The Eastern Sierras are simply magnificent in August! I am so blessed to be in the Mammoth Lakes area and we are being treated to a high-altitude spring awakening. At 9000 feet, the wildflowers are prolific and varied — their exquisite colors are found only in nature. Rich purple of the Monkshead, Lupine, and Larkspur; soft coral colored Indian Paintbrush and her sister, the bright red Paintbrush; Columbines of white, yellow, and pink; one of my personal favorites is the hot pink stalk of Elephanthead…I could go on and on about each gorgeous bloom, just as I could write hundreds of words about the pristine alpine lakes, crystal clear and inviting. Superlatives abound in my mind that describe the rushing streams, the expansive meadows carpeted with color, the haunting call of the Clark’s Nutcracker, and the stark beauty of the granite spires reaching toward the cloudless blue sky.

There is no doubt that being outdoors, immersed in nature, is connected to your optimal health and well-being. How? Let me share…

• The breeze that ruffles your hair will push away worry and hectic-ness.
• Any mood short of euphoric will improve vastly when in the presence of wildflowers .
• Cruising around outdoors offers more exercise that if you hang around indoors. Either by foot or bike, you’ll get your heart rate up.
• The sound of water bubbling over rocks is a metaphor for tension being washed away from your physical and emotional state.
• Standing atop a rock outcrop, looking down at a clear lake, brings clarity to your own perspective of the world.

Whether you can get to the mountains, the ocean, or a local park, allow the lovely experience of savoring time in nature to uplift, comfort, and nourish you.