Tree-mersion

An April 2012 New York Times article touts the benefits of trees, and recent scary mass-deaths of trees across the globe. More positively, it mentions something I've never heard of -- forest bathing.

In Japan, researchers have long studied what they call “forest bathing.” A walk in the woods, they say, reduces the level of stress chemicals in the body and increases natural killer cells in the immune system, which fight tumors and viruses. Studies in inner cities show that anxiety, depression and even crime are lower in a landscaped environment. Trees also release vast clouds of beneficial chemicals. On a large scale, some of these aerosols appear to help regulate the climate; others are anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral. We need to learn much more about the role these chemicals play in nature. One of these substances, taxane, from the Pacific yew tree, has become a powerful treatment for breast and other cancers. Aspirin’s active ingredient comes from willows.

I wanted to title this post "Forest Bathing" but realized it might sound too much like a bunch of dirty hippies taking baths in the woods. Tree-mersion feels like... what I feel... living here.

The concept of "forest bathing" helps me understand why I might have adjusted so quickly to living at Walker Creek. I couldn't believe, after four decades of mostly big-city existence, how deeply I felt at peace living here. Like, we're talking, in the space of about two weeks. And in the face of the depths of a Western Washington winter (our family finally moved to our forest home completely on October 1, 2011). It is truly amazing to live at Walker Creek. Thank you, woods, for the daily forest bath.

A Pattern Language of Natural Homes

These natural home concepts make me drool.
They are from A Pattern Language.



A Pattern Language, by Christopher Alexander, is a collection of 253 ideas that can make your living environment a pleasure. Mouse over the pictures to see which pattern the picture illustrates and click to see the picture on their facebook page to follow links to the house from where the picture came.

It will lead you to a paragraph, like this one: Pattern No.199, which is essential to my well being in the dark and gloomy kitchen of the Sunshine House (no pun intended).

Pattern No. 199: ‘Sunny Counter’. Dark and gloomy kitchens are depressing. The kitchen needs sunlight more than any other room. If you can, place the main part of the kitchen counter on the south side of the kitchen with a big wide window so that the sun can reach in to flood the kitchen with light. This is the kitchen at Deacon Vale Farm on Mayne Island, Canada which was built by Cob Works in 2005.