Investing in a tree identification book can give you amazing insight into the diversity of the trees right in your own neighborhood or town. A small book that is portable can be taken on walks where you live and help you learn about the native and non-native species of trees whose oxygen you breathe every day.

If you have a pet, you have easy access to the animal world, even though your lap dog may be far removed from the jungle. No matter how well trained, most of your pet's habits are programmed by nature, and are evidence of a connection to an ancient and wild ancestry. Watch carefully, and you may find your little beastie re-enacting a scene from the Animal Planet right in your own back yard.

Barbara Kingsolver wrote "Recall that whatever lofty things you might accomplish today, you will do them only because you first ate something that grew out of the dirt." This is a great reminder, since most of us are so far removed from the source of our food, it is easy to forget that lettuce comes from a farm, not the grocery store.

Consider that the meat, the grains, and the produce on your table are all a gift of the earth, and that the soil, the sun, and the water all contributed to your meal. What better way to feel connected than to feel grateful for the nature on your own plate and then eat, allowing it to nourish you and give you energy?

Great pleasure and a sense of connection can be had by welcoming small critters into your life, even if you don't have a large yard. You might consider hanging a bird feeder outside one or more windows, putting peanuts out for squirrels, or planting a bush that attracts butterflies. Inviting your neighborhood's small animals to visit by offering them food is a lovely way to share your abundance and tune into the earth's creatures and their habits.

As you take the dog for a walk or go on a trip, consider gathering small natural objects that catch your eye or seem unusual. A collection of little rocks, seed pods, pieces of bark, sticks, and pine cones on your coffee table can serve to remind you of special places you've been. It can also remind you that nature is infinitely creative, generous, and mysterious. If bark in your living room isn't quite your style, consider taking photos of the objects you find and putting them in an album.

What a reliable rhythm the earth has, cycling through the seasons with amazing intensity. You can witness and tune into the show nature puts on by choosing one particular plant or tree near your home that you especially love, and really paying attention to how it changes through the year.

Another good way to connect with the seasons is to grow your own vegetables, or to sign up for a Community Supported Agriculture box, which is full of produce grown on a local farm in your area. Your garden or a CSA box will only contain things grown in the rhythm of your local climate, allowing you to really appreciate produce with-in its natural season.

It seems obvious, but it is sometimes easy to forget we are part of nature ourselves. As humans we can get wrapped up in our busy daily lives and all of the great things we need to achieve, but we must remember that we are creatures of the earth, made of carbon and water just like the trees and the bears.

Like the flowers and the tide, we live our days according to the cycles of the moon and the sun. Our bodies are just as much evidence of nature's amazing and beautiful design as the sea anemone or the watermelon vine. It is when we let go of our ego and put down our inflated sense of human importance that we can really connect to Mother Earth and our own true nature.