Kylie's Nature Blog

 Last Tuesday, instead of meeting in the classroom, we ventured out into nature by convening in the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge. As I arrived at the main gated entrance for visitors, I was told how to drive to our meeting point and given a map. I eventually found a small, wooden building after unconfidently driving along the gravel path.  Dr. Wood led us inside where I found a glass cabinet with shelves teeming with items collected from the land. These included animal fur, turtle shells, bones, and even a mysterious object in a liquid-filled jar.  After our arrival, we were given some information about what we would be doing, the supplies we would use, and how to safely complete our volunteer work. When I heard we would be using a wood chipper, I was shocked and nervous to say the least. I am not very fond of sharp objects, but with some reassurance and guidance from Nick and Hayley, I was put at ease. We were then escorted to our work location, at least ten of us squeezing on

 One of Mary Oliver's poems that particularly resonated with me focuses on the effect that time has on nature. In this specific poem, Oliver recounts her daily walks along the shore and the wildlife that she encounters. Along the coast are beautiful, spotless creatures with shells that haven't been withered down by the forces of the ocean. However, Oliver always draws her attention towards the whelks. These snails' shells have been broken and cracked over the years, resulting in them losing their pristine appearance. Nevertheless, Oliver seeks out the whelks and ponders upon the time they have spent on Earth, subject to the uncontrollable forces that exist.  My favorite line of this poem is, "I have been restless--I have felt there is something more wonderful than wholeness--than staying at home". Oliver metaphorically compares her life to the wildlife among the shore. In life, she can either stay at home and remain untouched, or spent her time outside enjoying wh

 Last Tuesday, our class ventured on a journey to canoe in Benbrook Lake. I was nervous for this trip, as I have never canoed before and do not believe I have upper arm strength to control a canoe. As we jumped out of our van loaded with canoes, I was mesmerized by the vastness of the lake. I became eager to canoe as Ciara and I buckled our life vests, but we struggled to carry it down the hill towards the edge of the lake. With some help from the recreation center staff, we pushed off into the lake.  Suddenly, I felt as though our survival was completely out of our hands. It was a scary feeling to think that Mother Nature would determine our outcome. She certainly did not take it easy on us, either. As I tried to steer from the back of the canoe, the wind overpowered us and pushed us the opposite direction. We were taught never to go parallel to the waves, but this was inevitably our fate. Ciara and I laughed out of self-entertainment and fear. When I veered my focus away from our sit

      In class last week, we discussed "Luther Standing Bear" from The Norton Book of Nature Writing  by Robert Finch and John Elder. In this reading, Standing Bear shares the experiences of the Lakota people and how their unique view on nature allows them to live a peaceful and content life. By living lives full of gratitude towards Earth, they are able to appreciate nature. This specific reading reminds me of my experience working at a camp on Inks Lake in Burnet, Texas.     Before working at this camp, I had only ventured to Fort Worth and Dallas in Texas. I was nervous for the three hour long drive in a state I was not yet familiar driving in. However, I was surprised by the ease of driving through remote areas without a city in sight. I found the drive to be peaceful, but very repetitive after a while. There was no variability in the type of environment I saw. It consistently of flat, grassless land with the occasional farm with some cattle. After this, arriving to the