The Power One Holds

Today we had a guest speaker, Tom Springer, author of the book Looking for Hickories, visit our class, and I must admit that he was by far my favorite guest yet. I felt like I connected with his view of the world and nature. He just seems like he can never get enough, nature just puts him in a daze, and I often feel the same way. For instance, today when I was walking home from class, I looked to the right after I passed Sprau Tower and another building and saw the clock tower in the distance. It was surrounded by large overgrown trees, making a collage of all the autumnal colors with just the brightest clearest blue sky as a backdrop, and I think my jaw dropped. It was absolutely stunning. I cannot say it truly was a painting, but when I saw this sight, it immediately reminded me of one. Everything seemed perfect, and once I looked away, I began to see the gorgeous leaves falling from the trees and landing in front of me as I shuffled my feet under the little yellow leaves that had already seen their prime.
Tom Springer is much better than I am at describing his feelings and actions towards nature, but I do feel that I can relate because I often find delight in the little joys of life, much like him. I was not expecting Springer to be as witty as he was! I sat next to my friends and laughed a whole-hearted laugh when he tried explaining to the guys in our class how simple it would be to make a sauerkraut-like food if they just minced some cabbage and threw it in vinegar and let it sit for a couple days..and how the cabbage has so many uses, such as hats for his kids, like a little cap if you will.
Later in our discussion, one of my classmates mentioned how Springer wrote a little about him and his wife, and he explained how the small details he snuck into the book were all he could do; he felt he had to add a lot of personal information into his writing, and upon hearing that, another classmate of mine raised her hand and told our class about how she feels that it is so important to send a heart-felt note and show people how you care with personal and original writings. At this time, I had a flashback of when I wrote a note to my older sister on a sheet of paper shaped like a CD and put it in her CD player. She found it once she was all settled at school and called me, all emotional, because she loved it so much. I did the same when I left for college, leaving a personal note to my parents and sister to find in my room when they arrived home from moving me in. My mom texted me a day or two later with the sweetest response to my note. I love the feeling of getting my feelings out and showing people how I feel about them; I try exceptionally hard to write letters to friends on their birthdays to show them love and affection and to family when I visit. Leaving a note, in my opinion, is one of the best surprises for someone to find.
All in all, Tom Springer's visit was a great treat! I loved listening to him talk and hearing him speak about everything he knows and has experienced, and would do it again any day. He was inspiring because he realized that his writings were worthy of a book, and I think his courage to write his own memories and create a book from them, can give many others hope for their dreams. At the end of his visit, I was able to ask Springer to sign my book, and he happily did so. I was so grateful. What a great day in Our Place In Nature!

Expect the Unexpected

In my life, everyday is an adventure, but particularly today. I like to plan ahead, but I take one day at a time. I value productivity and having fun while doing it, and today was a mixture of both. I was able to sleep in, which was extremely comforting, and I woke up refreshed and feeling better than I have in a long while. Two friends and I planned the night before to meet downstairs at 11 am to make it to the Kalamazoo Nature Center by 11:30 for a class field trip so, as we hoped, we were all down there and ready to go.  We barely made it on time to the Nature Center. Zooming down the highway and speeding around corners, I almost spilled my bowl of grapes! Let me just say, it was an exciting ride to be in the back seat of my friend's car as she "drove efficiently"!

The Nature Center felt so pure the second I stepped off of the black top of the parking lot. To enter the center, you cross a large bridge, and as we passed over it, my friends and I made comments about how fresh and sweet it smelled-not a sensation you get to enjoy daily when you live on a campus where busses are always passing and cafeterias are constantly serving food. To make it even better, when we walked inside, we were greeted with gorgeous murals that include all types and species of birds. I thought this was wonderful, but I was in for a surprise: the actual natural part of the center was breathtaking. 

After a short presentation about the Nature Center, our guide took us back though the main building, and over the large bridge. From there, we took a trip up to the natural prairie land, and there I was able to take some of the most amazing pictures that I have in a while. The grasses really made me feel small in the grand world we live in; they were taller than me, and as I walked through them,  I could only see a few feet out on either side of the path. I absolutely loved it; I was surrounded by nature. As our class walked through the prairie, I experienced so many feelings and emotions that I hadn't in a long time and it felt amazing. Against my wishes, two girls and myself had to leave the Nature Center early, on behalf of meetings and classes that we had to attend. 

We tried lifting the car to change the tire...