Nature Journal #8 - Final Thoughts

December 5, 2017

               Coming to my last nature class was a sad moment, indeed. I knew that it would be my last class ever with Dr. Williams, and although I was hesitant at first, I really grew to love this class. Everyone’s presentations were so great. I loved how one group described their experiences at the Nature Center by lessons they learned, and I loved the way they set up their presentation. Below you will find my takes on this class and the Nature Center.

Our last day at the Nature Center was fun. Everyone came together at the end to complete our last duties as volunteers. I loved just being outside with everyone, in such an organic classroom atmosphere bonding with one another. As I walked around from dirt pile to dirt pile, enjoying the warm November day, I could hear all sorts of different conversations happening amongst unlikely friends. At first, the one commonality we all had was that we were all enrolled in the same course. We had no idea what to expect since this was the first semester the course was being taught, yet we knew Dr. Williams and Cameron would make it intriguing. Now, after bonding over privet and dirt, friendships have formed among people who may had never crossed paths. I enjoyed being in the company of my group on the Prairie Dog Trail. We could easily talk about the highs and lows of our week while doing somewhat mindless manual labor on our trail. Just being outside always calmed our nerves, even when we may have been dripping in sweat.

During one of our last meetings, we edited some of each other’s nature essays. This class was particularly one of my favorites of the entire semester. It was so interesting reading everyone’s essays with totally different perspectives on nature. Many of us come from out of the state of Texas, growing up in different climates and terrain. Each person is biased towards the familiarity of the nature that surrounded them while growing up. It was interesting to see how that impacted their writing style and ideas. I also loved how some even anthropomorphized some parts of nature. The calming atmosphere of this class, as in every class with Dr. Williams, is such a breath of fresh air for honors students. Each student can put their guard down, yet still have meaningful and productive discussions about nature. No one feels as if they have to force effort into this class. I felt I could bring meaningful topics about my experiences in nature growing up in Kansas, as could one student growing up in Washington.

Overall, I truly learned so much in this class. I never really thought about how fortunate I was to have grown up in nature, with parents who also loved nature. I was able to freely explore the outdoors, not realizing how impactful it was on my human experience. When I came to Texas, at first I missed home dearly because of my friends and family. But then, I started to realize I also missed Kansas because of the distinct four seasons, the unreal sunsets, and going fishing with my dad. I never thought that I would actually miss Kansas for its physical features. However, I have loved exploring parts of Fort Worth and growing to love its own unique beauty. Our time spent at the Nature Center really made me appreciate nature once again. Thank you, Dr. Williams, because the goal you set out to accomplish was met. 

Nature Journal #7 - Zihuatanejo, Mexico

November 22, 2017

               As I am sitting in class, reflecting on how no one will turn on the heat since it was 70 degrees yesterday and I’m freezing, I’m dreaming about a warmer, relaxing climate. My mind takes me to one of my favorite tropical spots: Zihuatanejo, Mexico. My dad and I have been going to Zihuat since I was in 7^th grade, and we always stay at the same hotel each time. The view from the rooms are so serene, and the beach the hotel sits on is quiet and unpopulated. The employees at the hotel make you feel at home. As soon as you walk in, there is a small, bubbling fountain in the middle of the lobby, and someone hands you a cold wash cloth scented with eucalyptus oil. There are no annoying patrons or screaming children here, just peace. The rooms only have air conditioning in one room, while most of them have open-air terraces and living rooms. At night, the crashing waves can lull you to sleep.

               One of the unique employees at the hotel is Miguel, whom we nicknamed Tarzan. Well, Miguel is not really an employee of the hotel, but he helps out the hotel when he can and is able to use their facilities. Miguel was born and raised in Zihuatanejo. Miguel rents out oceanic sporting equipment to tourists on the beach, but he has become quite a legend around Zihuatanejo. From his years on the beach, he has dark tan leathered skin, and a smile that has been brightened by the sun. Miguel is kind to everyone, and understands the ocean well. Like he has said before, “I am one with the ocean.” He understands the ebbs and flows of the ocean, and the gifts and curses the ocean can bring. One day, when my dad and I were lounging on the beach, we met this family who was from Europe. Peace and quiet brought them to Zihuatanejo, the same reasons as us. The wife we had met decided to venture off into the warm ocean water. All of a sudden, however, she fell down and began crying out in pain. Miguel immediately took off after her and carried her back to one of the lounging chairs. The woman had been stung by a sting ray. He then began racing around, making a concoction of sand, sea weed, and other items I cannot remember. He slabbed this elixir onto her foot, and held it their tightly for at least forty-five minutes until a doctor arrived. I always knew Miguel was knowledgeable and kind, but he had truly just performed a selfless and heroic deed. Miguel did not panic and knew exactly how to handle the situation.

               My dad and I also respect Miguel as a human. He has no desire to be monetarily wealthy. He is rich because of his positive perspective on life and belief in God. Miguel, my dad, and I have had many deep conversations, even if Miguel does speak broken English. It’s amazing how you can connect with a person through nature all because they taught you how to paddle board in the ocean or took you on a fishing excursion. Miguel has taught me to appreciate Mother Earth and everything that she gives, and that our time here on Earth is limited. He truly lives each day to the fullest and happiest. He believes there’s no time for negativity because of all of the blessings God has gifted to us. I always love going back down to Mexico and spending time with Miguel, appreciating nature and friendship all in one place.

Nature Journal #6 - FWNC&R Trip 4

November 7, 2017

As we embark on one of our last journeys here at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge, I’m kind of sad it’s all coming to an end. Although it does take a long while to drive all the way out to the refuge, it has been a fun time getting to know my classmates, the workers at the refuge, and Dr. Williams and Cameron. On our part of the trail (I’m in Group 3), a large part of the trail had been washed out by rain over time. There were several narrow parts that if an uncoordinated person like me walked through that without paying attention, they could really hurt themselves. It was actually somewhat fun to fill in the washed out trail. It felt like we all had a purpose for helping the Refuge workers with their daily duties. Also, it was much easier having at least half of our class help with its completion.

The steps of creating a new path is quite simple: you just need a shovel, a rake, and a tamper. The workers had already put the dirt in piles by each of the areas that were washed out. Jaclyn and Mary were killing the shovel game, while I helped rake or gave emotional support. The most important step, however, is the tamping part. This packs the dirt together so that it won’t easily wash away after one rainstorm. After multiple visits working with our trail, this one felt the most impactful. We could fully see the effect of our efforts on our trail—making it a much safer and steady path to walk on. I’ve seen multiple elderly people at the Refuge who are just trying to enjoy a nice stroll in nature. Their joy and peace should never be jeopardized because of trail maintenance hazards.

Whenever I’m at the Nature Center, I always think of how my dog Humphrey would absolutely love it out there. There are so many places to explore, and he would be baffled by the buffalo. Humphrey loves the outdoors. In the winter time, he refuses to come inside because he enjoys the cold weather so much. Humphrey is a Bernedoodle, which is a combination of a Standard Poodle and Bernese Mountain Dog. Because he has a decently thick coat, he can withstand cold temperatures. In the winter, we have to walk him an extra twenty to thirty minutes longer to make sure he can get all of his energy out of his system. Since I moved to TCU, Humphrey has become my dad’s right-hand-guy. My dad walks outside with Humphrey at least six times a day. I believe having Humphrey also forces my family and me to get outside and enjoy some of the outdoors. Humphrey finds joy in the littlest things, like a pile of leaves, grass, snow, or rain. It doesn’t really snow all that much in Kansas anymore, but when it does, Humphrey will spend hours frolicking around and collecting snow balls on his paws. I believe having active pets can definitely make a dog owner more active, as long as they are willing to be. I know it always gives me the excuse to let things go and just go enjoy some fresh air. I love Humphrey so much and I hate being away from him, but I know my dad takes better care of him than I ever could.