A Quiet Spot in Nature

My favorite place to walk remains flooded. When I was teaching across town, I used to make a point of walking by the Missouri River every day after class. Some of my best thinking was done sitting on one of the benches in the shade of a ginkgo tree as I watched the river flow south. I used to review my teaching and make plans for what I wanted to emphasize in the days ahead. Occasionally, now, I manage to get outside to one of the quieter parks nearby. The view isn’t as scenic, but it still has its own attraction.

More recently, I have found park benches located next to a hay field. It is a place that I need to revisit in the days ahead, once our recent bout of one hundred degree days come to an end. Judging from many of the pictures in this blog, it is difficult to imagine that the world population has nearly topped seven billion people. I suppose if I lived in a more crowded environment, it would be possible to think my own thoughts undisturbed once I got used to having many other people around. Likewise, I would find places where I like to walk, places that are removed from the concrete and the noise of the city. I know I probably belong in the city because of my interests and political views. Despite that knowledge, I have chosen to live closer to what I grew to love when I was attending high school on the Fens in England--openness, a natural environment, and weather that is often beautiful and unique. If you should happen to stumble across this blog, these pictures are an attempt to share a glimpse of what I find refreshing and spiritually rejuvenating. Enjoy!

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