I’ve been trying to make a habit of every Sunday morning heading out to a nearby park for a bit of immersion in nature. Something to counteract the busyness and seeming hecticness of the week. I’ve found this to be a very grounding exercise.

Living on a busy street, I’ve gotten used to the sounds of cars wooshing by nearly constantly. But I find I still notice and appreciate the absence of that sound. The woosh begins to dwindle in the wee hours of the morning, around 4am. That’s when the absence of cars becomes greater than the presence, and lasts until about 6:30am on weekdays. On weekends, and especially on Sundays, this quietness can stretch on to a very generous 8am.

During the Sunday ritual in the park, I am in the middle of the woods. I can hear a faint presence of nearby city streets, but over that I hear birds chirping, the chatter of a babbling brook, a squirrel snapping a twig on the ground, Isabel splashing through the water, my shoes crunching the ground underfoot. These are the sounds I look forward to every week. These are the sounds I commit to memory, to conjure in my mind when I need to create a quite moment in the middle of the rush of the day.

What rituals and habits are you creating?

Busses and Birds: We’d rented a house in Austin’s South Congress neighborhood, which put us about a mile away from the action at the Convention Center and the downtown area. So, we rode the bus in and out of downtown a lot. We also noticed giant black birds EVERYwhere, chirping and carrying on. They were very comfortable being within feet of humans.

Just Dance: Every night for me was pretty much filled with one part dancing, one part meeting some new folks, one part wandering the streets of Austin and one part drinking.

Speaking of wandering the streets: The shot above was taken on one of those wanderings. I’m not sure what building this is in downtown Austin, but it’s a pretty neat one and I love the rainbow gradient (or ombré, in some circles) here.

Return to Nature: The day-to-day shuffle of heading to sessions, then heading out in the evening to mingle and drink and dance only to collapse into bed at a late hour created a great need for an afternoon of rejuvenation and relaxation in nature. This photo was taken at the Austin Botanical Gardens. A great place to recharge and face SXSW anew.

All in all, it was a great trip and really great to return to Austin. It was just as lovely as I remembered it being, and this time I got to acquaint myself with places I didn’t see last time. For that, I am grateful. Can’t wait for SXSW next year!

Once we had that goal in mind, we got to work. We laid down our plans and put them into action. Working with Amy was a joy — she is a great collaborator, easy going as well as a fluent, thoughtful writer, and she provided me with inspiration many a time (did I tell you that yet, Amy? Well, I am now.)

The outcome of our toils was far more than I expected. We had more than 100 people sign up before the month even began. And more came even after January 1. I am touched by how many folks participated in the 31 days (and I started out participating myself, but then felt more suited as a spectator for this go ’round). Everyone created really wonderful posts/tweets/otherwise — some were unexpected, all were so creative. I feel honored to be among this community of people, adventuring in big and small ways. And it showed me there are more likeminded people in my sphere than I realized.

So, there’s another delightful outcome. I learned a little bit more about my world.

To those who participated in the 31 Days of Adventure, thank you so very much. You are awesome. I send you high fives and have nothing but smiles and gratitude for your posts and tweets. And as well to those who joined in the middle or thought about joining but didn’t, stay tuned. Amy and I have more in store for all of you.

A later note: I forgot to thank Katie Levy, Sara Lingafelter, Kim Kircher and Chicks Climbing for contributing awesome guest prompts. You all rock!

So now I’m seeking to return to food awareness and put my full focus on the meal in front of me. No distractions. For today’s 31 Days of Adventure, I took the opportunity to practice this by noticing the little things while eating lunch today. I closed my eyes. I chewed slowly. I found there was a lot to notice while eating this tasty salad:

So much kale and cabbage goodness mixed in with a tangy sweet homemade dressing! Each bite was a little different than the one before. Some came with the leafy texture of kale, some with a bit more onion, some with a salty pumpkin seed punch that seemed to accentuate all the other flavors. I was really surprised at how intense the flavors and textures were when I really paid attention.

Next I enjoyed a slice of 5-year aged cheddar from the great state o’ Wisconsin:

Again, an intense flavor experience. Far more than I remember before.

I’m going to have to eat with this much attention more often.

This post is part of the 31 Days of Adventure. Follow the prompts here or at #31adventures.

So, every day in the month of January, we’ll send out daily adventures on the 31 Days of Adventure site and through our newsletter. These adventures are free, easy enough to incorporate into your day and do right in your backyard (or around the neighborhood). We hope they’ll inspire you to carry adventure with you throughout the rest of the year. Hope you’ll join us!

Isabel loves to frolic in the water while I think, so it’s a great spot for both us.

This post is part of Think Kit 2011.

And this guy!

And these little ones!

And a frosty hedge!

I mean, do you see how the light is hitting that hedge? And imagine some glittery frost business with that? Unbelievable. I would have totally missed out on this if I had traveled by car. (And even by bike, most likely. I’m usually eyes forward.)

Last, as I neared my destination, I found a frosty rose bush that looked so beautiful, shimmering.

It was a great way to get to work and it really put a smile on my face. It was a much nicer way to start the day than to be scraping frost off my car and waiting for the light to turn green.

How are you getting to work this week? What little things are you noticing?

Prompt: Have a snapshot that encapsulates your year? Or one that represents a great moment? Maybe it just looks dang cool. Show ‘n tell time — let’s see those pics!

This would be my favorite photo of this year:

It’s not a perfectly composited and shot photo in any sort of professional photography sense (in fact, it’s a little blurry), however, this photo encapsulates so much for me. It was taken in one of my favorite spots in Indianapolis, a place of peace and rejuvenation. It is a visual representation of the spirit and the attitude I have focused on embodying this year: letting things flow like water. Paying attention to that flow and getting to know the feeling better. This photo is a gentle reminder.

Want to participate in Think Kit? Head on over here to get started!

WORDS from Everynone on Vimeo.