Be Outside

Ladonna Armstrong

March 1, 2020

“The enjoyment of scenery employs the mind without fatigue and yet exercises it; tranquilizes it and yet enlivens it.”

~ Fredrick Law Olmsted

March is a magical month. The first day of spring is in March. Flowers are blooming and the earth is awakening after its winter slumber. Colors are brighter and everything feels fresh and new. The weather is warmer and it is the perfect time to Be Outside.

Outside is where I go to refuel. There has never been anything that fills my tank more than being among nature. The website MentalFloss.com states that there are 11 scientific benefits of being outside. They are:

Being outdoors boosts your energy.
It feels easier to exercise outdoors.a
The outdoors is good for your vision.
Natural sunlight helps mitigate pain.
The outdoors boosts your immune system.
The outdoors provides you with free aromatherapy.
The outdoors enhances creativity.
The outdoors helps with seasonal affective disorder.
Being outdoors give you your daily dose of vitamin D.
The outdoors restores your focus.
The outdoors make us better people.

We are blessed with so many outdoor wonderlands in Aiken. If you are in need of some fresh air, a trip to Hopelands Gardens or Hitchcock Woods is a must. Both of them will satisfy your equestrian urge as well, with the Racing Hall of Fame located at Hopelands Gardens and the ample riding trails of the woods, where you are sure to see horses pass you by.

An amazing new find for me the last month was the Aiken Equine Rescue. I was invited to go and see the property and was blown away. See Nancy Johnson’s story this month about this wonderful organization. You are welcome to visit the grounds and mingle with the horses, take a tour, or find a quiet place to sit alongside the green pastures as the horses graze.

“Outside the Box” is where I have always found myself living. It has almost been a life-long challenge, to do things differently than what has been done before. I love to challenge the way people think and do things. I admit that, for most of my life, this has been for selfish purposes, like always getting my own way. With Bella at the heart of what I do, this has changed. Now I am able to think outside the box for all of my advertisers and contributors on how Bella can be a voice to bring awareness for what they are doing.

Thomas Herlong encourages us to think “Inside the Box” in his financial column this month. When he first told me the title of his article, I could feel my body stiffen with rebellion. What? Inside the box? That goes against how I have lived my entire life! Make sure you read his article to discover his message.

March’s character trait, Enthusiasm, will not be a hard one to embrace. The Aiken Triple Crown happens during the month of March each year. It opens with The Trials at the Aiken Training Track. I can say with great enthusiasm that this is my favorite Equestrian Event in Aiken — it is a must see. It is followed by Steeplechase at Bruce’s Field and then concludes with Pacers and Polo at the Powderhouse Polo Field. If you have not been to a polo match, it is time for you to go. It is so much fun to stomp the divots — you will feel like you are in the movie Pretty Woman.

I wish everyone an enthusiastic month of being outside… hopefully among horses.

And we’re off to the… website!

Timm Leikip’s humorous column about horses is online: click here to read

Timm has spoken to groups in 49 of 50 states, several Provinces of Canada, the UK, and Australia. Timm has been published by numerous trade and industry publications.

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Ladonna Armstrong

Publisher of Aiken Bella Magazine.

Ladonna Armstrong

Publisher of Aiken Bella Magazine.

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