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Archive for the ‘Nature and Stress’ Category

Rest and Relax With Ted Stark’s Nature Photo’s

Posted in Health and Wellness, Nature and Stress, Stress Management, tagged , , , , on August 8, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Recently I gained  a new Twitter follower, Ted Stark. Ted likely found me via one of my many posts about hiking in nature (with pics included). I checked out Ted’s website, and was visually inspired. Ted’s nature photos make me want to travel and see first-hand the many beautiful sights he captures in his pics. Ted also take great pics of wildlife and urban scenes, but it’s his nature photos that move me the most. To go to Ted’s Website and photo gallery, click on this link.

Ted Stark, photographer

For those of us that live and work in an urban environment, simply looking at photo of a restful nature scene can help relax us for a moment.  Nature pics take us out of our fast paced multitasking mode and give our eyes and minds something to focus on.

Check out Ted’s photos and see for yourself if you are moved or inspired. It’s more likely to relax you than a game of Angry Birds. :)



Who is Ted Stark and Why is He So Wild About Wildlife Photos?
From his website: Theodore A. Stark is a Colorado native and an avid nature, wildlife, and architectural photographer. He also does limited portraiture work, focusing in the candid style. Stark is a graduate of the University of Arizona with a degree in Management Information Systems. He and his wife, Erin, currently live in Centennial, Colorado.

Stark has been involved with photography since 2001 when he experienced a life changing event that, literally, changed his perspective on the world around. Add to that Stark is a Type I Diabetic and, as he puts it, “… I am aware that I very well may lose my vision at some point, so I should share what I can see while I still can.”

Find Ted’s tweets on Twitter here. And, if you are so moved by his work that you must have some for yourself, he does sell calendars, prints and books of his photography here.

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Chicago Urban Adventurers, Venture Out to Naperville’s Riverwalk

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, Nature and Stress, tagged , , , on July 25, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Saturday night my man and I wanted to go for a walk. We decided to forgo an urban hike and went on a “mini-vacation” to fabulous downtown Naperville and strolled along the Riverwalk.

Map of Naperville Riverwalk and park system. Image by J. Porys.

With the recent rain, the river itself had flooded. The walking path down along the river was covered in high water.

Naperville Riverwalk at night in high waters. Image by J. Porys.

No matter, we walked along the upper portion of the Riverwalk and enjoyed the cool-ish breezes from the river and the trees and relative safety of the ‘burbs. It was peaceful, fairly uncrowded and beautiful even in the dark of the night.

Naperville Riverwalk at night, 7-23-11. Image by J. Porys.

For a link to info about the Riverwalk, including its history (built in 1981) and directions on how to get there, click here. For an artistic rendering virtual tour of the Riverwalk, click here.

Naperville Riverwalk in low waters and daylight. Image from http://www.napervillesdining.com/photo/Naperville-IL/riverwalk-naperville-water

Now, for those that live in Naperville, you may think, Sue, how can you live in Chicago and not know how wonderful our city is? As a long time city dweller, I admit my lack of suburban experience is evident. In venturing out of the city to explore new parks and forest preserves, I’ve come to appreciate what the areas surrounding the city of Chicago have to offer: Peace and quiet, lots more space and open areas, lovely parks and a nice change of pace from the hustle bustle of city life.  And shock of all shocks to us big city dwellers, Naperville has clean, safe, parking garages that offer FREE parking in the downtown district.

And Naperville has another big gem to explore in the daytime: Centennial Beach. But that’s the subject of yet another blog post! More on Naperville’s Riverwalk here from the Naperville blog.

Address of Naperville Riverwalk:

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Celebrate Summer at Blackwell Forest Preserve

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, Nature and Stress, tagged , , , , on July 14, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

We took a nice long hike this past weekend at Blackwell Forest Preserve. Although it was hot, we were able to hike along meadows, in the coolness of a few forests and along Silver Lake and the McKee Marsh.

Map of Southern section of Blackwell Forest Preserve. image by J. Porys.

Map of Northern section of Blackwell Forest Preserve. Image by J.Porys.

According to the DuPage Forest Preserve Site: The Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville is located on land that the retreating Wisconsin Glacier shaped 12,000 to 15,000 years ago. The glacier’s meltwaters left behind much of the soil that covers DuPage County today. After the glacier’s retreat, savannas with widely spaced oak trees formed on the higher ground while the lower-lying ground became home to marsh and prairie plants.

McKee Marsh. Image by Sue Shekut.

And we found out that the 13,000-year-old skeletal remains of a wooly mammoth were found within the marsh area many years ago.

Woolley Mammoth remains found in Blackwell Forest Preserve area. Image by Sue Shekut.

Blackwell offers boats for rent and has many campgrounds of Youth activities and family camping and picnicking events.

Rent a boat at Silver Lake in Blackwell and enjoy the day! Image by Sue Shekut.

You can rent canoes, kayaks and rowboats for use on Silver Lake by the hour or the day at Blackwell’s boat-rental area.  Oars, paddles and personal flotation devices are provided for rentals only and cannot be rented separately for use in private watercraft.

The boat-rental area is open weekends from the beginning of April through the end of September from 8 a.m. until sunset. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, it is also open Mondays through Fridays from 11 a.m. until sunset.

Boats for rent in Silver Lake in Blackwell. Image by Sue Shekut.

There is no swimming allowed in Silver Lake though and I wouldn’t want to swim in it.

The fish can swim all they want but not us humans in Silver Lake! Image by Sue Shekut.

It’s too full of algae!

Future biodiesel source in Silver Lake? Image by J. Porys.

Still the cool lake water did provide us with some relief from the heat. Any many happy boaters paddled along the still lake waters the day we hiked there.

Silver Lake in Blackwell Forest Preserve. Image by Sue Shekut.

It’s OK to fish in Silver Lake where you can catch bluegill, catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, northern pike, rainbow trout and walleye.

Fishing at Silver Lake. Image by Sue Shekut.

After Hiking a few miles in the hot sun, the forest provided welcome cool relief! Image by Sue Shekut.

Blackwell Forests offer a visual cornicopiia of colorful berries! Image by J. Porys.

As the sun began to set, Silver Lake became Mirror Lake in Blackwell. Image by Sue Shekut.

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What Do Flowers Do For You?

Posted in Health and Wellness, Nature and Stress, tagged , , , , on July 11, 2011 | 1 Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Image by Sue Shekut

Flowers make me feel better,  more relaxed and give my overworked mind a rest from planning, analyzing and overall thinking. I send flowers at times to say I am thinking of you to those recovering from illness or for holidays and birthdays. My garden has some very pretty flowers and I can tend to them for a nature fix every day!

Tell me, what do flowers do for you? How do they make you feel?

For an article on How Flowers Affect Peoples Moods click here.

For an article on the Therapeutic Effect of Flowers, click here.

For a quick view of an article in a pdf called, An Environmental Approach to Positive Emotion: Flowers click here.

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Go on Vacation Without Leaving the Chicago Area!

Posted in Health and Wellness, Nature and Stress, Stress Management, Workplace Wellness, tagged , , , , , on July 10, 2011 | 1 Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Over the 4th of July weekend, I went “on vacation”..only 30 miles from home! I went to the Itasca Westin off the 290 and Thorndale and had a very relaxing time with my family. (Note: for business travelers that like to stay fit on the road, the Itasca Westin is a wonderful “home-away-from-home,” too.)

Itasca Westin-All lit up and ready to book your visit!

First off, the Westin is located in a large industrial park with multiple ponds, water fountains and hiking/walking trails.

Looks like Florida! But it's Itasca, Illinois

The Westin is adjacent to a super nice health club that sports a large swimming pool, ample sized hot tub, raquetball courts, tennis and basketball (indoor and outdoor) courts, cardio equipment and strength training gear. Oh and boxing equipment!

Pool inside Northwest Athletic Club adjacent to Westin in Itasca, IL

The Westin rooms are all lovely and spacious with super comfy Heavenly beds.

A whole lot of relaxing goes on in these Heavenly beds!

This hotel turned out to be a great place for our mini-family reunion. And late at night, walking along the trees, ponds and water fountains, we felt safe and secure, much safer than walking along the Chicago Lakefront!

No it's not Close Encounters! It's a view of the fountain behind the Westin at night!

Sure, Itasca is no Lake Geneva, there are  no speed boats, no long motorcycle runs and no ice cream parlous. But for a quiet romantic get away or just a place to relax and “get away from it all” for just a few days, Itasca is worth visiting.

Walking paths abound around the Westin with bridges over waterways and swans and ducks

Several weddings took place at the Westin while we were there but somehow we managed to get rest and enjoy the beautiful flowers left over from the night before!

The Banquet for an Indian Wedding took place in the main hall so we got to see the lovely decorations!

The hotel staff let me father take some of the flowers from the weddings for our family party. Recycling versus throwing them out!

"Recycled" flowers in our suite!

And if you just want to walk the grounds without staying at the hotel, that’s fine! As far as we could tell, walking around at about 11pm at night, there is no curfew for night walks. During the day, you can see the ducks and other birds swimming and enjoying the ponds and waterfalls. And there is ample parking-no city of Chicago meters to feed. Check it out the next time you want to go for a walk in the  (industrial) “park.”

Note: Neither Working Well Massage nor myself, Sue Shekut, has any affiliation with the Westin. The latest AMTA-IL Annual Conference was held there and I’ve done a few chair massage events there in the past. As a guest of the hotel,  I found that some of the font desk staff were really not nice. Others were very helpful . That’s the case in many hotels–staff responsiveness varies.  I found the policy of charging $9.99 per day for Wifi access excessive (what hotel charges for Wifi these days?!). Rooms do not come with microwaves or mini-fridges standard–you have to order them and there is a limited supply. But location wise the hotel is a nice place to go for a short get-a-way. Just pack a cooler with ice and enjoy the health club pool and hotel grounds.

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Take a Gander at the Clouds and Get Inspired

Posted in Health and Wellness, Nature and Stress, Stress Management, tagged , , on July 8, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

There is something restorative about sitting back on a nice summer day and watching the clouds go by. It’s relaxing, it let’s your mind wander and let’s you relax your body as well.

If you can’t get outside, I am sharing a great cloud pic with you for inspiration. Enjoy!

Heavenly Clouds

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Peace and Serenity in Devil’s Lake, Wisconsin

Posted in Health and Wellness, Nature and Stress, tagged , , , on July 6, 2011 | 1 Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Today I offer you an image of peace and serenity courtesy of Wisconsin’s Devil’s Lake. This shot is of a small outlet just off the lake’s South Shore. No motor boats, no large crowds. Just you, nature and the ducks. Enjoy!

Devils Lake, WI, South Shore. Image by Sue Shekut

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Visit the Tropics–in the U.S….at Rough River Lake in Kentucky

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, Nature and Stress, tagged , , , , , on June 21, 2011 | 2 Comments »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Costa Rica or Kentucky? Kentucky!

Last year, my boyfriend and I ventured down to Kentucky for a long weekend get away. And what we found surprised and delighted us. Rough River Lake, Nolan Lake and Mammoth Cave are great spots for hiking, swimming and boating. Swimming in Rough River Lake, we felt like we were in Costa Rica.  The great thing about a Kentucky vacation for Chicago area dwellers is that getting there is only 6 hours drive from Chicago to Rough River Lake. Door County, WI is just as far but Lake Michigan is cold and prices for boat rental, lodging, and food are about double in WI as compared to prices in Kentucky. Kentucky is warmer in general.  Check out the photos from our last trip and decide for yourself if Kentucky should be on your “must visit” list. We know we’ll be back!

Tranquail island in Rough River Lake, KY

What about wild life? We saw many deer and they saw us!

Kentucky deer look a lot like Illinois deer

Pontoon boats are easy to navigate in Rough River Lake

See an island you like? Pull up your boat and stay a while!

We made a wrong turn and ended up heading for an uber narrow canal!

Beautiful, peaceful and warm clean water in abundance!

Tiny "islands" abound in manmade Rough River Lake

For info on Rough River Lake, click here.

For inf on Nolan Lake, click here.

For info on Mammoth Cave, click here.

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Gardening Tips on Herbs That Control Insects

Posted in Health and Wellness, Nature and Stress, tagged , , , , , on May 29, 2011 | 2 Comments »

Gardening is healthy for you! Image by Sue Shekut.

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Gardening can be a big part of your wellness plan for several reasons:

1. You can grow your own herbs and vegetables for a healthy diet.

2. Being in nature can have a calming effect on your nervous system, reducing the negative effects of stress.

3. Focusing on gardening can also be meditative, in that it’s tough to garden well and pay attention to your cell phone, emails and other distractions. When I garden, it’s me and the dirt and the plants. I get a reprieve from work stressors and electronic interruptions as I plant, weed and tend to my garden.

4. When your garden is planted, several varieties of herbs can help control insects and keep your patio or garden area free of pests!

Ecochem has a great list of herbs and which insects they repel here.
From the Ecochem website::

• Basil controls flies and mosquitoes
• Datura controls Japanese beetles
• Garlic controls Japanese beetle, aphids, weevils, fruit tree borers, spider mites
• Rosemary controls cabbage moths, bean beetles, carrot flies, malaria mosquitoes
• Sage controls cabbage moths, carrot flies, ticks
• Spearmint controls ants, aphids
• Wormword controls animal intruders, cabbage worm butterflies, black flea beetles, malaria mosquitoes

For the complete list of herbs and the insects they control, click here.

Beautiful Chicago potted garden. Image by Sue Shekut.

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Nurturing Your Children’s Nature with Experiences in Nature!

Posted in Health and Wellness, Nature and Stress, tagged , , , , , on April 18, 2011 | 1 Comment »

Cover of "Last Child in the Woods: Saving...

Cover via Amazon

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

While I study psychology in my masters program, one thing really has become clear–the importance of early childhood experiences on our future mental health.   I am not yet a graduate and am in no position to give psychological advice beyond my coaching credentials. However, I have found a wealth of info about early childhood and the role of experiencing nature in development in the Earth Easy blog. If you have children, or even if you don’t but are interested in nature and psychology, click on any of the links tot he articles below and enjoy!

Clearing a Path to Nature

by Richard Louv
The disengagement of children from nature has begun to alarm some of America’s more thoughtful naturalists, scientists, and environmentalists. For the full article, click here.
Richard Louv is the author of several books about children and community, including, The Web of Life: Weaving the Values that Sustain Us (Conari Press), Fly-Fishing for Sharks: An American Journey (Simon & Schuster), and the national bestseller Last Child in the Woods.

The Real Cost of ‘Virtual Nature’

by Brenda Scott Royce
Can robotic replicas and digital imagery inspire children to a love of nature? For the full article, click here.

How to get your child excited about nature

By Greg Seaman
Children are born with an innate curiosity about the natural world around them. How can we help them satisfy it? For the full article, click here.

Spending time in nature, a natural remedy for ADHD

By The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, reported in Scienceblog
Children with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) should spend some quality time outdoors when they are not in school, according to a nationwide study.

Leave No Child Inside

By Richard Louv
… we must pass on to our children the joy and value of playing outside in nature. For the full article, click here.

Our Psychic Connections to Nature

by David Bollier
The despoliation of nature is tantamount to despoiling our mental habitat as well. To read the full article, click here.

David Bollier is the editor of OntheCommons.org, an activist and writer about the commons, and author of Silent Theft, Brand Name Bullies and Viral Spiral.

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