A poplar leaf picked up on a recent morning walk.
This morning while washing dishes I heard a brief segment on our local NPR station about the impact that being in nature has on the brain. (And of course I can't find it to share a link, but it was part of Research Matters.) In their research they partnered with Outward Bound and sent people to places like Alaska and California. They then did cognitive studies on them and found people had greater capacity for creativity and imagination after being outdoors. Furthermore, they stated that being in nature allows time for the mind to rest (or take a break from the onslought of information of too much screen time) which opens it's ability to be creative.
It makes perfect sense to me. On my non-teaching mornings I take a brisk walk outside and I know that even after this brief time I am better prepared mentally for the studio. If we lived in a rural area with woods, mountains or ocean nearby I would certainly be out longer and more frequently. So unplug and get outdoors this weekend!