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.
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