Maddie's Nature Blog

  THIS MORNING This morning the redbirds’ eggs have hatched and already the chicks are chirping for food. They don't know where it’s coming from, they just keep shouting, “More! More!” As to anything else, they haven’t had a single thought. Their eyes haven’t yet opened, they know nothing  about the sky that’s waiting. Or the thousands, the millions of trees.  They don't even know they have wings. And just like that, like a simple neighborhood event, a miracle is taking place. This Mary Oliver poem immediately drew my attention because it is about morning time, my favorite time of day (other than sunset). Reading this poem immediately brought me back to being a child when I would notice the sounds of nature when I woke up. Back then, my mind was not so preoccupied with other thoughts that damaged my perception of my surrounding environment. I vividly remember having to wake up before the sun rose before school to pick out my outfit, pack a lunch, and have breakfast. By th...

     At first, the idea of volunteering at the nature center made me nervous and excited. I had no idea what to expect, and worried about if I had chosen the right attire for our activities. Being in boots and jeans in the nighty-degree weather made me concerned about whether I would get heatstroke (which has happened before in the Texas heat). Despite my apprehension, I knew that doing work outdoors would help me relieve stress and take out some aggression.      Before heading out, I made sure to eat a hearty lunch and packed cold water to keep me hydrated throughout class. These small preparations helped alleviate some of my worries. Yet, as I arrived and saw the wood chipper, my anxiety resurfaced. Using it seemed daunting and dangerous as I had never used that kind of machinery before.      However, as we got to work, my apprehensions seemed to melt away. The work I had initially feared turned out to be not only manageable but also surpri...

Polemic: Industrial Tourism and the National Parks by Edward Abbey is one of the most thought-provoking writings we have read for class. Polemic is a passionate and provocative critique of various environmental and societal issues. Abbey advocates for environmental conservation, particularly in the American Southwest, and challenges the destructive forces of industrialization, urbanization, and overdevelopment. His writing often employs a confrontational and rebellious tone, advocating for direct action to protect the natural world. In this essay, Abbey makes bold claims about how nature should be enjoyed and who should be allowed to enjoy it. He makes harsh criticism of tourists and the average traveler of national parks. While his writing may offend some, I do believe he made some valid points. I would like to highlight some quotes from this passage that I have pondered on. "If we could learn to love space as deeply as we are now obsessed with time, we might discover a new mea...

  This Tuesday, I joined the class on a canoeing adventure in Benbrook Lake! While those of us who attended this excursion know how it went, I want to focus more on my sentiments before we even stepped foot in the canoe. When I initially signed up for this activity, I was nervous. While I had never given it much thought, I realized I tend to stray away from water-related activities.       This past summer, I was somewhat pressured to go white water rafting in Colorado and then go on a small boat in Florida. Though I tend to view myself as an optimistic person who is up for new adventures, the thought of participating in both of those activities gave me great anxiety. Despite having a good time at both my Colorado and Florida adventures, I still felt that same level of anxiety when thinking about our canoeing trip. I think the vast unknown element of water scares me, as I believe there is inherent danger within its depths that I am unaware of.   ...

     This week, we were tasked with reading many of Edward Abbey's writings, including Havasu. This journal entry discusses Abbey's 35-day journey in the Grand Canyon. His trip was full of highs and lows. There were moments when he was fighting for his life to stay alive, and other times he felt at peace and connected to Mother Nature.      One thing I found interesting was his reasoning for wanting to go on this adventure alone. Personally, while I do find nature to be beautiful, I also feel fearful of it. I feel like it can get dangerous quickly if you are out by yourself, exploring near nighttime, or get lost on your path, so I always venture out with a friend. When speaking of why he did not mingle with the Native Americans near him, Abbey said,  “I’m not sure that I care for the idea of strangers examining my daily habits and folkways, studying my language, inspecting my costume, questioning me about my religion, classifying my artifacts, investig...

     For this week’s nature walk, I went to Oak Grove Park in Grapevine Lake. The area attracts many families because of the baseball, softball, and soccer fields that surround it. In addition, there are boat ramps for people who choose to participate in water-related activities. Given that it was Labor Day weekend, the park was bustling! There were so many people on land and water that it was challenging to get photos without them in it. I chose to walk towards the lake on just open land, with no path or pavement. Much of the grass was brown and crunchy, which goes to show how hot and dry this summer has been (but that is normal for a Texas summer). With that being said, I was there only a half-hour before a heavy rainstorm fell in the area. It was windy and cooler than usual which was a nice change of pace from the 90+ degree weather we normally have. With the looming storm above, the sky was beautiful with majestic clouds. I was fascinated by how the fluffy clouds...