and will keep you going back.
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Dr. Alfred Casale, a cardiothoracic surgeon, is chief medical officer for surgical services for Geisinger and chair of the Geisinger Heart and Vascular Institute. Readers may write to him via ae@www.timesleader.com.