An Unexpected Guest (Journal)

Billy Petersen
Professor Williams
Nature Journal
12/4/19
    An Unexpected Guest
    
        Today is my first class at the Fort Worth Nature Center. I have lived in Fort Worth for over two years now and I have never heard of such a place. I start to become skeptical of where our class is headed. The only “nature” environment I have been exposed to in Fort Worth is the Trinity River, which locals tend to tell me it’s disgusting. I decided to set my skepticism aside and trust Professor Williams and head out to the Fort Worth Nature Center.

        As I drove into the Nature Center I was astonished by its beauty. Within minutes of driving down the long dirt road I saw a herd of deer leaping over a small wooden fence. Just seconds after, I saw another heard of deer run through the trees. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, I looked over at my friend next to me and said excitedly, “how have I never heard of this place”!

        When our class got to the river, we parked our cars, gathered our equipment, and headed to our destination. As we neared our destination I was once again in disbelief. An eight-foot alligator was soaking up the sun on the river bank across from us. I had always heard about alligators in the Fort Worth area, but I was never truly convinced. After seeing the monstrous alligator at the Nature Center, I am fully convinced there are alligators in Fort Worth.

        Aside from the wildlife I was fortunate enough to see at the Nature Center, I was there to perform volunteer work. Our classes duty was to plant plants along the river to help erosion. Service is crucial to the Treks and Texts learning objectives because it gives students first hand experience indulging themselves in nature. Having the opportunity to dig holes, plant plants, and water them with water from the river was an incredibly humbling experience. It makes you value the great beauty of our environment and realize how often we take it for granted.

        Today at the Nature Center made me realize why Professor Williams has us go there instead of the classroom. Going to the Nature Center is an escape from our everyday lives as college students. Spending two and a half hours of our week fully indulged in nature is a way to clear our minds and remember to appreciate the world we live in.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Palm Tree (Journal)

Billy Petersen Professor Williams 9/3/2019 Palm Tree It’s a Monday evening around 7:30pm. I open the back door of my house and step outside into the warm muggy air. The sun is out, and the bright rays are pushing against my eyes. Just over my worn-down wooden fence, into my neighbor’s yard, I see a tree. This tree isn’t your typical North Texas Live Oak with long dangling branches, this tree caught my eye. The tree summoned a tropical scene like I was on the coastline of California. I ask myself, “what is a palm tree doing in Fort Worth, TX”? Although I am not native to Fort Worth, I am almost certain they are not indigenous to this part of the state. As I approach the fence to get a better look at the tree, I notice the beauty of it. The long, thick leaves produce a canopy giving shade to the life under it. Resting against the rugged trunk lies a pile of dead leaves. I picture thousands of ants at the bottom scattered into colonies. The palm tree brings a special form of l...
Read more

Coyote (Journal)

Billy Petersen Professor Williams 11/19/2019 Coyote               On a crisp afternoon in Chicago, I decided to take my dog Kane for a walk. Very enthusiastically I said, “do you want…”, and before I could finish my sentence his ears lit up and he was ready to go. I didn’t have a specific route in mind for our walk, but I wanted to pay close attention to everything around us. The trees swayed in the wind as their florescent orange and red leaves fell from the branches. You could hear a woodpecker in the distance fighting furiously to break through the wood. Every step I took dead leaves crunched beneath my feet. It’s the end of fall and the air is colder than an ice cube, as it climbs through my jacket to the bottom of my spine. As the leaves continued to fall, the sight of everything living came to an end. The sun slowly set, and the birds have ceased. The dreary fall day in Chicago has left me tired, ...
Read more

Running Into Nature (Journal)

Billy Petersen Professor Williams Nature Journal 12/4/19 Running Into Nature         After a long week of midterms, I needed to alleviate some stress. With caffeine still flowing through my body, I needed to get rid of some energy and clear my mind. I have never been much of a runner but going to the TCU rec center wasn’t going to cut it. I needed to free myself from people and other distractions on campus. People always rave about running on the trinity trails, so I decided to give it a try. Although I don’t usually find running peaceful, I wanted to challenge myself and spend the beautiful day outside. I figured the combination of running and spending time in nature would be the perfect way to unwind after a long week.         My run got off to a slow start. I couldn’t focus on anything other than the fact that I hate running. I needed to get in the zone fast or I knew my run would end abruptly. I tried focusing on things other ...
Read more