SOPH Journal #2: Nature as a teacher, soother, and healer
The Romantic artists of the 19th century viewed nature differently from their neoclassic predecessors. To the Romantics, Nature wasn't just an orderly scientific force to be studied and predicted. The Romantics worshiped the beauty, the strangeness, the evolution, and the wildness of Nature. They looked to Nature as a teacher (To a Waterfowl), as a soother (I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, a poem linked in the text below), and as a healer (Thanatopsis--WC Bryant's meditation on death).
What has been your experience with Mother Nature? Choose to write about ONE of these four topics (minimum of 250 words).
1. I learned a thoughtful lesson from this incident observing or experiencing nature
2. This natural experienced solaced me
3. This natural experience exhilarated me (click here for Jim Cantori's "thundersnow" experience)
4. I have no such natural story. I prefer the indoors, and I'll tell you why
Need some brainstorming help? Think about your experience with animals, maybe your pets. The animals around your house. Your vacations at the beach, camping in the mountains, or just hiking through the woods. Nothing is too insignificant to write about. English Romantic poet William Wordsworth wrote about viewing a field of daffodils (see link) and then writing how his imagination can still dance with the daffodils.
DUE FOR CLASS, MONDAY MARCH 2.
posted by JTF @ 12:53 PM
40 comments
40 Comments:
In my opinion, I find that nature can be very comforting and soothing. Over my lifetime, I have had many experiences with nature causing me to stop and reflect on my life and feel relaxed. There is one experience though, that I particularly remember. Last summer, I was attempting to fish at Carousel park with my dad and younger brother. As we were standing there fishing, there was all sorts of wonderful nature around us. I vividly remember seeing a family of ducks just softly drifting across the pond with the little ducklings following their parents. Also, there was a group of geese gently flying overhead as if they had no worries in the world. Across the pond is a dog park. As I was fishing I saw a little boy playing with his dog and his parents watching on. As I was seeing this I was just leaning on a tree and holding my fishing rod reflecting on life. I thought about how my life has flashed before my eyes and how happy the geese, ducks, and little boy seemed. I sort of just zoomed out and stared into space not worrying about anything and just being happy. For that moment in time I felt invincible and that no matter what life throws and me theres a reason and an answer to everything. Although, we didn't catch any fish that day(probably because we were using Subway sandwich salami as bait) I still had one of the most wonderful and most comforting experiences of my young life.
I am choosing to do my blog on an experience with nature that has solaced me. Unfortunately, I am diagnosed with juvenile arthritis, thyroid disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and ischiofemoral problems. Last year, my life was really hard. I was dealing with 4 new diseases and chronic pain. I went through medication after medication without any help. I was told that I would have to take injections every week for the next 2 years. Last April, my family went down to Ag Day at the University of Delaware. There were lots of animals and plant exhibits and even a hayride tour of the farm. For the first time ever, they had a holstein calf in a pen with contest to name her. Of course, each member of my family entered a name. Lo and behold, I won the contest. It was funny really because my dad grew up on a dairy farm that had been located in Manassas for 200 years. Anyways, I named the calf Pheobe. Visiting her helped me cope with my illnesses. She was so young and happy. I got a tour of the farm and even got to use the vacuum milking system and saw their lab where they test the milk. I went back every once and a while to visit her and take pictures. Around September, Pheobe was sent up to Rutgers because the University of Delaware doesn’t have the facilities to house cows before they’re ready to become mothers. Pheobe will be back in 2016 right before she is ready to give birth. This experience was incredible for me and really lifted my spirits. I cannot wait to see Pheobe again.
Nature is really a beautiful thing, especially in the summer, and it helps me to relax and be happy. During the summer, I always have to do summer reading for school. I do not like to read, and I especially don't like to read the sometimes boring novels that the teachers assign over our summer break. Although I dread doing the reading every summer, I recently discovered something that soothes me, helps me to read better, and helps me understand the material that I'm reading. I like to spread a big towel or blanket in the cool, soft, shady grass under a tree in my backyard and read. The calming sounds of the birds chirping, the smell of the fresh air, and the warm sun help me to be relaxed and focused on my reading. Reading indoors is not effective at all for me because it is stuffy and full of distractions. Sometimes, I even like to bring a bowl of ice cream or a cold glass of lemonade to make me satisfied and help me stay cool while I read. I love being outside during the summer, even when I'm not doing schoolwork. I love the fresh, warm air, the cool, soft grass, and the sight of colorful flowers and full, green trees surrounding me. Whatever I am doing, the essence of summer makes me do it better. Summer is definitely my favorite season, but all of the seasons have a special effect on me because they are all so unique and beautiful.
In my life I've had a good amount of encounters with Mother Nature. Nature is all around us, but few places are left that remain completely untouched by man. My experience involves a place where nature still maintains a sort of dominance over its domain. I go camping in the Poconos often, particularly Hickory Run State Park. It is a vast expanse of land, a record of the woodlands of the East Coast, before the skyscrapers of cities replaced towering trees. Hickory Run provides a variety of nature experiences and senses. The hiking trails provide an overwhelming feeling of isolation, a complete separation from cities or even the mock nature scenes the campsites provide. It is a path leading nowhere, giving people a chance to reconnect with our senses and feelings. Hickory Run features a quiet lake which exudes purity and innocence. Unmarred by pollution, this lake is a reminder of what once was all over the country, and reminds me of a purity that I no longer possess, due to society's grasp on people. But the best part of any camping trip for me, is the trek to Boulder Field. Boulder Field is literally a field of ancient rocks and boulders brought to Pennsylvania by Ice Age glaciers. Hiking through this field, with its unpredictable falls and unsteady steps, reminds me of life itself. I don't know what my years on earth will bring me, just like I don't know which rock will wobble. My falls in the field represent my falls in life. The expanse of the field is so vast, with many paths to take, which portrays any path I may go on. I never take the same path twice. And the feeling of reaching the end of the field, is one of accomplishment and pride. It is a realization that man and nature are purely supposed to interact together in harmony.
One of my favorite experiences with nature is when it’s raining and we see lightning strikes during the storm. Just the shape and sound and the brightness of the flash always amazes me. It’s one of the most beautiful and amazing things I think I’ve witnessed, and it’s always something that makes me very happy whenever it starts to rain. It isn’t anything too rare and it occurs during every time there is a thunderstorm and it always amazes me because it’s just so cool to look at. It’s also very hard to catch. You have to be looking in the exactly right place and then you might catch a glimpse of it, and it’s always so cool. It leaves everyone awestruck, or everyone that I know. Seeing a lightning strike is always amazing. Lightning is actually just a mini contained explosion caused by static in the clouds and the ground so the electrically charged air combusts. It appears to us that the lightning comes from the clouds but it doesn’t actually move, it is all one solid, explosion. It always amazes me how thunder goes along with rain so well as well. The sound of the rain droplets hitting on stuff and the thunder always times well and makes it sound almost rhythmic in a way. And seeing the strike of lightning is always a plus that just adds to the experience. I probably only feel this way because rain is my favorite kind of weather so the lightning strike adds to that effect of awe and happiness and relaxation that I get from rain. It leaves me awestruck and personally, I think lightning and thunder are the most exhilarating part of nature.
In the summer before the start of sixth grade, my dad and I went on one of the most unforgettable trips I may ever go on. We woke up at around four A.M. to get on our flight from Baltimore to Portland, Oregon, where we would be staying for five days. However, most of our time was not spent in the city, as we had plans to go camping in two different locations. Our first stop was in Ecola State Park, where we camped out overnight along the Pacific Ocean, followed by some hiking in the Columbia River gorge the following day. The most exciting part of the trip was when we drove to the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. My dad had camped where we were planning to before, so he knew the area well enough already. We had already hiked around four miles, when along the route, we came across a ledge covered by snow on both sides, with a sheer drop down of an impressive height. It was there where we both realised this trip was getting more serious, as it had not been covered by snow when my dad went there last. We made our way across the ledge, which was about fifty feet long, keeping our hand along the wall beside us, just in case we slipped. Trekking across the cliff was a daunting experience, but we both made it across safely. With this being my first real camping trip, an escapade like that was something I had not been entirely prepared for, but it was definitely worth it when I could look back and be astonished at the fact that I was able to cross the ledge without getting killed
The beach is beautiful. On a cloudless day it’s as if the water in the ocean is truly endless. On a perfect, sunny summer day the sand on the bottom of your feet can feel like it’s the perfect temperature. When the shore gets too crowded, the hoary boardwalk is always there to offer its countless services. During a storm the beach is said to be not too beautiful. The water is ferocious as it crashes down again and again. The sand gets clumpy and the air smells of petrichor. Beach-goers either rush to their cars or the boardwalk, seeking protection from rain. Five years ago, at Ocean City, it stormed on a gorgeous day. Thinking that the rainfall would only last about a half-hour, my family packed up our beach supplies and walked to the boardwalk. Just as it stopped raining and it seemed the dark clouds were going to start clearing, far out on the water a funnel of some sort had appeared. As soon as the cyclone was spotted people started running in the opposite direction of the beach, going to their cars or beach houses. The tornado never came close to shore, but everyone on the boardwalk could see the twister move about on the ocean. After about fifteen or twenty minutes, the funnel was gone. People started moving back towards the beach and setting back up their beach supplies. I don’t remember too much from that day, only that I thought that the beach had never looked so beautiful.
In my opinion, I have been lucky, but others might not agree. My parents are nature nuts. Although it may become annoying at times, I received some opportunities to see the amazing sights that this world has to offer. Of course my family did the basic vacations of Disney or other amusement parks, I learned at a very early age the beauty of a mountain or an old city. Nature can be breathtaking at times. The summer before my freshman year of high school, however, we took my favorite trip of all. We went to Germany, Austria and Switzerland. We were complete tourists. We saw all the castles in Fussen and took the Sound of Music tour in Austria. There was so much to do and so little time to do it. As soon as we arrived in Murren, Switzerland, the entire atmosphere changed. We took a gondola up a mountain and then a small train. It was beautiful but terrifying at the same time. The train was built so that it would disrupt the mountain as little as possible, which in Switzerland apparently means hanging off the edge. It took me a while to get the courage to look out the window for every time I tried, I thought the train was falling off the side of the mountain. The real view however was when we took a hike farther up the mountain. Even in summer the Alps were covered in snow and ice. After falling a few times, we arrived at this breathtaking clearing. Everywhere you looked were these little yellow flowers that were called ice flowers. When you lifted your gaze up slightly, another mountain jutted up in front of you covered in snow and trees. It was absolutely beautiful. If you listened carefully you could hear a stream and the tinkling and the bells from a cow in a nearby field. There were about ten people paragliding through the mountains. It was a strange feeling. I felt like I was on top of the world, but absolutely tiny at the same time. The image of the mountains will always be ingrained in my mind, and I am grateful because it is not a view i would like to soon forget.
Every summer for my entire life I have gone to Florida for vacation because my dad is originally from Daytona Beach and half of my family still lives there. A couple years ago my Grandy bought a trailer to go camping with at various camp sites throughout the state. For the past three or four years my family and I have gone camping with her to experience a different side of nature. The first time we went camping we stopped in the Everglades National Park, Bahia Honda Key, Silver Springs State Park, and in Key West. When staying in these camp sites my family and I had the chance to go swimming in the springs and go snorkeling in the ocean. It was exhilarating seeing all the different kinds of fish in their natural habitat. This past summer I had the chance to take Diana Sparks with me and my family to go camping in Florida. On this camping trip we only went to Silver Springs State Park because it was our favorite destination on our last trip. In Silver Springs they have a long, river-like spring in which tourists can go tubing or kayaking. Since my Grandy had brought her two kayaks, we chose to go kayaking. On our little adventure kayaking, Diana and I found a hidden trail that a fallen tree was hiding. Being the adventurers we are, we decided to get out of our kayaks and life them over the fallen tree to explore the trail. Along this trail we saw many birds, turtles, fish, and lots and lots of bugs. I cannot even begin describe how clear the water was and how beautiful this untouched trail looked. It is truly an experience I will never forget.
3. Last summer on the Fourth of July, I had an experience with nature that was so magical that I thought I was hallucinating. Every year on this day, my dad buys about four-hundred dollars worth of fireworks and we have a viewing for my extended family at my house. As the rest of my family sits on the balcony, my dad and I set off the fireworks from a platform on the grass in our backyard. Although I was in awe of the magnificent firework explosions, I realized that they were somewhat bothersome to the mood of the calm summer night. Without all their noise the night would have been perfectly quiet and peaceful under the relaxed glow of the stars. I felt so comfortable outside because the temperature was just hot enough to keep me warm without making me sweat and I could bear the contrasting cool breeze that swept up the grassy hill. When I looked out into the forest adjacent to my house, I saw a mystical group of flashing lights that moved without a pattern or rhythm. At that moment, I thought that I might’ve played too many hours of video games and my eyes were malfunctioning. I was really freaked out and I asked my dad if he saw the lights too. At first he didn’t notice them at all because he had just blurred them into the background and didn’t consider them. After a little while of trying to spot them, he noticed them and told me that they were fireflies. I was almost disappointed in myself for forgetting all about fireflies and the memories I had of catching them and keeping them in jars when I was little. I wondered what I would’ve thought I had seen if my dad didn’t tell me that they were fireflies. In their own way, the fireflies were magical because if no one ever sought to find an explanation for their beauty, we might’ve believed today that they were luminescent spirits of the forest.
2.
As an observer, my favorite thing to do is spend time outdoors. Nature is full of opportunities to observe. Whether I am laying on my trampoline staring at the clouds, laying on the beach watching the waves as they become transparent the moment before they crash, or walking through my woods and looking up the creek, I discover something both new and fascinating each time. There are many instances where I have witnessed something so beautiful in nature that my mind is instantly cleared and I can't help but to stare at what is before my eyes. The first time I saw a shooting star, I was so amazed that I payed out on my trampoline for over two hours hoping I would see another. Another amazing experience I had was last summer on Independence Day, my family stayed out on the beach to watch the fireworks. I wanted to go I the water for a little while longer before it got dark and as I was running in I was looking at the waves. I looked at one wave the moment before it began to crash and I saw a shark in the wave. The water was so clear I could see each fin plain as day. Although I chose not to go back into the water for the rest of that night, I was completely satisfied with what I was able to see earlier that night. These experiences were amazing and I wish I could have them a thousand more times but my greatest solacing experience with nature was when I was down at the creek by my house. Last summer I devoted one of my Saturdays to fishing and walking through the woods. I began by fishing until I ran out of bait. After sitting in the sun all morning I got hot. I got in the water to cool down and swim around for awhile. While I was swimming, I saw splashing farther up the creek. I assumed it was just geese swimming around but I wanted to see for myself just to be sure. I swam to the other side of my creek and climbed out of the water. I walked through the woods until I thought I was in the same area as when I saw the splashing. All I saw when I looked into the water was a few painter turtles sunning on a branch sticking out of the water. I jumped in the water and swam back to wear my dad was and wear I left my pole and tackle box. My dad loves seeing turtles in the water so we walked around to the spot where I saw them earlier. We walked slowly so we wouldn't scare them back into the water, but when we got there we saw something we were not expecting. There was a beaver floating in the water along the edge of the opposite side of my creek. We spotted it immediately. While my dad and I were standing there looking at the beaver on the opposite side, another beaver swam out from the water below the ground we were standing on. I had never seen a beaver in the wild before and my dad and I stood there for almost an hour watching both of them dragging chewed branches back and forth through the water.
2.
As an observer, my favorite thing to do is spend time outdoors. Nature is full of opportunities to observe. Whether I am laying on my trampoline staring at the clouds, laying on the beach watching the waves as they become transparent the moment before they crash, or walking through my woods and looking up the creek, I discover something both new and fascinating each time. There are many instances where I have witnessed something so beautiful in nature that my mind is instantly cleared and I can't help but to stare at what is before my eyes. The first time I saw a shooting star, I was so amazed that I payed out on my trampoline for over two hours hoping I would see another. Another amazing experience I had was last summer on Independence Day, my family stayed out on the beach to watch the fireworks. I wanted to go I the water for a little while longer before it got dark and as I was running in I was looking at the waves. I looked at one wave the moment before it began to crash and I saw a shark in the wave. The water was so clear I could see each fin plain as day. Although I chose not to go back into the water for the rest of that night, I was completely satisfied with what I was able to see earlier that night. These experiences were amazing and I wish I could have them a thousand more times but my greatest solacing experience with nature was when I was down at the creek by my house. Last summer I devoted one of my Saturdays to fishing and walking through the woods. I began by fishing until I ran out of bait. After sitting in the sun all morning I got hot. I got in the water to cool down and swim around for awhile. While I was swimming, I saw splashing farther up the creek. I assumed it was just geese swimming around but I wanted to see for myself just to be sure. I swam to the other side of my creek and climbed out of the water. I walked through the woods until I thought I was in the same area as when I saw the splashing. All I saw when I looked into the water was a few painter turtles sunning on a branch sticking out of the water. I jumped in the water and swam back to wear my dad was and wear I left my pole and tackle box. My dad loves seeing turtles in the water so we walked around to the spot where I saw them earlier. We walked slowly so we wouldn't scare them back into the water, but when we got there we saw something we were not expecting. There was a beaver floating in the water along the edge of the opposite side of my creek. We spotted it immediately. While my dad and I were standing there looking at the beaver on the opposite side, another beaver swam out from the water below the ground we were standing on. I had never seen a beaver in the wild before and my dad and I stood there for almost an hour watching both of them dragging chewed branches back and forth through the water.
2.
As an observer, my favorite thing to do is spend time outdoors. Nature is full of opportunities to observe. Whether I am laying on my trampoline staring at the clouds, laying on the beach watching the waves as they become transparent the moment before they crash, or walking through my woods and looking up the creek, I discover something both new and fascinating each time. There are many instances where I have witnessed something so beautiful in nature that my mind is instantly cleared and I can't help but to stare at what is before my eyes. The first time I saw a shooting star, I was so amazed that I payed out on my trampoline for over two hours hoping I would see another. Another amazing experience I had was last summer on Independence Day, my family stayed out on the beach to watch the fireworks. I wanted to go I the water for a little while longer before it got dark and as I was running in I was looking at the waves. I looked at one wave the moment before it began to crash and I saw a shark in the wave. The water was so clear I could see each fin plain as day. Although I chose not to go back into the water for the rest of that night, I was completely satisfied with what I was able to see earlier that night. These experiences were amazing and I wish I could have them a thousand more times but my greatest solacing experience with nature was when I was down at the creek by my house. Last summer I devoted one of my Saturdays to fishing and walking through the woods. I began by fishing until I ran out of bait. After sitting in the sun all morning I got hot. I got in the water to cool down and swim around for awhile. While I was swimming, I saw splashing farther up the creek. I assumed it was just geese swimming around but I wanted to see for myself just to be sure. I swam to the other side of my creek and climbed out of the water. I walked through the woods until I thought I was in the same area as when I saw the splashing. All I saw when I looked into the water was a few painter turtles sunning on a branch sticking out of the water. I jumped in the water and swam back to wear my dad was and wear I left my pole and tackle box. My dad loves seeing turtles in the water so we walked around to the spot where I saw them earlier. We walked slowly so we wouldn't scare them back into the water, but when we got there we saw something we were not expecting. There was a beaver floating in the water along the edge of the opposite side of my creek. We spotted it immediately. While my dad and I were standing there looking at the beaver on the opposite side, another beaver swam out from the water below the ground we were standing on. I had never seen a beaver in the wild before and my dad and I stood there for almost an hour watching both of them dragging chewed branches back and forth through the water.
I love being in nature. I love it in any of its forms, whether I am at the beach, in a meadow, by a lake, in the woods, at a creek, or even just walking outside in my neighborhood. Nature has helped me learn, soothed me, and exhilarated me in so many ways. All of these I experience on the mountains in Vermont. Nothing thrills me more than that "on top of the world, nothing can touch you" feeling you get when soaring down a snow-covered mountain. However, I am choosing to write about something different, the day I climbed Mount Mansfield, the tallest mountain in Vermont, peaking above four thousand feet. I went to the mountain with my sister, my mom, my aunt and uncle, and two of my cousins. It was a beautiful, perfect summer day. Vermont always seems to give me a feeling of simplicity. There's hardly any cell service, there's no fast food, or malls, or chain stores, only little shops, many selling homemade goods and crafts. (At least not in the parts we usually go!) At my cousins house, we NEVER watch TV or even attempt to use our phones. Why would you want to when in such a beautiful place? Every time I visit Vermont, I feel like I am one with nature. But climbing Mount Mansfield was somehow different, something I'd never experienced before. It was almost as if time had stopped. You're climbing, just climbing up and up and up with nothing but a perfect blue sky, a breathtaking mountain, and the people you love around you. There were no distractions. Any problems, any worries were left at the base of the mountain and with every step I was getting further and further away from them. I was and everything was completely tranquil. It was empowerment, and made me feel so centered. Boundaries were broken down and my uncle talked to me about things he never had before. Every person we encountered seemed to be experiencing the same thing we were, and in that moment everyone on that mountain was connecting. Everyone was calm, and everyone talked to you like an old friend you just bumped into. When I finally reached the top of the mountain, the feeling was just completely indescribable. I looked back and down at what I'd just done with amazement. I looked around at neighboring mountains and the view of Lake Champlain below me. It gave me such an appreciation for life, for beauty, and for nature. I remember just staring in awe of how all of this was just formed with rock and dirt and trees. I said that skiing gave me an exhilarating "on top of the world, nothing can touch you" feeling. Well climbing Mount Mansfield gave me that feeling in a whole new way. I'd never been so literally on top of the world, and even though I could have easily fallen to my death, I never felt so secure in my life. I was not only completely one with the the earth, but I was one with myself, a feeling I wish I could feel every day.
Throughout my life there have been many natural experiences that I have been through but one experience exhilarated me. On August 23rd of 2011, an earthquake having a magnitude of 5.8 hit Delaware and other states on the Eastern Seaboard. It happened while my family was home getting ready to go somewhere. I was walking up the stairs to go to my room when I saw that the chandelier started to shake so I ducked and took cover. Since the chandelier was shaking I knew it had to be an earthquake. While it was a very cool experience that the earth was shaking beneath my feet, it was also scary and frightening. I was frightened because I thought our house could fall from the magnitude of the earthquake. Also my family members were in their rooms so I called them to make sure they were all safe. I remember my mother shouting "Get to the basement" which I thought was funny because thats the place to not be. Since the Eastern Seaboard is not known for having earthquakes it was a big occurrence for everyone. Also it was my first earthquake I ever experienced. This was the most exhilarating natural experience because I got to experience the Earth shaking beneath my feet and everything around me. It was also very exhilarating because it got my nerves jumping and was a one in a lifetime experience. It's crazy how the earth works to create such a rumble like that and how Mother Nature has her ways.
My natural experience was one that solaced me, back when I was young I would go with my dad, brother, and my dog to a park every Sunday. First we’d take my dog down into the woods a walk him along a walking path taking he time to stop by a creek, skip rocks and let my dog swim and fetch sticks in the water. Following that we emerge at the other side of the woods and come back up the main hill and to a playground my brother and I would play on the slides and swings but the best part of the experience was attempting to coax my one-hundred pound dog to come down a metal slide with the use of an ol’ Roy dog biscuit. In the middle of all of this fun and craziness I never missed the opportunity to stop, take a breath, and take in my surroundings. By doing this I allowed nature to give me sense of calm and peace in my busy daily life. These experiences let me have a moment within my life where I could just relax and not think of anything else that I would have to do later.
I have learned so much from nature in my lifetime. As a cross country and track runner, I run in all four seasons and get to experience them almost everyday. Each season brings a new set of challenges, starting with the dangerous heat and humidity of summer, which requires me to plan my runs earlier or later in the day. In the fall, leaves are changing colors and the air is getting cooler and runs require more layers. Days are also getting shorter, which means there is less time to plan my runs. The winter always presents a challenge with snow and ice creating slippery paths and nail-biting cold requiring multiple layers of clothing. In the spring, things finally warm up and plants get their colors back, which allows me to run in comfortable conditions. Days get longer so I get to enjoy plenty of sunlight during my runs. I always enjoy running outdoors and getting to see nature's wonders up close. I have learned that things in life can change quickly and unexpectedly and that you always have to adapt. Different situations require different attitudes and approaches, just like the various conditions of each season require unique ways of coping with them. When people are presented with obstacles in life they have to evaluate their situation and pick the best method of success. Overall, nature can teach us many things about our life, simple and complex. Thanks to nature I have learned how to make the best of every situation and adapt to it.
To me nature is a teacher. I have learned a very important lesson from this experience in nature. This experience was the time that my family and I had to take care of and raise a wild baby bird. We found the bird on our trampoline which was right below a tree that had a nest in it. The bird was very young it was very small, had no feathers, and its eyes weren't even open yet. We brought the bird in our garage and but it in a box that we had put stick grass and leaves in to replicate a nest. We used tweezers which replicated a mothers beak to feed the bird. Since it was a baby it need to eat every thirty minuets. We would feed it mushy dog food. It got older and grew feathers, its eyes opened, we even brought it outside for the first time. We started to feed it worms and had to teach it to eat the worms by itself on the ground. We also had to teach it to fly. By instinct it knew to open and flap its wings to try to fly. We would put it on a tree branch and it was fly down to the ground. We would hold it out on a finger and it would fly to the ground. Sometimes the bird would even try to fly up onto and land on one of our shoulders. eventually we would let it out of the box and let it roam free by itself. No matter where it went it would always come back to us. It would even try to fly inside the house. After three weeks we had planned to go on vacation and we couldn't leave the bird because it wouldn't be able to survive so we took it to Tri-State bird rescue. This experience with nature taught me responsibility. I would have to take turns feeding the bird and taking it outside. It also taught me how fragile and precious life and every living creature is.
2. An experience that I had with nature that solaced me was when my Grandma died when around 7. Though it was a long time ago, I distinctly remember how I reacted when I first heard the news. I also remember what I did after I heard the news. I remember being really distraught and confused and cried a lot. After a regained a little composure and was less frantic, I decided to go in my back yard (at my old house) and just sit there. My back yard was big and open and really peaceful. Ever since I can remember, I have always enjoyed nature and doing outdoor activities. I tend to find beauty in nature even in the simplest forms. While sitting in my back yard, I tried to clear my mind and just tried to breathe. I remember a warm breeze blowing and the leaves in the trees were rustling. Sitting in my back yard for a while really helped me calm down and get away from all of the sadness. I don't know what it is but the quietness and tranquility of nature has always seemed to calm me down and made me feel better in many situations. Though I was so young, I was still able to learn by sitting in my back yard that it was my Grandma's time to go and there was nothing I could do about it. All I could do was be grateful for the time we did spend together and to try to accept that there is no reason to bottle up all of the sorrow of the situation. Ever since that situation, I have often found comfort in nature whenever I am upset or need to clear my head.
Different pieces and parts of nature symbolize different things. For example, a butterfly represents and symbolizes renewal and rebirth. The day that my grandmother died was a very sad day for my family. Although I do not remember because I was only two years old, my mom told me most of the details. On the day of her funeral, right before my grandmother was buried, a butterfly fluttered past and landed on her coffin. This came to my family as a sign from her. They knew that she was still with them and she always will be. From that point on, my family and I remember that Nanny is always with us in our hearts. On special days throughout the year for which we remember my grandmother, our family gives each other things with butterflies on them to help us remember Nanny during that time. Whether it is a shirt with a butterfly on it, or a bracelet with a butterfly charm, Nanny is remembered in a special way. Every time I see a butterfly, I whisper to myself, "Hi, Nanny." This is just something I do to remind myself that she is always with me. I truly believe she sent a sign from heaven through that butterfly on the day of her funeral to assure my family that they were going to get through this tough time. Nature can be a way for people to escape the real world and focus on what is important. For me, seeing a butterfly brings me assurance that everything is going to be okay, for others it could be watching the sunset, or playing with a puppy. The point is, everyone should have something to hold onto in nature in order to find themselves one with the world in times of need.
I think nature can be very beautiful and soothing, especially when it rains. I have always preferred rainy days to sunny days because I find them to be very relaxing. When it rains, I can smell a sort of freshness in the air and it makes me smile. Rain also brings life to our Earth. Without it, there would be no plants or other living creatures. During times of drought, rain brings a rebirth. I think rain can also bring a rebirth to people. For example, I struggle with letting things go and moving on. When it rains, I imagine myself standing out on a hill while the water washes away my troubles. While I have never actually stood in the rain and thought of letting everything go, just thinking about doing so makes me feel like I actually am. Someday I will take part in this, but just watching the rain is enough for now. I find that rain is very calming and it lets me experience a sense of inner peace. I never thought about it before now, but writing this made me realize that I am aware of the Oversoul when it rains, I just did not know what it was called until now. I also never understood when people would complain about a little rain. I understand if we get too much and there is flooding, but a little bit does not hurt anything. It actually helps. It helps our planet and it helps me. I will be forever grateful for the soothing rain.
In my life, I have traveled to Connecticut many times. I have relatives that live there, so my family and I visit often. It is nice to see my family, but the four hour car ride has never comfortable or something I looked forward to. I always complained when I was younger at the idea of sitting in a car for that long, but as I have grown older, I have started to take note of the sights of nature outside the car windows. Whether it be the birds or just the trees, these views always succeed in exhilarating me. My favorite time is fall or winter because of all the trees on the way look incredible with the colors of fall or the blankets of snow that cover everything in sight. Trees line the highway and the roads on our trip, and seeing all the leaves changing colors and falling off the branches is always a wonderful sight in fall. The first times I remember observing the trees, I did not want to look away. This past weekend we drove there for a visit. We haven't traveled there in a few months, so I forgot just how beautiful the ride is in the winter. I was expecting to be bored on the trip and planned to listen to music, read, or talk for the majority of the ride. I did not expect to spend a large portion of the ride looking out my window at everything coated in snow. At one point, we were driving along the Hudson River and I looked out over the water. The view was incredible to me. There was a cliff on the opposite side of the river, and snow covered the rocks over the entire cliff. I stared at that sight for the as long as I could while we drove along the river, and I couldn't get that image out of my head once we passed it. It surprises me that I can travel to the same place I have been going all my life, using the same roads and highways, and still find new aspects of nature that amaze and exhilarate me.
I am very lucky in my experiences with nature. I live amongst it every day. I've seen deer in my front yard, caught fish right off my beach, and had an osprey build a nest in my chimney. I see eagles almost every day, when some have never seen them. I've gone on vacations to Florida and Wyoming where people only want to see an osprey, and it has shocked me because I hadn't realized how fortunate I was seeing them all the time. In my travels I have seen amazing places with breathtaking views, and each new sight is an amazing memory I can cherish forever. One of the most beautiful places I have traveled has been to the Grand Canyon. This amazing feat of nature took millions of years to form, and will still be there for millions more. Standing at the bottom of this canyon looking up to the rim made me realize how small I was in the enormity of the world, but it also showed me how something so small, could make such a difference. It was a very humbling experience that I didn't appreciate until later. When I look back on all of my trips, I remember how much of my attention was focused on getting pictures of what was around me rather than what was was around me itself. Pictures that I take can never seem to capture the beauty of what was there, and make me realize that I need to live more in the moment. Nature is all around me everywhere I go, and I has taught me many lessons that I will never forget.
My experience with nature occurred when I was a little girl. It was not really one specific time that this occurred, but I think it is a good thing to tell. My experience was with my Grammy's dog. Her dog is now dead, but her dog used to be one of my best friends. Every time I would go to my Grammy's house I would play with her dog the whole time. Her dog's name was Sydney and she was a cocker spaniel. Whenever I was sad, the dog somehow knew and she would jump on my lap and lick my face and lay on my lap for hours. She could always make me smile and I could never be upset around her. I would always look forward to seeing her when I would go to my Grammy's house. It's amazing to think that dogs or any pet can sense how we are feeling all of the time. Sydney is a great example of how this is possible. She always knew how I was feeling because she acted different depending on my mood. When I was sad she would lay on me and lick my face and when I was happy she would run around and we would play together. When she died, I would always hold her ashes at my Grammy's house and cry because it was like I lost my best friend. Sydney had a very big effect on my life because I she taught me that even animals know how we are feeling by the way we act.
I hate to be cliché in writing about the beach in the middle of a winter storm, but it just happens to be a nature scene I am very comfortable with. If you have a beach house, it's natural that you would spend some time there in the summer. My grandparents have a house down in Dewey, and it's shared by my family and two others. When everyone is there (and if no one brought friends), we have a total of fifteen people and 5 dogs. Often times with that many people, you need to find some peace. Luckily, I have found many ways to solace myself In such situations. We have a plethora of beach toys from boogie boards to inflatable rafts to skimboards and frisbees at the house. One warm summer's day, my cousins and I were on the raft. We were floating, and relaxing. I decided to lay on my back, perhaps to get some sun. Unfortunately it was so bright that it hurt my eyes; I decided to put my head over the edge of the raft so my hair was in the cool salt water. Upon opening my eyes I saw one of the coolest things I have ever seen. My description of it will most likely sound stupid, but it definitely something you should experience at some point. Obviously, because I was upside down, the ocean and the sky switched roles. I could see on and on to the point where the water touched the bright blue sky. I was ever-so fascinated by that simple image, I could stare at that upside-down sky for hours. However, my gazing was interrupted by being pushed off the raft. Once I got back on I eagerly shared my discovery with my cousins. Unfortunately, they did not see it the same way as I. The beach is an amazing place for me; whether i’m watching the sun rise, going on a little jog, skimming, swimming, floating, or watching the sun set at the end of the day, it’s a natural, mental escape that I cherish.
I have had many experiences with nature, one being a trip to West Virginia and Western Maryland, which really exhilarated me. My parents and I took a trip out to central West Virginia and Western Maryland (Cumberland) for three days in the Summer of 2012. It was to ride on some railroads located out there. Yet, I was surprised to see how wonderful and beautiful the nature was in those areas. On the first day, we woke up in Elkins, West Virginia, which was covered in a fog as the sun rose over the mountains (which surrounded the valley around the town). We rode a train, which snaked its way along the Cheat River. It went all the way out to the High Falls of the Cheat River, which (while they aren't huge) were quite breathtaking. On the next day, we woke up to yet another foggy morning and drove south to another railroad in Cass. The hills and mountains in the early morning were engulfed in fog as we drove through them. This railroad wound its way up the mountains to Bald Knob, the third highest point in West Virginia. There you could see the state for miles around. Some deer even approached us, curious to see what all these tourists were doing in their wilderness. Then, we drove to Cumberland, Maryland, to visit the third railroad. On the third and sadly the final day, we woke up to the last foggy morning. The train traveled through some scenery that was different from West Virginia's, yet it was still astounding. It passed through farmland and the mountains; it even traversed a horseshoe curve (where the tracks do a 180 degree turn back around on themselves). Overall the trip was very enjoyable for me and my parents. Seeing nature that was quite different from what I typically see in Delaware was rather exhilarating for me. I'll start with the fog, which I was always happy to see when we woke up early in the morning. It engulfed everything, from buildings to cars to the mountains, and it surrounded them with a sense that is majestic and full of wonder. The mountains, rocks, and rivers of West Virginia and Maryland were so grand and astonishing; they took my breath away with their views and complexities. It is hard to describe how amazing they truly are. I feel that you just have to see them to understand how their beauty made me feel. This trip was such a wonderful experience for me, and during it, I was really astounded at the sights I saw. They actually inspired me to design and build a model railroad based on the railroads in the area, and I hope I capture at least some of the essence of the region's nature in it. The natural wonders of those two states gave me such a great experience, and I hope to eventually return to see them once again.
Nature is very soothing and beautiful. Ever since I can remember, I have loved nature and used it as a place to enjoy and reflect on my life. Summer is my favorite season of the year and my favorite part of the summer is when I go to St. Pete Beach in Florida. This is one of my favorite places in the world because it is so relaxing and fun too. Every time I go down there, it’s like a brand new experience. There isn't one flaw I could name about the place; from the amazing sunsets, to the sound of the ocean, and the smell of the ocean air, everything about the beach comforts me. After a long day, I like to take a walk on the beach and just think to myself and reflect on life. Also, in the morning, I like to sit out and watch the sunrise, because the sunrises at St. Pete are one of a kind. Another wonderful and soothing sight in nature, is watching dolphins that sometimes pop up near the shore. Watching these animals move with such grace through the water is calming and comforting to me. Just being there calms me because it reminds me that I am not worried about anything or anyone. Though it is beautiful at the beach, the most important experience I have there is sharing the nature and all of its beauty with my family. It is a magical place to be and brings me solace every year I go there.
Each year, my family travels to an island located on the gulf coast of Florida. This quiet little paradise is called Anna Maria Island. When we first discovered this low-populated, exotic island, we never knew the things we would discover there. Many things have exhilarated me there, and there is no other place in the world that is so calming as this place is to me. The first time we traveled to this island, my mom was determined to find these rare little sand dollars that you can usually only find in the most exotic of places. Though we were without luck in finding any, our generous neighbors found dozens and graciously gave us some. The first time I held one was a moment I won't forget. I was so excited to hold such a rare shell so foreign to Delaware beaches. Another moment from my memorable trips to Florida was when we rented surf boards and went paddle boarding in the crystal-clear Gulf of Mexico. Not only was that an experience of its own, but while we were paddle boarding, a family of Dolphins came swimming along our boards, close enough to touch. Not only was this exciting on its own, but all of a sudden, a baby dolphin jumped up out of the water right next to me, leaving me speechless. It was such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and it has been my favorite memory from any trip. Anna Maria Island has beautiful beaches, but of course there is a pointe of the island. On this pointe, the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen have set there. They end the sunny days with an orange and pink twist and never fail to take my breath away. Each summer, I look forward to our annual trip to this exhilarating island and recommend a visit to this island to any traveler.
Nature is ever changing, yet it is still very beautiful. However, nature in the spring, summer, and fall seems to be more breathtaking than nature in the winter, but each season has its own characteristics that make it unique and gorgeous. One time when nature exhilarated me was when I showed up to cross country practice early in eighth grade. The leaves were just turning different colors. I decided to go exploring in the woods before anyone else got there. I went the normal route until a small pathway caught my attention, so I veered off to the right and took that path. I ran until there as a fork in the bath, but then, nervous I would get lost, turned back round and went the way I came. Little did I know the left side of the fork would be the most beautiful, picturesque scene I could ever see. When I got back out of the woods, my mom told me my coach went a different way than we normally ran, marking where we would run that day. I decided to follow the flags, until I caught up with her, at the same fork. She asked me which way I wanted to go, and I choose the left path. We walked on through the narrow, steep path until there was a sharp curve around a tree. When I made the turn, I saw it. We walked onto a wooden bridge, and beyond the bridge, there was misty pond, complete with trees and vines draping down into the green, mossy water and beautiful birds and butterflies fluttering and chirping around the pond. I stopped dead in my tracks and sat down, trying to take in my surroundings. I start to smile a big, cheesy grin and stood up. Although my coach was leaving me behind, I watched the breathtaking scene for a few more seconds before running to my coach. I was so excited by he beautiful pond that we found, that during practice, I ran with the fastest runners (way faster than I ever had run that sort of distance) just so I could stay by that pond and watch it as the sun peacefully set on it.
Nature is thought if as a work of beauty, I think of nature as lessons to be learned. Some people like to go out to nature when they have some thinking to do. That was not the case the day I learned a very important lesson. During the summer, my best friend Carmela Mazza, sister Corryn, and I went to the beach. It was a beautiful sunny day even though the ocean was quite chilly. We didn't go for the beach necessarily though. The fun part of the beach is the people you meet and the adventure you take. Carmela is pretty afraid of the ocean. That fear was heightened due to all the sting rays we had seen during the day. So she suggest that we go by the rocks with some of the boys we had meet earlier in the day. So we swam over by the rocks. Once we reached them the ocean current picked up and the waves began to get very large. While trying to keep myself afloat I also had to keep Carmela up since she wasn't a strong swimmer. The guys jumped in to help us but my leg had got caught between two rocks and the ocean waves began to slam my head down on the rocks. I thought for sure this is it. It was weird though, it was like time had slowed down and I could think clearly and all I could think about was a fight I had got in with a friend earlier. In that moment all I wanted to do was apologize to them and tell them how much they meant to me. Luckily, I got my leg free and we were all fine. I called the person and told them how sorry I was. Even through natures darker moments there is always lessons to be learned.
I think nature is a very beautiful thing, and is very comforting and helps me to relax. One of my favorite memories of nature is the creek behind my grandparents' house. Ever since I was little, I loved that creek. It's such a great spot to relax or spend time with my sisters. We always loved to just walk along the creek, or climb the waterfall, until we got to where the creek got deeper with no rocks so we could swim. It was also great to just sit and read or just sit and relax. I think that creek was the entire family's favorite spot. Whenever the whole family was home and we were all at my grandparents, all the cousins would go down to have contests like "who can skip the rock the furthest," or "who can get to the other side the fastest," or even "who can catch the most minnows." It was also fun when I brought my dogs to the creek. I loved watching them play in the water and try to catch the fish. I even loved hearing stories about the creek from when my mom and her brothers and sisters were young. They used to have a zip line going across the creek. Even in the winter, the creek was still my favorite place. When it got cold enough the creek would freeze over and we'd all go iceskating. The creek holds a place a heart. It is and I think forever will be one of my favorite experiences with nature
I had a great nature experience in eighth grade at a school retreat. The retreat was at a Christian facility in Pennsylvania. The retreat was located in the woods where there were ropes hung from trees that we would walk across. There were also multiple rock climbing walls and a long zip line that went through the trees. The main experience I had here was at the team building activities we did. We were given little tasks and things we had to do. One of these tasks required us to move from one area to another without touching the ground. We had long wood pieces that we could stand on to help get across. There were many other rules that are less important that I wont get in to. The whole point of the task was to get us to work together to complete the task. Without teamwork, we couldn't do the mission. Another task I enjoyed was where there was a "safe zone" and a rope hanging from a tree in front of it with a small platform around ten feet from the safe zone. We had to swing across to the platform without touching the ground. There were around fifteen people in our group that had to get to the platform and stay on it. It was too small for all of us to stand normally, so we had to help each other stay on. If anyone touched the ground or fell, then we had to restart and everyone had to go back to the safe zone. These were only two of the many trials that we were given that day that taught me many lessons. The main lesson I learned was to work together and stop being so self-centered.
I don't particularly enjoy the outdoors or nature so i don't have any stories about learning something from nature. The only aspects of the outdoors that I can actually tolerate are swimming pools and softball or baseball fields, and these are all man-made. I am not much of a nature girl. I have three brothers, and a sister who all love camping and doing outdoorsy things and I am the oddball because I would rather stay inside away from it all. Its not that I don't think nature is beautiful because it really is. Nature can be beautiful and fun, but it also has its downsides. For example; bugs, lizards, and rabid animals are anywhere and everywhere in nature and that is a risk I am not willing to take. I'm the type of girl that doesn't like not knowing something, and being outdoors, you never know what is coming next. Nature is unpredictable and gross. Once, when i was camping with my family, a lizard crawled in my sleeping bag and i didn't notice it until the morning. I probably woke up every single person in a 10 mile radius with my screams. My family sometimes wakes up at 5 in the morning to see a sunset, but im the type of person that likes to sleep till around 3 in the afternoon, so I obviously didn't enjoy doing that. I can see thousands of pictures of a sunset whenever I want, there is no need for me to break my much needed sleep cycle, to see one in real life. Although nature can sometimes be beautiful and can teach us lessons, I would much rather stay inside, away from nature, where i know its safe
I don't particularly enjoy the outdoors or nature so i don't have any stories about learning something from nature. The only aspects of the outdoors that I can actually tolerate are swimming pools and softball or baseball fields, and these are all man-made. I am not much of a nature girl. I have three brothers, and a sister who all love camping and doing outdoorsy things and I am the oddball because I would rather stay inside away from it all. Its not that I don't think nature is beautiful because it really is. Nature can be beautiful and fun, but it also has its downsides. For example; bugs, lizards, and rabid animals are anywhere and everywhere in nature and that is a risk I am not willing to take. I'm the type of girl that doesn't like not knowing something, and being outdoors, you never know what is coming next. Nature is unpredictable and gross. Once, when i was camping with my family, a lizard crawled in my sleeping bag and i didn't notice it until the morning. I probably woke up every single person in a 10 mile radius with my screams. My family sometimes wakes up at 5 in the morning to see a sunset, but im the type of person that likes to sleep till around 3 in the afternoon, so I obviously didn't enjoy doing that. I can see thousands of pictures of a sunset whenever I want, there is no need for me to break my much needed sleep cycle, to see one in real life. Although nature can sometimes be beautiful and can teach us lessons, I would much rather stay inside, away from nature, where i know its safe
I don't particularly enjoy the outdoors or nature so i don't have any stories about learning something from nature. The only aspects of the outdoors that I can actually tolerate are swimming pools and softball or baseball fields, and these are all man-made. I am not much of a nature girl. I have three brothers, and a sister who all love camping and doing outdoorsy things and I am the oddball because I would rather stay inside away from it all. Its not that I don't think nature is beautiful because it really is. Nature can be beautiful and fun, but it also has its downsides. For example; bugs, lizards, and rabid animals are anywhere and everywhere in nature and that is a risk I am not willing to take. I'm the type of girl that doesn't like not knowing something, and being outdoors, you never know what is coming next. Nature is unpredictable and gross. Once, when i was camping with my family, a lizard crawled in my sleeping bag and i didn't notice it until the morning. I probably woke up every single person in a 10 mile radius with my screams. My family sometimes wakes up at 5 in the morning to see a sunset, but im the type of person that likes to sleep till around 3 in the afternoon, so I obviously didn't enjoy doing that. I can see thousands of pictures of a sunset whenever I want, there is no need for me to break my much needed sleep cycle, to see one in real life. Although nature can sometimes be beautiful and can teach us lessons, I would much rather stay inside, away from nature, where i know its safe
From a young age, I have always enjoyed being outside and experiencing the beautiful sights and sounds created by nature. For nearly twelve years, I have had the absolutely incredible chance to be exhilarated by nature by way of the horse. Just by simply being at the barn, taking in the smells, feeding the horses, or even just watching the horses playing in the fields, there is a peace that comes with it. All of my stress and problems just melt away, and I would never trade that feeling for anything. Even on the worst of days, all it takes is a big hug around my horse's neck and a deep breath of that "horse smell" to feel significantly better. But, even more exhilarating than just being in the horse's presence, is when you finally get to saddle up and go for a ride. Especially when I am able to take my horse out on a trail ride, it is very easy to take in all of nature's beauty and breathe in the fresh, clean air and to be one with my natural surroundings. And when I ask my horse to gallop across some of the wide open fields in the area, it feels like I'm flying. But even when I can't get out to enjoy the open spaces, simply riding my horse in the ring is a natural experience, because bond that one develops with your horse, that is stronger than anyone can understand until they've experienced it for themselves. There is nothing that connects me to nature in the same way that my horse can, and no experience will ever replace that.
Payton Applegate Blue
Nature has always been something i feel connected with. It's a peaceful place where everything has its place and follows God's plan. Being in nature connects us to the past and clears our minds giving us time reflect on our place in the world. When many think of nature they think of a forest, however nature can be many other things. It's the dry hot deserts in Australia, the snow covered ground of Antarctica, or a river flowing between land. One natural experience that exhilarated me was the time my cousins and I got trapped on an island, in the middle of a thunderstorm.
It was a clear sunny day in Oceanview, Delaware, a small town near Bethany. While the adults were at the local grocery store my two cousins and I were trying to find something to do. We decided it would be a fun idea to take an inflatable rubber raft out into the bay. As we paddled down the lagoon and into the bay we felt the wind blowing on our faces and the birds flying around us. We watched them as they dove down from the sky and plunged into the water, returning to the surface with a fish that would soon be made lunch. We stopped paddling in about thirty foot deep water with the inlet bridge in clear view. Under that bridge is the point where three waterways meet and the bay turns into the ocean. We jumped out and swam around keeping hold on our two person rubber raft. But as we were swimming dark clouds began to roll in and the winds picked up dramatically. Before we could get back into the raft a thunderstorm began. Quickly trying to decide what to do we began to paddle towards land however the wind was pushing us in the opposite direction out to sea. With lightening visible we abandoned ship and jumped into the water, rapidly swimming towards a small island. Looking back for a short moment we watched our raft be flipped and spun across the water far out to sea never to be seen again. Once on the island we sat for what we think was about three hours waiting for the storm to pass. I still remember the way it felt, shivering as the cold rain stung our skin like needles as the harsh wind slammed it against our skin. We watched the lightening strike over the water and wondered how close it ever came to our small raft. We heard the thunder boom and echo across the water and imagined what our parents must be thinking. Finally the storm passed and we were able to swim to a close spot of land that connected to the rest of the world. We swam as fast as we could then ran down the road of our small town all the way to our home where the adults waited worried. Before telling our story we all took hot showers then shared the news over a large meal. At the time it was thrilling and rather scary. But now I'm glad it happened. We faced a challenge as family and won our battle with Mother Nature. Yet I know how lucky we are, if she had wanted us dead, we wouldn't have even had a fighting chance.
The outdoor environment can elicit a lot of different emotions for different people. These emotions can be ones of peace, happiness, sadness, anger or just about anything. Usually for me, the outdoors is mostly just a place where I can do things that I couldn't otherwise do indoors like athletic activities or things that require a large open space. So I guess this means that I'm not real connected with nature. However, There are still some rare situations where I find that nature can make me emotional. Usual the emotion that I feel is calmness or tranquility. This is because nature can sometimes serve as a pacifier at times. Every year my family and I take a vacation to the beach and I find he beach very relaxing. One time, about six years ago when I was going into fourth grade I was apprehensive about starting the new school year. This was because I would be attending a new school. We usually go to the beach towards the end of the summer. That year, the beach was just as calming as usual, however end the end of our vacation my family decided to take a walk on the beach at night. This was very calming to me and temporarily got rid of my nervousness about school. So, I guess in a way, nature solaced me, as I found comfort in its peacfullness
While i do not mind spending a weekend or so living amongst the wildlife, I can not think of any super exciting story to tell about a trip or experience in the outdoors. I do, however, have an uncommon pet, which is technically part of nature, even though its habitat is nowhere near the Maryland, it is not even in the United States. Louie is my dad's fifteen or sixteen year old blue and yellow macaw. He is over two feet long from his head to the tip of his tail ,and his wingspan is a little over three feet. This is not my dad's first exotic pet, when he was younger, he had two golden scorpions and five piranhas. In the wild, blue and gold macaws live to about 35 years, but in captivity, they can live up to over one hundred years old, which means that if he is taken care of well enough, he will probably outlive my father and I. Although parrots are known for being able to mimmic people talking and other sounds macaws are not as good as other birds, but they can be taught to speak by repetitive teaching. Louie knows how to ask for crackers and bananas, to say please and thank you, to sing happy birthday, and to call the names of each family member. Most people who visit my house do not like Louie because they are afraid of him. I am not afraid of Louie, but for some reason, anytime I come near him, he tries to attack me. There are only a select few people that he will let touch him including my parents, my three cousins, and my friend Tyler.
Nature is constantly amazing me with not just it's beauty but the fact that it even exists at all without interference form others. The first real day of spring weather is probably the most incredibly wonderful day of the year. Being able to go outside without a million layers on is of course part of the reason it's so great but also because it just feels like the year is starting over and that the cold weather is finally over. For me personally, spring is magical. Spring is just a great time because everything is blooming and growing and it's a refreshing change from months of drab skies and snow. Blue skies and cool breezes all while there's bright sunshine are part of what make spring great. The timeless beauty of flowers returns every year once the snow melts away to reveal the fresh blooms. Daffodils and tulips are sort of iconically spring and are immediately what I think of when I think of nature during the springtime. The bright, cheerful yellows and vibrant pinks and reds and purples. Even the trees are blooming. After being leafless all winter they start to grow their leaves again and flourish with lush greens. Being able to see such beautiful things in our world is truly a miracle and even a blessing.
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