The great outdoors makes me think of things like camping in the rough, hiking through the woods, fishing, and adventuring among forests, hills, and valleys. In other words, things that I pretty much don’t do.

My general rule of thumb has been that if a destination doesn’t have indoor plumbing, I generally won’t go. In fact, the “outdoors” for me usually involves sitting on a patio at a café.

However, this attitude of mine has changed a little bit over the years. While I am still not into camping and related activities, I do have my own ways of communing with nature.

I used to avoid the Folk Festival because four days of using porta-potties didn’t really appeal to me, until one year an artist I really liked was on the bill. So, I talked myself in to it while packing a lot of hand sanitizer in my backpack – and you know what? I actually had an incredible time. The Folk Fest and other outdoor music festivals have become an integral part of my summer.

I walk a lot in all seasons. Spending time walking outside in the winter makes me appreciate the warmer months even more. Lately, I stop more often to notice the birds and flowers that surround me. Nature exists even in the city.

Finally, while I don’t usually hit many trails, cycling is a major outdoor activity for me, for reasons of both practicality and exercise. Cycling makes getting to my meeting or errand half the fun. Especially if that meeting is at a cafe with an outdoor patio.