Sarina's Nature Book Club Blog

I went for a one hour walk along the Trinity River with my friend yesterday. It was sunny, 80°F, cloudless, and breezy. Although there was minimal shade on our route, the overall conditions were delightful. I noticed various forms of flora and fauna as well as their interactions with each other. I identified a few eastern bluebirds perched among tree branches, two egrets wading in the river, an eastern fox squirrel climbing a tree trunk, and multiple ducks swimming in the water. A highlight of my excursion was observing one monarch butterfly, multiple yellow butterflies, and a few white butterflies fluttering through patches of invasive rapistrum rugosum which are annual yellow flowering herbs of the mustard family. The water’s surface glistened from the afternoon sun, highlighting the simplistic yet astounding beauty of nature. Although not apparent from the angle of my picture, the reflection of trees onto the water allowed me to perfectly visualize their shapes and characterist...

On my walk home from class yesterday, I came across a glorious sunset. The cotton candy pink clouds, clichéd yet fitting sky blue, pale yellow sun hues, and contrasting tree silhouettes caught my attention. The weather was pleasant as well; it was a windless 70°F for my 15-minute walk home. While I wasn’t immersed in nature, per se, it was a lovely surprise to leave class and discover an awe-inspiring sunset. I especially liked how the trees juxtaposed with the vibrant sky shades. The overhead expanse reminded me of the romantic art which I became accustomed to for my lead respondent assignment. Specifically, Sunset in California by Albert Bierstadt resembles similar colors and tree outlines. My experience related to romanticism because I was drawn to the bold hues and dramatic lighting, while my imagination, thoughts, and emotions ran wild from inspiration of the unknown, awe of its beauty, and mystery of shadowing branches. I was overwhelmed with the “sublime” often depicted in roma...

Since we had lovely weather this weekend, I went on a sunset walk through the Tandy Hills Natural Area yesterday. It’s surrounded by city buildings and noises, yet my experience was peaceful and refreshing. Because there weren’t many people around, I was able to admire the birds flying overhead, slight breeze, and radiant sunset hues. The sunset was my favorite part by far. I attached a picture I took early on in the setting process, but the sky was filled with pink and orange soon after. Reflecting upon Abbey’s observations of sunsets encompassing “every named and unnamed hue” in Desert Solitaire made we realize that every sunset is different in color, texture, and feeling (Abbey 207). I often take a sunset’s beauty for granted without truly appreciating its uniqueness each day. On another note, the trail was lined with signs about respecting the natural flora and fauna by remaining on the path. This precaution is necessary because many people would wander off and likely interfere wi...