I made sure to leave my cell phone behind before proceeding to one of the many trails the park offered. My trusty camera that dangled from my neck swung like a pendulum as I hiked up the hill that lead to an overlook of the grounds. When I reached the top, I found myself in the midst of a vast land that was sublime in every sense. The picturesque scene before my eyes had me in a trance. The creamy clouds contrasted strikingly against the blazing blue sky. Trees of all different shapes and sizes scattered the rolling fields. There were crows the color of onyx, sparrows mingling in flocks, and chickadees perched on branchlets speckled with sparkling emerald leaves. Chinese silver grass danced rhythmically with the brisk breeze; the lanky stalks
I am surrounded by the splendor of the nature. On a moderately sunny morning, birds are peeping while sitting on the gigantic mature tree in the park. The stream of water rising from the fountain is crafting a magical melody. The mesmerizing winds have imprisoned everyone’s attention. The bright colorful flowers are depicting the charms of their juvenile. Different pleasant sounds in the environment are contributing to the concerto of nature. Leaves rustling in the cool breeze are an amazing part of the environment. A young couple sitting on the bench beside the fountain is relishing the pleasant sight.
It was simply amazing hiking out there, the mountains covered in tall trees that dug into the rocky soil, the beautiful sky, when visible. Even in the midst of strenuous exercise I still en...
Wilderness is a highly idealized concept in today’s society – we simply put it on a pedestal and choose to admire it as we see fit. Nature and wilderness are considered distant and remote concepts, separate from our everyday, civilized lives. By approaching the natural realm in this sense, we simply detach ourselves from our origin, which leaves us to fantasize about the great outdoors as an escape from the artificial creations of our everyday life. This desire to escape our artificial lives has lead to the construction of locations such as national parks, which merely appear to be the natural world, yet in reality they are simply just facets of the modernized world we have created.
The Seven Falls State Park, is a park located in Higganum, Connecticut. It is right along the border of Middletown and Haddam. This side of the town is home to many tree-infested areas and countless streams connecting it to the Connecticut River. The entrance to the park is off of Saybrook Road. The parking lot takes up about a quarter of the land, which makes me think of this as more of a commuter lot than anything. The parking lot is made from black gravel and is gated by recycled telephone poles. As you park your car, you immediately can tell it is Winter. The air is crisp, showing my breath as I cough from seasonal allergies. I immediately throw my hands into the pocket of my hoodie, bow my head, and hop over the fence to the field. As I stop and scan the land i realize how dead it is.
In the “Impoverishment of Sightseeing”, John Daniel seeks to inspire readers to experience nature beyond observation. Daniel clearly differentiates between the minute appreciation received from sightseeing, and the aweing admiration you can feel if you engulf yourself in nature. Through sharing his personal experiences and scholarly analysis, Daniel demonstrates the importance of being vulnerable to the environment that is necessary for comprehensively understand nature. He argues by allowing ourselves to be naked to nature, one can understand how the natural World has the power to limit our existence.
As the two men hiked, they came upon many rugged trails and hills that were difficult to overcome, however they did it together and kept moving on. The view from the trail was beautiful with many places to stop and admire the view, but they couldn’t seem to get above the canopy of the trees to truly take in the whole view. The man that strove to see the beautiful scenery from an unobstructed viewpoint was trying in every way to get above what was around him to see the true beauty of the mountains.
There have always been many different trees are found in the forest. Tall ones, round of leaf and with broad branches spread open in welcome. Short ones are found here as well, with thin trunks and wiry limbs they sway in the breeze. A wide variety of foliage in the emerald grove dancing merrily to the whispers of the wind. In this quiet thicket, a different type of tree grows, too. They stand resolute, patient, and ever growing.
Dani and I stand in the sun waiting for the “men” to catch up. The view was worth Quill’s whining and navigating through the snow. The breeze catches in the bright green and gold of new Aspen leaves whispering around the lake. The Pine trees scent the air and bask in the sun to steal its warmth from the forest below. The trees are a dark canopy along our path permitting only a few patches of the raised finely mulched trail to a beam or two of sun. Framed like a photo three pencil lead gray peaks rise above a lower sweeping curve of pines. They look close enough to walk over the ridge and touch them. Boulders precariously cling to the side of the mountains. The perfect deep blue early summer sky is the perfect backdrop.
Walking through the woods never fails to clear my mind. After spending all day sitting in a stale classroom, filled with stress, confusion, and overwhelming responsibilities, taking a long stroll through the familiar woods behind my grandmother’s house lifts any worries that could ever weigh me down. I never wander through aimlessly. I always follow the trail of grass that has been deliberately cut down shorter than the rest, making it easier to tread through to the small creek at the end of the trail. The entire journey through the woods behind my grandmother’s house, there and back, first took on a whole new importance in my life during my junior year of high school.
A cigarette butt lies next to my foot, still emitting a trace of smoke. Nearby on the dusty asphalt a pigeon waddles self-consciously, bobbing its head as if pecking the air for some invisible food. A squirrel churrs a threat to his brother, challenging him to romp.
Being invited to a friend’s house the other day, I began to get excited about the journey through the woods to their cabin. The cabin, nestled back in the woods overlooking a pond, is something that you would dream about. There is a winding trail that takes you back in the woods were their cabin sits. The cabin sits on top of a mountain raised up above everything, as if it was sitting on the clouds.
The visual surrounding the lake was perceived before the mountains was beautiful and serene. The lavender flowers near the water mirroring the colossal mountains smelled of spring. The sunset illuminated the sky making it purple and orange. The huge rocks were faultless and could be used for sitting and thinking. The warm breeze reassured that springtime was near. The lake was ideal for swimming, it was so clear. The cabins around the lake were perfect for summertime with family and friends. The clouds looked impeccable as they were angled over the mountains, their rectangular shapes resembled fluffy pillows. The snow had almost completely melted off the mountain in the distance. The environment was well needed for break within a busy life.
Along the way there were many species of wildlife. I saw numerous eye-catching reptiles, most of them were lizards that were multicolored with blues, yellows, reds, and oranges. At one point, I even saw a jet black snake with yellow speckles scattered throughout. Eventually, the path came out of the trees and led us to vast openness with nothing but saguaros and enormous mountains. As soon as I saw the opportunity, I pulled out my phone and started to take multiple pictures. However, when came back to reality and managed to pull my eyes away from my phone screen, that was when I actually took in nature’s beauty. When I looked through the gaping valley, it felt as if the world had halted to a stop and all my worries vanished. That was when I realized that it is honestly better to take mental pictures rather than taking physical
I have not had many meaningful moments with nature, even though I have many encounters with it. But the encounter that is the most prevalent in my mind is my vacation at Willow Lake, Minnesota. Here I had encounters with nature on the water, out bike riding, and watching a storm come in the distance.
This area of the world is so foreign to my Oklahoma life; it infuses me with awe, and with an eerie feeling of being strongly enclosed by huge mountains, and the mass of tall trees. However, when my foot first steps onto the dusty trail it feels crazily magical. The clean, crisp air, the new smell of evergreen trees and freshly fallen rain is mixed with fragrances I can only guess at. It is like the world has just taken a steroid of enchantment! I take it all in, and embrace this new place before it leaves like a dream and reality robs the moment. As I turn and look at my family, I was caught by my reflection in their impressions. The hair raising mischief in the car was forgotten and now it was time to be caught up in this newness of life. It was as if the whole world around us had changed and everyone was ready to engulf themselves in it. The trickling of water somewhere in the distance and the faint noise of animals all brought the mountains to