Kyle's Blog

A Day in Nature (NJ7) Today in class we had the luxury of attending the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge to perform volunteer work. I believe the next few weeks are imperative for the service aspect of this class, given that doing something in practice truly reinforces class concepts. Immediately we were immersed in a natural environment with stunning scenery of a long main river, thousands of lilypads, and even an alligator. At first, the alligator was perched on a nearby shoreline, basking in the afternoon sun. I was amazed at the beauty of this animal in its natural habitat, and I continued to observe the alligator for some time. The scales were arranged on its body in a perfectly seamless fashion, with each scale coming in direct contact with the next. Soon later, the alligator showed signs of restlessness as it submerged half of its body in the water, leaving the other half exposed on the land.  After the excitement with the alligator subsided, we began our volunt...

Starless Night (NJ6)   I walked out into the parking lot after a long day of work in downtown Fort Worth and for some strange reason, there wasn't a star to be seen. Being from a small suburb of Austin, Texas, I am used to gazing out into the night and seeing millions of stars spanning across the entire dark sky. This came as a shock to me at first, since this is something that I considered unusual given my background. However, after looking into the concept a little more, I realized it is quite common in bigger cities. The light pollution from the city created an atmosphere that caused stars to be practically invisible in the sky.  The contrasting environments of the hustle and bustle of a larger city that I currently inhabit, versus the small-town atmosphere of my upbringing, came as a wave of realization to how I view this world. It may seem like a simple fact, but by immersing yourself in nature, you gain a greater appreciation for it. By removing this aspect of ...

Tree Preservation (NJ5) Recently I noticed the vast assortment of trees located in Fort Worth, Texas. There are trees everywhere you turn, with no two trees looking identical. In particular, one tree in my backyard stood out to me. This tree was unlike any of the other trees I've seen in this area. Its light brown trunk bent at an obtuse angle, with the arching limbs providing the backyard with an adequate amount of shade. I wondered to myself if this exact tree was positioned somewhere else on this earth, but I quickly dismissed the idea. This thought brought up the damning similarity between trees and humans. No two humans are the same, just as no two trees are the same.  After observing the tree for quite some time, the simple proposition of environmental preservation became apparent. What separates us as humans, from the other living organisms on this earth, such as a tree? Shouldn't it be our duty as a society to protect the beauty that nature has to offer us? Wh...

A Brisk Jog (NJ4) This morning I felt an overwhelming sense of energy that needed to be exerted in some fashion. After giving the idea some thought, I determined that I should take a quick run around my neighborhood. I am not usually someone who enjoys running, but on this particular day I was feeling up to the challenge.  I began my run at a quick pace, and I could feel my feet bounce off the pavement with each step that I took. The gravel from the road kicked up behind me, with the soles of my shoes and the bottoms of my feet coming in perfect contact with each other. The shoes I wore were particularly tight, and my big toe constantly brushed against the front fabric on the inside of my sneaker. My head bounced up and down with each triumphant lunge that I took forward. After about thirty minutes of running at a constant speed, I took a short lull to catch my breath.  During this interval, I recollected the conversation we had in class a few weeks ago about Hen...

The Wild Snake (NJ3)  A few days ago, I took a morning trip to Marion Samson Park in Fort Worth, Texas. I walked the trails in the cool morning breeze and pondered about the busy week of school that I was about to have. Just then, I noticed a snake slither quickly in the short grass by my feet. At first, I was startled by the snake. But after careful examination, I realized the snake was harmless. The ophidian was simply looking for a suitable place to bask in the sun.  I then began to take somewhat of an anthropomorphic approach to understand the snake's current behavior. I applied certain experiences and characteristics from my life to describe how the snake conducted its daily routine. It was almost as if I could hear the snake talking in my hear, providing me with the exact reasons for its actions. The snake told me that by soaking up essential vitamins from the sun, it could regulate its body temperature. As soon as the conversation between the snake and I began...

An Evening Walk (NJ2)  Last night, I decided to embark upon a small stroll at TCU's incomplete football stadium. On my journey, I noticed something quite alarming that made me ponder the intricacies of the world we live in. Upon arriving at the stadium, I witnessed one of the most ravishing sunsets I have ever seen.  The sky resembled a canvas that had just been completed by a famous painter. The clouds gushed perfectly over the light blue sky. The sun's light shone delicately behind the clouds as if it was playing hide and seek. I knew in this instance that this was not the work of man, but the work of something greater. Sunsets like these reaffirm my religious beliefs, proving to my internal conscious that we are not alone.  From this sunset, I distinctly noticed the considerable difference between the two main objects in the picture. First, the football stadium. A miraculous man-made construction that took thousands of hours and dedication to complete. Se...

Nature Observation #3 The creature landed calmly on my arm, not knowing the juxtaposition of our size differences. I gazed at the miniature insect and its beady auburn eyes looked right back at me. Its microscopic wings resembled translucent paper that could be broken with the slightest touch. The hairs on its body perked up in the same direction, like crashing waves on the shoreline. Its legs moved rapidly as it raced from one location to the next, obviously indecisive about a final destination. There is an abundance of this creature in nature but for some reason, this unaccompanied one stood out to me. Will I ever see this fly again? As the thought raced through my mind, I unburdened myself from the fly's presence by the only way I knew how  – by swatting it with my dominant hand.   

Nature Observation #2 The viridescent leaf swung cautiously by my face. I fixated my eyes onto its lanceolate shape, which hovered daintily in the gentle breeze. The leaf collided with the ground, and I was finally able to decipher its obscure greenish color. As if I was examining thousands of inlets on a map, the individual grooves resembled tiny streams separating from a large river. I ran my finger across the smooth top of the leaf, which contrasted with the coarse bottom. One side of the leaf felt smooth like the outside of an inflated balloon, with the other side resembling sandpaper. I cast the leaf back into the crisp air, letting the wind decide its next journey.