Week 8- Cold Weather and the Feeling of Home in Nature Journal

This week has been absolutely frigid compared to last week. When the temperature drops this low, I can’t help but to think of my home back in rural Pennsylvania. The leaves are changing colour this time of year. It’s my favorite thing to see, the colours are always striking and bold.

I could barely make it to my nature spot this week. I think I only spent about 5 minutes there. The wind was too strong, and the temperature was too low to stay out there and enjoy my surroundings.

When I called my family this week, they told me that they had similar weather. The week before it was beautiful and sunny, then without any notice, they had their first freeze, and even saw some snow today. This made me thing about the unforgiving and unyielding nature of ‘nature’. It’s unpredictable at times, and can be quite scary. However, the trees show no fear, the fields and the rivers do not do anything out of the ordinary. They do not need to prepare, or anticipate things like we need to.

As I was walking to my classes in this cold and windy weather, I thought about all the great things fall brings for me. Blankets, books, tea, scarves and my favourite boots. Here in El Paso, the concept of Autumn is mixed in with that of Winter, it almost makes me sad that people here don’t know all of the joys that come from this time of year where the trees change colour. Do we have a different perception of things because of this? Are our views of nature and wildlife different because of the location and culture? These are the questions I am left with as I enjoy this weather, and see many other bundled up so much they waddle instead of walk to class.

I think that where we come from does have a difference in how we view nature. It also depends on what we are taught about it. How we are raised-which is either to fear it, to love it, to protect it, or to pay no mind to it. I grew up surrounded by a plethora of natural wonders. Rolling green hills, small creeks to wade in, flowers, fireflies, fields and lakes. Trees taller than our houses, and vines to make a swing from in the woods behind my grandmothers house. I was brought up to love and depend on nature, to be a friend to it and to respect it just the same. I feel that we would respect our planet more if we were all raised in part by nature. To know it’s time to go inside when it’s dark, to look at the stars at night where they are visible, to roll through grassy fields and get flowers in our hair. Perhaps it’s the weather that makes me nostalgic and homesick, but I know I’m happiest when I’m outdoors with my feet in the grass and not on the floor of my office or classroom.

This has perhaps been my messiest post, but I also find it to be the most revealing and cathartic of them all.

Last updated October 19, 2018