What Do We Give Nature?

I was under the impression I was just going to a family friend’s parent’s farm. I was going to simply relax among friends while my boyfriend’s mom went for her helicopter ride. We would stay for a couple hours and then head back home to the hustle and bustle of the city. Assumptions.

Upon arriving, I was overwhelmed at the simple beauty of the grounds. Weather worn barns, rolling hills, a nearby creek, and a garden filled to the brim with vegetables. No stress and no worries…

Nature gives me,  

A breath of Fresh Air. A chance to get away from the homework and paper grind. Rediscover the childhood wonder of exploring and wandering. Nothing simpler: laced up shoes, rolling hills, a hand to hold, and an adventure to be had.

Nature gives me,

A simple outing. A breath of fresh air. A chance to run and explore. A chance to enjoy the last few moments of summer before the cold weather comes to stay. 

That is what nature gives us. What do we give nature? The “gift” of our presence?

Walking on Thin Ice

To quote the boy in A Christmas Story, "I can't put my arms down". BRR! 

Living in Michigan, I thought I had experienced the most of what the lakes had to offer; the ability to cool off on a hot day, playing in the sand and building sand castles, and playing in the waves before a storm hits. However, living by Lake Michigan allowed me to experience something I had never done nor I thought was possible.

One February Sunday(very cold) afternoon after church, my boyfriend and I ventured out to Holland for a day of winter fun and to experience something he promised he would take me to do before the snow melted. We walked downtown Holland, admiring the ice sculptures on the sidewalks and window shopped. We enjoyed Froyo before venturing off to Tunnel Park to see the waves before the sun set. 

Walking out of the tunnel, the view was breath taking. As we descended, it was hard to take in everything around us. How could something so huge become frozen? I was in awe. And the thrill of walking on “thin” ice was incredible.

 And to look at the shore, and feel small.

We are small in the world. A simple wave in the ocean. Frozen in the daily routine. Maybe it is time people stop and take time to walk on thin.

A Walk in the Woods

Through the course of the last couple weeks, our Literature and the Environment class has been talking about the works of important nature writers and have also been reading A Walk in the Woods. In A Walk in the Woods, Bryson hiked the Appalachian Trail. The book inspired our walk in the woods. To fully experience being “lost in nature”, our professor planned a trip to the Blandford Nature Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Our class was encouraged to wander the trails in pairs or solo to fully experience the class period to be immersed in nature. It was a perfect afternoon, complete with above average temperatures for this time of year in Michigan. 

A walk in the woods is what I needed. A chance to escape the “on-the-go” feeling of the world. A chance to walk a little slower and open my eyes a little more to full appreciate the world around me. The time allotted did not seem like it was enough time to give the nature center justice. However, in a stressed-college life, it was important enjoy the smell of something other than stale textbooks and the smell of a freshly printed paper. A walk in the woods is sometimes all we humans need, a chance to disconnect and recharge ourselves before heading back into the nose to the pavement society. So please, walk in the woods and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. 

A doughnut and cider is essential for after a walk in the woods. Wonder if Bryson had one after he was done?

Echo! Echo! Echo!

ECHO is not an echo in a cave…but an ECHO in the world.

ECHO is an information hub in which has been helping thousands of development workers and organizations around the world to better access vital information and other resources needed to improve food production and security for small-scale farmers and gardeners. ECHO operates Regional Impact Centers, located around the world to bring much-needed agricultural resources within reach of the small scale farmers that need them. Regional Impact Centers can be found in: Thailand, Arusha, Tanzania, and Burkina Faso. ECHO gathers solutions from around the world to help solve world hunger problems and disseminate them. The solutions promote sustainable farming techniques, nutritional plants, and appropriate technologies for areas. The ECHO International Headquarters is located near North Forth Myers, Florida. The campus includes the Global Farm and Research Center, Reference Library, Seed Bank, Tropical Fruit Nursery, Global Bookstore and Staff Offices.

From Urban Garden

How does a Michigander hear about this organization? 

I am apart of His House Campus Ministries. Every year during GVSU’s spring break, a group of students travel to the Fort Myers, Florida area to serve various sites and communities. Last March, I traveled down to Fort Myers, Florida for the first time. On the journey down, all I could hear was “ECHO! You havnt been to ECHO. You NEED to go!”. The experience at ECHO was unlike any other. Our day began with a tour of the grounds. Meeting various members and aspects of the grounds.

Our guide showed up various “environments” around the grounds in which they simulate different environments to help find the best growing techniques for planting fruits and vegetables.  After our tour, our group divided up onto various parts of the grounds to help with “spring cleaning”. It was an afternoon filled with fellowship and sweat, but experiences that I wouldn’t trade for the world.

ECHO is not an ECHO is a cave…but an ECHO is a world. It’s not always about going against nature and the environment but learning and working with nature. 

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Fruit from the Grounds for Lunch...YUM Starfruit 

To learn more about ECHO, please visit:http://echonet.org/

HOMES is Where the Hand Is

Harrison Township, Michigan is the place I have called home for the last 10 years. Growing up, I played outside with friends and also with my younger brother. Summer nights included bike rides, neighborhood baseball games and nightly swims in our neighbors’ pool. My parents most recently moved to Macomb, Michigan. Although, I am twenty-one and lived out of the house for years now. It is the place I go to when I need to put the world away for a while and recharge.

Please, Please Take Me! 

Outdoor walks became a great getaway growing up after a long day at school. It was time for me to clear my head and work through the day. My dogs would frequently join me and enjoy the miles and miles we put between home and ourselves, working through the day’s emotions and frustrations. Whenever I am home, my Rusty Clyde and I always go for at least one walk, since we recently have new grounds to explore.

Memories from my childhood encompass various aspects of nature. Growing up, my mom’s side of the family would get together at least once a month. Us cousins would spend the afternoon playing outside in the front yard. The yard was our soccer field, football field, volleyball court, etc. After dinner, our uncles would take turns taking us on walks around the neighborhood, pointing out different trees. Autumn was our favorite time at Grandma and Papa’s. They had a BIG maple tree in the backyard, in which Papa would rake up the leaves, creating the best and biggest leaf pile known to man! As we grew older, Grandma and Papa’s front porch turned into our favorite place. Cousins sprawled out on the porch, exchanging stories, watching the wind, birds fly by and cars pass by.

Fall Fun

Exploring and traveling to new places and experiencing new things is by far my favorite. Whether it be new ocean views, mountainous treks, the path less traveled…I am in.(More those adventures to come)

                        
Snow. 4 letters which most Michigan residents dread. But snow is a childhood must. My brother and I played for I can’t even count how many hours or how much snow we had eaten. Or even the countless snow ball fights. Childhood at its best. Driving in it…a totally different, white knuckled story!

All of these have shaped my world. I long to dodge the city traffic for peaceful days on the trails or on the lakes or within the trees…because HOMES is Where My Hand Is.

Greetings from Under the Bridge

Take Me to the Beach! 

Hello! Greetings from Under the Bridge...the Mackinac Bridge that is! I am Emily, a Michigander. Here in Michigan, we are always fresh and sometimes frozen. Growing up in Michigan, I love the state and the variety that it offers. 

Cherries in Traverse City!

Summers at the Lake! 

Cheeseburger Festival in Caseville!

Leaf Piles in the Fall! 

Tulip Festival in Holland!

The list goes on and on. 

And I mean…what other state is surrounded by five, freshwater lakes? Lakes everywhere! 

I am a Senior at Grand Valley State University. This blog is for my Literature and the Environment Course. I invite you to join me on my semester long journey; engaging in the natural world and my experiences surrounding it.


Greetings from Under the Bridge, Where in Michigan, it’s always fresh, sometimes frozen.