The Spring Creek Nature Area & John Muir

Toby and I got out for a lengthy walk on Labor Day and decided to check out the progress being made to what we used to call Foxboro Park in Richardson. Lately, it seems to go by Spring Creek Nature Area. The City of Richardson recently purchased more woodland area, which we thought was a great use of public money. They've been busily adding paved walking trails, but the corners never seemed finished. We finally figured out what they were doing.

They have made these neat features at both corners and one of them includes a great quote by John Muir, who is, as you know, a great favorite of mine. I was taking a pic of the sculpture with the quote when Toby stopped me and insisted he get a picture with me in front of it. 

As we were heading back to the car, I noticed some past-their-prime sunflowers. There was a time I'd not have stopped to take a picture, but I can appreciate fading beauty now. In this case, it's a "farewell to summer" and a look ahead to glorious fall! 

There have been a good many changes to this area. The other side of the area has been purchased by developers who have put up a great number of apartments. But there are now more trails from them into the wooded area as well.

More of it is for sale. I hope that we do not lose too much more green space. 

That said, did you know that the closer you live to nature, the happier you'll be? I knew that. Now there is proof:

• Overall, they found a strong relationship between the amount of greenery near a person's home and their mental health, and green spaces located within 30 meters - about .18 of a mile - of an individual's home and the biggest impact. For example, an increase of just under 2.5 acres of greenery within 300 meters of a person's home was associated with an eight percentage point increase in life satisfaction, a seven percentage point increase in self-worth, and a five percentage point increase in happiness.

I have long wanted to move closer to Breckenridge Park in Richardson. Now, accordingly to science, my very happiness and health depends on it. It's 400 acres! 

Thanks for reading!