Historic Places in South Jersey

Historic Places in South Jersey - Places to Go and Things to Do

A discussion of things to do and places to go, with the purpose
of sharing, and encouraging exploration of South Jersey.

Friday, March 10, 2017

Two Events from a Pinelands Newspaper March and April 2017 all "Forest Bathing"

March 19, Whitebog Historic Trust presents a talk on the contributions of Elizabeth White, famous for cultivating the contemporary marketable blueberry from the wild New Jersey Highbuh berry and for becoming a notable expert on holly bushes, to Three Mile Colony, known later a the Lebanon Developmental Center for Disabled Youth.  The program will also offer the history of the developmental center.  The program is at 2:00 p.m. but I am sorry to confess, I lost the small item I clipped from the paper and I put the paper out with recycle, so you may have to look up more information at the Whitesbog site.  There was a phone number to call as well.  

The Second event is one I may have posted on before, but a reminder can't hurt:  Camden County Historical Society opens its new exhibiton World War I on April 9th at 1:00.  The exhibit will be on the second floor in the new Camden County Room.  CCHS is located at 1900 Park Boulevard, Camden.  The way I get there is I go down Haddon Ave., west, use the underpass under Rt.130, pass Haleigh Cemetery (If you have time and inclination, you may like to stop there for a stroll and possibly make a short visit with Walt Whitman) turn right just at the end of the cemetery between the cemetery fence and Lady of Loures Hospital   Drive down to the end, go left and the CCHS and Pomona Hall are on your right.

If you have never been there before, it is well worth your visit.  There is a library and a charming, brilliant and helpful Library Director, Bonnie Beth Elwell, president of the Salem Genealogical city, and there is the museum, and the historic house to tour.  It is a wonderful resource.

Also noted:
By the way, yesterday, one of my favorite history writer friends, Barbara Solem who has written Ghosttowns and Other Quirky Places in the Pines, Batsto, Jewel of the Pines, and The Forks, and I took a walk around Pakim Pond and down the Cranberry Trail, with my dog, Trixie.  Have you ever heard of "forest bathing?"  I had a book some years ago on trees that talked about it.  As you are probably aware, trees exhale (fortunately for us as they clean air for us to breath) and in their exhalation are chemical messages that both communicate with other trees and with the world around them.  The messages may warn of dangerous infestations, or may warn off predatory insects  These exhalations contain healing properties for humans  The Japanese have long known about the healing effects of certain forests.  Just walking in certain kinds of forests can reduce diabetes and other chronic modern diseases.  I'm sorry I can't tell you more about it now.  I don't even know where the original book that I read is, it was a birthday gift.  But if the notion strikes your fancy, you can look it up.  Meanwhile, my point is that I have always felt that walking in the woods provided healthful benefits to me, and now I know it is a scientific fact.  And the air was very fragrant yesterday in the sun and warmth  Pakim Pond is my favorite place on earth.

I grew up in Philadelphia and we all live in a smelly state in New Jersey, with trash to steam plants, refineries, auto exhaust on the enormous highways  I remember as a child driving to West Virginia on one of our annual visits and having the car window down and the fresh fragrance of clean air and honeysuckle coming in the window.  It was like heaven.  Also, when we went t the seashore to visit my grandmother, and we went over the Ocean City bridge and causeway, the smell of the fresh, salty ocean air.  It's no coincidence so many health resorts at the turn of the century were opened at the seashore to treat lung diseases like tuberculosis.

Get out there and breathe that fresh forest air!
Happy Trails,
Jo Ann

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