This link will take you to an inspirational 11-minute TED talk and presentation by Louie Schwartzberg, photographer and film-maker, that is well worth watching:

http://www.ted.com/talks/louie_schwartzberg_nature_beauty_gratitude.html

Rebbe Nachman of Bratzlav, one of Judaism’s greatest tzadikim, put it this way:

“How wonderful it would be if we were worthy of hearing the song of the grass; every blade of grass sings a pure song to God, expecting nothing in return. It is wonderful to hear its song and to worship God in its midst.” (Cited in A Hidden Light: Stories and Teachings of Early HaBad and Bratzlav Hasidism, by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and Netanel Miles-Yepez, p. 235).

And never to be outdone, we read in Psalms (136):

Hodu LAdonai ki tov, ki l’olam chasdo… / L’Oseh niflaot g’dolot l’vado, ki l’olam chasdo. / L’Oseh hashamayim bitvunah, ki l’olam chasdo./ L’Roka ha-aretz al hamayim, ki l’olam chasdo. / L’Oseh orim g’dolim, ki l’olam hasdo…

“Give thanks to God, for God’s love is eternal… / Who made great wonders, for God’s love is eternal. / Who made the heavens with wisdom, for God’s love is eternal. / Who spread the earth over the waters, for God’s love is eternal. / Who made the great lights, for God’s love is eternal…”

Shabbat shalom!