9/26/17 Fort Worth Nature Center

             This week we returned to the Fort Worth Nature Center Prairie trail to continue restoring the water eroded trail. As we walked to our supplies and the dirt mound we came across a snake. I was so wrapped up in conversation though, I was unaware that it had slithered a mere foot behind me. The snake journeyed up into a nearby tree and kept a careful eye upon us. It was a curious fact that as we were trying to identify and observe the snake it was completing a similar assessment on us. My initial reaction was to view the snake as an outsider that did not belong on our trail, but it is in fact I who was entrenching on its natural habitat. To the snake I am the one to be feared.

                After standing and pondering the snake nestled into the tree and we continued to walk down the trail. I made a conscious effort to stay alert to my surrounding, not only to avoid a snake but also to not miss any skeptical that was happen right before me. The waters bars we made two weeks ago are still intact and doing their job. We began work on the remainder of the path that was still worn down from the waters. Understanding what our job was we all went to work immediately and picked up our shovels wordlessly and worked in beautiful synchrony.

The dirt mound left for us gave us an increasingly difficult time. The mound was of tough clay rather than the soft dirt of weeks prior. The men in our group worked at the clay with a pick ax and then we continued to shovel dirt into the eroded trail. By the end of the class period I was proud to see that we created two more water bars and almost completely filled in where the water had eroded the trail.

As I type this journal entry the rain is hitting the sliding glass door beside me. I wonder if the newest water bars are holding and preventing water damage to the Prairie trail. It is a satisfying feeling knowing that the labor we put into the trail is going to help preserve it for rainfalls to come. By preserving this trail we allowing for others to experience nature as we have been blessed to. Although I am not a fan of the heat I always leave class with a sense of peace. Being in an area where for a moment I am electronic free and do not see cars or buildings is refreshing. It gives me a moment to catch a breath and truly breathe. 

9/19/17 Overton Park

               This week our class ventured in the 100 degree heat to Overton Park to continue our discussion in Wilderness and the American Mind by Roderick Frazier Nash and read some of Henry David Thoreau’s writing in Nature Writing. This week before we sat down in a shaded area I was incredibly aware of the elements. I felt the blistering heat against my skin and I seemed to attract every bug in the near vicinity. However as we began to dive into Thoreau’s writing I became less focused on the heat and the buzzing of wings near my ear. As my fellow team led discussion I found myself convicted by the words of Thoreau on nature. In particular he mentions how he would rather live in a swamp then the most beautifully crafted garden. He states that we do not appreciate the essence of nature. This statement stopped my thoughts right in their tracks. In my mind I was just complaining about the heat and itchiness of the grass beneath me. Thoreau was talking about mine sets like the one that I possess.

                The manner in which Thoreau writes captures the reader’s attention. He crafts statements, such as the swamp description, to question the lens that the readers interpret nature through. While reading his descriptions of his surroundings whether scenery, ants, or a friendly mouse I felt the sense that he was captivated by what he was beholding in his mind’s eye. I so desire to hold this same awe and wonder towards the fine details of nature that I am able to write on and on by what has made me stop and think outside of my own little world.

                As the class shifted to discussing Nash’s writing so did my perspective on the outdoor excursion I was a part of. The wind gently brushed through the trees surrounding us and softly nudged hundreds of leaves off their resting place. This created a wonderful snowfall effect and the leaves began to dance around us as if beckoning that we give attention to our surroundings. And give my surroundings attention I did. My perspective towards the outdoor class shifted to one of thanksgiving. I became thankful for the escape from the four walls that my eyes normally fell upon. In Chapter 3 of Wilderness and the American Mind the scientists in Europe of the Enlightenment era began to shift the view of nature from a dark and fearful place to sublimely beautiful and having a close relationship to God. The idea of nature being sublime really took hold in the hands of Romantics who would rather enjoy the wild than a cultivated garden. Romantics called Primitivists, “believed that man’s happiness and well-being decreased in direct proportion to his degree of civilization” (Nash 47).

                I find truth in the Primitivists statement of happiness in relation to the degree of civilization. I find that I can get wrapped up in the busyness of life and this can lead to a great deal of stress if I do not take a step back and put into perspective the happenings of life. Spending time in God’s creation has a way of calming my soul and allowing for reflection. This type of reflection and quiet time is vital to remain sane in this crazy thing we call life. It is important to remember that we are just a small part of this beautiful universe. It is humbling to think like this. 

9/12/17 Excursion to the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge

               I am on the team at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge that is assigned to the Prairie trail. Our main task this week was to fill in the land where the rain had eroded and create water bars to prevent future erosion. Some team members used shovels to fill in land while others came behind with rakes and tools to stamp the ground down. When I was first assigned to this project I felt incredibly unqualified and did not believe that a Nursing major could ever assist in a way that made a difference. As our guide, Nick, described to us the task at hand we gazed upon a trail that was worn with deep trenches from the torrential rain of last week and was lined by prairie grass and trees with branches reaching deep into the path.  The Texas heat was unceasing and my immediate thought was regret of not putting on sunscreen before heading out.

                My role in this task was to cut the arms of the trees that obstructed parts of the trail. It seemed like this would be a simple enough task. I quickly realized this conclusion was terribly wrong as I clamped the sheers on the first branch. With all of my strength I attempted to cut the branch down. However all that was left behind from my efforts was a slice that looked as if a pocket knife slashed the tree. After a comical couple of minutes Nick taught me how to properly use the tool. With guidance it was easier to accomplish the task at hand, but I still struggled with not having enough upper body strength to take down the limbs.

                As I was hard at work I looked upon the trail and admired the beauty it possesses. I did not realize that Fort Worth had such magnificent trails that encompassed nature such as this. I had blue dragon flies chasing one another around me, what I believe to be ground hogs squeaking in the grass, and unknown to me other wildlife scurrying around me. Honing in on different aspects of the trail around me I realized the importance of nature centers. The Fort Worth Nature Center has already given me the opportunity to see and experience wildlife I would never have if I stayed among my school books on campus. I know that the other 90,000 visitors that have walked these trails have also gained perspective and created memories among the wildlife. It is of great importance for citizens to come alongside the employees of the Nature Center and protect the wildlife that it holds.

                It was amazing to see what a little over an hour could do to preserve a trail. By the end of the class period my team and I restored about 30 feet of trail and created 3 water bars to prevent the same erosion. We were able to assist in preserving the trails that are teaching so many individuals to appreciate nature. Working on the trail has already given me a new lens to look at my environment through. Nick our guide pointed out to me a Leaf Hopper that I never would have even noticed had he not pointed my attention to the details of the trail. I am eager to continue to learn from the environment of the Prairie trail, and learn to appreciate to a greater extent the intrinsic details of God’s creation that culminate an ecosystem. 

9/5/17 Fort Worth Botanic Gardens

                As a class we ventured to the sculpted and cultivated Botanic garden. We settled into a grass clearing that was primped and pruned to our liking. A tree aged by time reached both towards the sky and possessed a branch that encircled around a quarter of the group.  The readings we discussed was Chapters 1 and 2 of the Wilderness and the American Mind and pages 168-205 of Nature Writing. We discussed the history of how nature and the wild was feared and likened to Satan by the primitive man who feared what he could not control. The wilderness was dominated by man with fire, domestication, and cultivation. As we discussed the history of humans’ relationship to nature I thought of my own relation to nature. Much of my own understanding of nature is from the man made and kept gardens such as the one I was in. To me places such as the Botanic Gardens are full of beauty and cause me to step outside of myself and truly think, but is this truly nature? I, like the pioneers of early America, fear the unknown. I feel at peace and comforted in the nature environments that are controlled by society, but if I were to be thrust into the untamed wilderness untouched by man’s hand I do not believe I would feel the same comfort. Nature is such an elusive term to define for “One man’s wilderness may be another’s roadside picnic ground” (Nash 1).

                During class we also discussed the idea of the Bible shaping ideas of the wilderness. Wilderness is described as both a refuge and a place of punishment. I believe this is an accurate depiction of nature. Nature has the potential to be a safe haven and a place to purify one’s life. However, nature is unpredictable at its core and can cause great devastation. I do see a great connection between God and His creation. I find that I can most tangibly feel God’s presence when I am truly out in His creation. It causes me to think to the world as something greater then myself, and to be in harmony with this beautiful gift God has given us.

                While sitting on the grass of the Botanic Garden I wondered if it is wrong to have places such as this in a city. I then quickly rectified this question by thinking of the importance of a slice of nature in the midst of the city. The city holds a fast pace that leads many to stress and frustration. Although the Botanic Garden may not be wilderness it possesses the essence of nature and causes its visitors to take a step back and slow down. It is strikingly discordant to the surrounding landscape of highways and buildings.

                As a class we also discussed a compilation of journal entries from Meriwether Lewis. I was enamored by the descriptions he told of the land and waters he encountered. Mere words seem to fail me more often than not, yet he so clearly showcased me the untouched American wilderness through his pen and paper. His journal entries summarized the reading from the Wilderness and the American Mind. Lewis not only spoke of the beauty of the untouched nature, but also the danger. The danger was showcased in his vivid description of being chased by a bear. In those moments he was no longer in control. He was at the mercy of the unknown and powerful forces of the wilderness. The wilderness is unpredictable. This idea is outlined in the fact that once Lewis entered the water the bear turned around in fear. This seems to be a highly unusual occurrence to me, but it describes an important theme of the wilderness. The wilderness is vast and unpredictable.