The nature you can expect to find while living in Manalapan NJ
It’s been confirmed many times that humans are better able to cope with chronic stress and are happier when connected with nature.
Many studies show as you will see in this article, that living in close proximity to forest land and nature is linked with strong, healthy functioning of a key part of the brain.
This tells us that, compared with those who live in a mostly man-made environment, people who live near or enveloped within nature, may be better able to cope with stress. But that’s only if they take the time to actually acknowledge and appreciate it.
Further still, if you make an effort to connect with nature through all five of your senses, it makes the most of its restorative power. There is even an emerging trend of doctors prescribing nature to prevent and treat chronic disease.
I grew up in a concrete jungle, from Queens NY until age 9 then to Brooklyn NY until my 20s, but my fondest memories were always related to trips where nature was all around me.
Memories from our family’s country house and then after my father passed away, being invited to my best friend’s country house where we swam in fresh water creeks and walked over to the nearby barn for fresh warm milk with the cream sitting on the top half of the glass bottle.
The times we jumped from the barn beams into the hay stacks, climbed trees and took adventure walks along the slowly flowing creek were times engrained in my fondest memories.
So it’s no wonder that moving out of Brooklyn with my own family was top on my list so that I can provide this wholesome way of life for my 3 sons.
Nature is medicine. It’s just that simple. This article tells what magical nature can be experienced as a resident in Manalapan NJ
I ask that you imagine me as your guide taking you through Manalapan NJ, hearing from the residents themselves as I gathered their beautiful experiences of nature from a social media inquiry I prompted recently.
But first, I will share a few of my own stories. Since my husband’s job had its headquarters in Brooklyn, it was a chronic tug of war argument about moving to a place that would require two bridge tolls and a long ride commuting back and forth everyday.
I admit there was a temporary unanimous agreed break from moving to NJ because of this one incident which my husband found to be extremely amusing at my expense. I am pretty sure you’ll join him in his laughter.
My sister was already living in NJ for many years and we enjoyed visits to her gorgeous home. We left our children at her home while we went out with the realtor to tour homes.
Picture in your mind’s eye, me being extremely over the top enthusiastic even about the most horrible houses, and my husband being extremely annoyed and negative because he didn’t want to move to NJ.
There was one house that had an enormous property but the house had very uneven floors. Skipping with enthusiasm, I ventured out the back down a lovely trail to see what was down there.
“Come on we’re leaving!” My impatient annoyed husband yelled.
So I followed the same trail back but not before stepping into “something”
We got back into the car to go to our next house on the list which was literally around the block and he began driving there.
It was my enthusiasm happy attitude sitting next to the brick of my husband’s negativity wall within the same car.
I felt a little itchy in my legs so I scratched them. I felt it again and I looked down as we pulled up to the next house to tour. I noticed hundreds of tiny spiders crawling all over both legs and my hands including the mls paperwork I was holding. My screech screaming scared my husband until he saw I was covered in what we assume was baby ticks.
I immediately ran to the front door of the next house without asking the realtor if I could enter while continuing to scream and straight into the bathroom I went, no stops, a straight line instinctively predicting it’s location! Once inside, I stripped out of my shorts and tank top to jump into the shower belonging to people I didn’t even know using their shampoos and soap.
The realtor was repeatedly saying through the door, “You’re not allowed to do this.” while I continued to scrub in scolding hot water and scream, admittedly using foul language both at her and in general at the horrifying experience.
Once I believed I was rid of everything, I ran out of the house and back into my car, but this time sitting in the back seat instead for fear of getting infested again from the front seat.
My husband could barely drive from the laughter. He got a great ab work out from this kind of nonstop laughing.
“Hurry up and let’s go to my sister’s house right now!” I demanded. Now I was the negative and he was the “cheery happy go lucky.” See how fast that switched around as the brick wall remained.
The minute we arrived at my sister’s, I darted out of the car and jumped into her in ground pool to further freak out and possibly drown any bugs I may have missed in the shower. My husband between fits of continued laughter reported the incident to my sister and brother in law.
Shortly after I came up from the dive, a gigantic June bug landed into my hair and I was unable to get it untangled out.
So her entire neighborhood wondered if there was some sort of murder happening because of those screams.
This experience had me agreeing with my husband that Brooklyn was just fine and NJ was a torturous danger zone.
About a year later, I recategorized that experience into my memory files under the label of “funny” instead of traumatic, and we resumed our search for homes in NJ
After successfully relocating to our new home in Manalapan NJ, and hiring many exterminators to send a clear message to any bugs, we had a visit from two huge turkeys on our front lawn. We watched one cross the street. My heart filled with love as my husband marveled at them with his camera in hand. Ah nature was so magical and exciting.
Seeking to gain a loving experience I moved in very close to one of the turkeys to say, in the sweetest kindest angelic voice, “Hi cutey cutey Turkey.”
The other turkey became angry and started charging straight at me from across the street. I turned and ran away so fast. My knees had enough height to reach my jaw and in giant gliding strides, there may have been smoke coming off my shoes I ran that fast, screech screaming every 5 steps or so.
I am so glad that I provide such amusement for my husband. Well luckily that mean Turkey didn’t catch me and I was soon inside catching my breath staring at it through the front bay window.
Now if these two stories weren’t effective in convincing you that nature is relaxing and good for your health, maybe the lovely shared experiences from other residents will.
I promise, nature in in fact the best medicine at the very least it serves for a good laugh.
One resident shared,
“A mama deer gave birth to twins in our yard last year. It was such a wonderful experience watching the mama take care of her little ones. It was very sweet. I Noticed the mom didn’t stop licking the babies while nursing. I read they do that so they won’t have a scent, so predators can’t find them. Ah nature!”
When we have pets, sometimes they are the ones who find nature for us,
“There was a possum in my backyard and my dog started to chase it. The possum ran up the fence and froze. You know, “playing dead” as they do for defense tactic. My dog stood there for a few minutes tilting his head from one side then to the other in confusion and finally lost interest and walked away. As soon as my dog walked away, I observe the possum finished playing dead and took off. Dog also noticed and turned away making a funny human expression of disbelief, Lol nature!”
So apparently not all turkeys are mean as this resident shares:
“A flock of wild turkeys often come to visit us. They get along well with one of our stray kitties that we care for and I see them standing around together like pals”
This shocking tale is one very recent experience in our town,
“I was riding my bike on Pension Rd and I saw a huge black bear grazing the side of a house. I at first thought it was an obnoxious statue until it started walking towards the road. I hurled my bike around as fast as I could and rode like never before to get away from it. By the time I got home and called the police it had already been called in and plans were being made to have it moved to another location. It was the most exciting and scariest experience I’ve ever had with wildlife here in Manalapan. So cool!”
Well least there are no Lions and tigers to worry about right?
One resident proudly reported her glimpse of a rare piebald deer which is uniquely white and tan looking. Other residents confirmed while one reported that sadly it died from being struck by a car a few years ago.
Woodpeckers, blue jays, humming birds and red cardinals were lovingly mentioned as well.
I love this interesting sweet shared story from a local farm owner,
“In November we added a cow to our farm. At first it was a little rocky getting all the animals acquainted but after a few days they were all pretty much best friends. I was pulling out of the farm a few weeks ago and just happened to glance over at all the animals and noticed the cow was licking the other animals clean. I had never seen her do that before. It’s almost like she became the mamma to the other animals, and was trying to take care of them.”
And nothing to fear with this story:
“There is a mated pair of foxes that live not too far from my house. Usually we see them running around looking for food for their young. We spotted the mama in our backyard a few days ago. She comes by quite a bit to say, “Hi.”
One resident advised, “A great way we can all help animals feel welcome is to create more of a habitat in our own yards. Simply placing a flower pot on a deck or porch is inviting.” She shared that creating the habitat in our own yards is the goal of the Manalapan Environmental Commission Native Plant Sales, which take place at the Manalapan Recreation Park.
One resident lost some sleep in her experience describing nature’s own dating behaviors.
“We heard a mockingbird that sings off a storm past few nights.. mocking the calls of other birds, he is looking for another single bird. The past 2 nights he started at 11pmand went on till 3am. We heard him even imitate a frog which was amazing! It will seriously keep you up so I hope he finds his woman soon.“
One bunny story was also shared, “I have a rabbit that keeps making it’s nest in my garden container for the last couple of years.”
Another resident said, “A month after we moved here something ate half a rabbit and left us the other half on the lawn as a welcome present.”
There are interesting insects out and about here in Manalapan. “We found a praying mantis nest in our yard.”
Sharing another of my own stories, in our yard every summer while sitting around our fire pit at night, we can see the bats flying back and forth to catch insects, swooping down and unexpectedly changing direction for their meal. At first I was alarmed but now we are used to it.
So getting back to how nature is medicine and relaxing, I will share that when there are no lawn mower sounds and you can sit in your own quiet yard, you will absolutely enjoy the effervescent fresh oxygenated air and bird sounds.
Once you understand nature, for example, like the fact that the buzzing vibration from a bee’s wings is being studied for its healing properties, and that trees may even have a consciousness of their own, your stress levels can literally be reset and from a simple walk on a trail, you may go from stressed out city slicker to carefree relaxed tree hugger fairly quickly.
Thank you for coming to my Manalapan Nature Tour and thank you especially to all the residents who contributed their amazing animal nature sightings. Their experiences collectively created this article’s true value.
From now on though, if you hear any screech screaming, don’t be alarmed because we’re in Manalapan and it’s probably just another healing, relaxing experience that I am having
Warm regards, Joanna Renner, Life Coach, Writer & The NJ Feng Shui Realtor
