Below you will find a few books that will help you leverage your interest in nature (and the chaparral!) by showing you a more relaxed and enjoyable way to see the world.
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A New Earth Eckhart Tolle
One of the reasons nature is a place of rejuvenation is because it offers an environment where everything exists for the present moment. What happened yesterday and what may happen tomorrow is not part of the system. When a wrentit establishes his territory he doesn't hold bitter resentment over how the wrentit next door set up his boundaries. In this essential book, Tolle helps explain how to actualize your hidden ability to enjoy "now" instead of being bogged down by past memories (regrets) or what worries you may have about the future.
The Star Thrower Loren Eiseley
An essential collection of meditations on nature by one of the world's foremost natural historians, scientists, and poets. With passion and eloquence, Eiseley weaves the mystery of nature into a series of essays that reveal not only the magic found in the simplist things, but what they can teach us. "The Hidden Teacher", one of our favorites, describes an encounter with a spider that defines the web of life in a way you will always remember.
The Forest People Colin M. Turnbull
The story of the BaMbuti Pygmies of the Congo. What do Pygmies have to do with the chaparral you may ask? The molimo, an ancient ceremony that helps explain why connecting with one's natural surroundings is essential to a rich life, is as important to North Americans as it is those who live in the jungles of Africa. Turnbull joins the Pygmies as a friend and learns the magic of living, a skill often lost in a world clouded by the complications of modern civilization.
The Wisdom of Insecurity By Alan Watts
This remarkable book deals with the philosophy of life in a way that fosters openess and a sense of awe for nature and the miracles inherent in all living things. One of the best books we've ever read.
Fire, Chaparral, and Survival in Southern California By Richard W. Halsey
This is the best book available that describes in detail California's most extensive plant community, the chaparral! The book not only provides the basics of chaparral natural history, but also how wildfires are fought, what we have learned about them, and why it is important to reconnect with one's surroundings. Also included is a color photo identification section with 64 of the most common southern California chaparral plants and animals. You can also obtain a copy by joining the California Chaparral Institute as a MEMBER.
The Hamster Revolution Mike Song, Vicki Halsey, and Tim Burress
If you make a lot of connections via the Internet, you could easily spend an entire day dealing with email. Not good, especially when there are so many opportunities to enjoy life outside. Read how Harold, an overwhelmed human relations director who has become a hamster due to the repetitious nature of email, gets control of his life again by properly managing his daily deluge of electronic messages.
This powerful book is filled with practical advice that will help you unchain yourself from the email wheel so you can get outdoors and enjoy the natural world again.
Sample tips from the HAMSTER REVOLUTION
*Strengthen your subject lines: Weak subject lines confuse recipients and make it hard to locate e-mails later. Use one-word categoriessuch as Request or Confirmationalong with specific information like dates, times, and locations.
*Use bullets and synthesize your message so it is actionable for the recipient.
*Send Less/Quit boomeranging: Send five e-mails, and you get three replies. Put a lid on this boomerang effect by eliminating just one out of five outgoing e-mails. Youll shrink your volume and save time on needless back-and-forth exchanges.