Minimalism.

Today I am writing about the benefits of being a minimalist. I have found that the less material things that I own the closer to nature I feel. Being a minimalist is not about deprivation, but about buying only the things that you absolutely need. It may sound difficult at first to think about shedding some of your stuff, but after a little bit of practice I think that you may come to love it as much as I do.

I have been practicing minimalism for a few years now and have listed below some of my favorite things about it:

1. I spend less money.
2. I have more free time.
3. Its easy for me to move from one place to another.
4. Quality over quantity.
5. Its easy to clean.
6. I work a job that I like because I don't need to make any certain amount of money.

These are just a few of the benefits but I assure you that there are so many more! While I don't exactly have a piece of jewelry to match every outfit, I was able to take a year off of work while living off my savings. If the idea seems too extreme just start small and see how you feel.

Rhododendrons!

Rhododendron maximum 

Today I will share some facts about one of the most beautiful flowers in the state of West Virginia, the Rhododendron!

These flowers are generally pink or white and are found all throughout the state, but they are also found on the slopes and valleys of the Himalayas as well. Yes, the ones near Tibet! In fact, this is where the majority of them are concentrated.

Growing up, I always thought of the plant as being more of a shrub because they can grow to be very large. According to proflowers.com some plants can reach up to 40 feet. The website also lists some other interesting facts about West Virginia's native plant:

-The Rhododendron was adopted as West Virginia's state flower in 1903.
-Its botanical name is the Rhododendron maximum.
-The name Rhododendron means "rose tree".
-Other common names are Great Laurel, Great Rhododendron, Rosebay, and Rosebay Rhododendron.

As proflowers points out, the pink and white flowers are a beautiful contrast to the green leaves of the plant. If you find yourself in West Virginia check them out, or better yet collect some seeds and grow your own!

More on this subject at:
http://www.proflowers.com/blog/west-virginia-state-flower-the-rhododendron
http://www.rhododendron.org/v47n3p139.htm

New Blog Here!

Hey all, welcome to my new blog Live Natural!

Each and every post is about living as close to nature as possible. I believe that we are at our very best in every way when we live naturally. From spending time outdoors to what we eat, this blog is intended to provide short and easy to read articles related to the natural world.

Happy readings, Sarah