The Waldenizing Project

This summer, sitting in the garden contemplating 'The State of the (Natural) World', I was rereading Henry David Thoreau's book Walden, first published in 1854. Thoreau describes his year in the Woods and advocates simple living in natural surroundings.

Suddenly it dawned on me, that we need not to fly to the Great Barrier Reef to see it before it has died off completely due to climate change. We need not to go and see all National Parks all around the world that are now also under threat.

What we need to do is just open our eyes to the Nature that surrrounds you. I 'invented' the verb 'to Waldenize', to describe experiencing nature directly and immediately, right where you live.

In order to advocate this idea, I have started posting pictures here on Linkedin, of the nature I see when leaving my front door.

This article is an appeal to you all, see the beauty around you!
And if you care: please share your pictures!

I will continu adding my pictures to this article to make this my 'Waldenizing Project'

WALDENIZING 7:
Even completely manmade landscapes without any geological elements, such as the Dutch Polders, are suitable for Waldenizing....

This post was inspired by Richard Finks article on 'Geologic Waldenizing', which he wrote out of appreciation for the new word 'Waldenizing.....

WALDENIZING 6:
Just think about this: By keeping your derriere out of planes, you're helping the Great Barrier Reef not to die, you're doing your thing to prevent the Arctic from melting. Go for a walk in nature near your home.

WALDENIZING 5:
The Queen is dead. Long live the Queen. In august the old queen dies and the new queen(s) leave the nest. She will soon mate and then find a place to hibernate. Hopefully she will wake up in spring to start a new cycle. Red-tailed bumblebee (Bombus Lapidarius) queen (2cm) with mites (2 mm)

WALDENIZING 4:
When you suddenly notice A Bumblebee's BUM....

WALDENIZING 3:
You don't have to fly to the Maldives, Hawaii or Svalbard to see new horizons. You can find them just around the corner...

WALDENIZING 2:
This here might seem an ordinary feather of a wild duck. But it is so much more, it is the result of over 100 years of evolutionary strive for perfection Want to know more? Read 'Feathers' by Thor Hanson https://lnkd.in/ettXhUD

WALDENIZING 1:
Went out WALDENIZING today, and can highly recommend it! Nature has so much more to offer than High street...

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? Willemijn Heideman, 2016. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without written permission from this author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Willemijn Heideman with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.