Week 10

Week Nine, 10/24

            This week we went back to the Fort Worth Nature and Science Center. There was nothing of significance to point out, apart from the routine shoveling of clay. I was hoping to at least get one last look at our own trail, Buffalo Trail, but I guess our work on that trail is complete. That is not to say that the trail is in top shape. There is still lots of work to be done, especially with the privets.

            Rather than drag on about our routine day at the nature center, I want to go back in time a bit to when I lived in the state of Washington. I lived there for three years, and the most wilderness I encountered was at the house I lived in during the second year. It was a relatively isolated house, with another house a little drive down a steep hill. It was completely surrounded by forest. Rather than having a typical aversion to the dangers that are associated with the wilderness in many people’s minds, I enjoyed venturing out into the woods. My siblings and friends had great times looking for new trails and seeing where they led to. The most magical time for these adventures was during the fall, when the leaves of various colors were strewn across the forest ground. Hearing the crunching of leaves beneath your feet as you walked was an essential part of the experience.

            This particular part of Washington wilderness was home to several wild animals. We had a huge backyard that sloped down, enough to build four more houses in, which is where we would spot these animals. We periodically saw deer, elk, and bear, and depending on the animal, we would either observe through the window of the house or try to get as close as possible. The latter was reserved for the deer. It was easy to tell whether we were looking at an adult or a baby animal, helping us decide our mode of approach, if any at all. The bears only ever appeared solo, but what was especially fascinating was seeing a herd of deer or elk. Sometimes they would just be grazing and other times, they would be fighting each other. Sometimes they would even make their way up the hill of the backyard and onto the gravel road in front of the house. Sometimes we would see them a little away from the house as we were driving out or driving home.

            This area also had a slug problem. Sometimes I would walk into the game room and see slugs crawling up the walls or on the carpet. I don’t know where they came from because I didn’t see any holes in the walls. I hate any kind of little critter, so anytime I saw them, I would grab some salt, pour it on them, and watch them shrivel up and die. I know I sound like a murderer, but it was more of me being at ease in knowing that I wouldn’t have to worry about anything crawling on me as I slept. We also had ants in the house during the summer, which was more annoying but more difficult to deal with, so that was just a matter of waiting it out while also squishing every ant I came in contact with. I will say that the one critter I enjoyed were the little black and orange-striped, furry caterpillars. I would watch them inch their way across the grass and occasionally held some of them.

            Washington is known for their snow. Unlike Texas, you can physically see when it’s winter, with school only being cancelled if the buses couldn’t drive through. We used to make snow angels and snowmen that would melt a few days after, but then it would snow again a couple days later, and the cycle would continue. I loved waking up in the morning and seeing a sea of white out my window. On a school day, my siblings and I would scatter to the living room and sit in front of the television to listen to the latest updates regarding school cancellation. When school was cancelled, after school, and on weekends, we would play in the snow, creating mini snowball fights.