nature

As I stepped into the morning sun, I found that it was not as cold out as it had been these past few months. I went back inside to quickly change out of my jeans and sweater into shorts and a t-shirt. My boots felt unusually hot as I pulled them on and walked out the door into my yard. And there I felt the wind. But I realized it was no regular wind, but rather the Winds of Change. And upon them rode Spring. I walked towards the barn, breathing in the fresh air. A smell mingled with the oxygen, the smell of new blossoms on a tree, a little pungent, but not altogether unpleasant. Reaching the barn, I opened a stall door, for in the stall was a small chicken house, and within the chicken house, month-old chicks. It was that season. Chicks could only be bought in spring, where I lived, and to our family, they were one of those cute little miracles that are one of the things in life that makes us happy. They were gifts of the season, just for us. A little while later, I was watching our burn pile crackle and pop as it burnt up old logs we didn’t need. My dog Lucy was sniffing around in the grass next to me, and suddenly I heard a squeak. At first I thought it was one of the many birds that were singing their hearts out around me. But then it became obvious that it was close – and right behind me. I turned and saw Lucy pawing at a small hole in the ground. I bent down for a closer look. To my astonishment, I found a mole frantically digging to get away from her. It disappeared, and I turned away. But then I noticed that Lucy was still nosing around, and at a nest of woven grasses. What I saw melted my heart. Two small mole babies, who hadn’t even yet opened their eyes, were nestled comfortably into the dried grasses. I shooed my dog away, and picked the nest up. I was astounded to find two more mole babies nestled in a different part of the grass. I gently picked them out of the spots they were in, for otherwise they would have fallen to the ground, and put them with their siblings. I looked to the ground, searching for any other mole pups who might have fallen from the refuge of the grasses. And I found two more. I hurriedly put them with the rest of their family, and began to study the way they looked. Their paws were definitely a digger’s paws, sharp claws at the tips of tiny toes. The moles’ small heads had rounded noses with multiple tiny whiskers protruding from them. No ears poked out from the heads; I couldn’t detect any earholes either. Their fur was a dark brown color, and was very soft to the touch. All in all, they were hardly as big as my thumb. And, hard as it is for me to admit, I found them very, very cute. An hour later, I found their mother. She was in the same hole. I gently set her offspring down into the hole, and watched as she took them one by one to wherever she lived. I was sad to see them go, but luckily I had made a couple of pictures. As the mole mother took the last of her babies away, I thought to myself, The Winds of Change are here, and they are bringing much new life, among other things. Goodbye, little moles. I will miss you. The Winds of Change truly are here, Mother Nature slowly rebuilding what was lost in the past year. And when the Winds leave, they will have left a better Earth.    

Birdwatching is pretty popular. You might see lots of people walking around with binoculars or cameras, looking at birds. Some put up feeders in their backyards. People can even become professional bird scientists! Have you ever wondered why people watch birds? Here are 5 reasons to birdwatch: 1. Birds are beautiful. With their smooth and colorful feathers, birds stand out from the rest of nature. Some are graceful, some look funny. Birds are so varied. If you think all birds are brown or gray, think again! Birds are all the colors of the rainbow, from a brown sparrow to a rainbow-colored painted bunting. And you can see them almost any time you want! Look out your window the next time you are bored, and see if you can spot a bright red cardinal or a blue jay. 2. Birds have interesting behavior. Have you ever seen a chicken pecking at the dirt, or a sparrow taking a dust bath? What about a vulture ripping up a carcass? All birds do something, or nobody would care about them. If you look, you can see birds being weird or funny, graceful or creepy. It just takes a step out of the house to catch a glimpse of them. A flock of birds having a pool party in your backyard birdbath could make your day. 3. Birdwatching is a fun challenge. Did you know you can make a list of all the birds you have seen? It’s called a life list. You can also try to see all the types of birds that live in your state! It’s a fun challenge. Or just keep a notebook of the birds you see and draw or write about them. 4. You can study them closely. If you like learning new things, you can learn a ton of stuff about birds by observing them and learning more about them online and in books. You could write down the tiniest details about birds in your backyard, or find out fun facts on a website. You could even become a ornithologist, or bird scientist, when you grow up. It’s up to you! 5. It’s something to do besides play video games all day. Does your mom tell you to stop watching TV and do something else? Well, why not birdwatch? It just takes a look out the window. If you want to pick it up a level, make a bird feeder or start a birdwatching notebook. As you can see, there are some great reasons to birdwatch. If you start birdwatching, you can discover more reasons! In my next post I will tell you how to get started watching birds.

Map of Fiji. Image by Globe-trotter [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.In November of 2016, my family and I traveled to the island of Vanua Levu, Fiji. We stayed at a place called Koro Sun Resort. Each day the resort had certain events going on that one could sign up for, for no extra charge. Whether it was snorkeling, hiking through the rainforest, or kayaking to a small island, there was no end to the fun. On one particular day, my family and I decided to sign up for a trip to a waterfall. At first we thought it wouldn’t be as good as everyone made it to be, but when our guide stopped the van at a local store and said, “We need to get a root as an offering to the village folk,” we began to realize that the descriptions might be serious. We drove away from the store, past a beach, and finally we arrived in a very small gravel parking lot, off a dirt road leading away from most of civilization. At least we thought so at first. Our guide showed us the trail we would be hiking, and eager to go see the waterfall, my sister and I ran towards the trail. But our guide, Romano, told us, “No. Not yet. You forget that we must give the roots to the village chief.” So we began walking down another path, somewhat wider, and in a matter of about a minute, found ourselves on the edge of a very small village. The metal houses were built upon green lawns that were inhabited by barefoot, running children playing with chickens, puppies, and full grown dogs. The houses were ramshackle and most consisted of only one room, but still, the people were happy. You see, when one travels to Vanua Levu, you think when you walk through the villages, “These people seem like they shouldn’t be happy at all.” But the people are some of the happiest and kindest you will ever get to know. They are not bothered by their small houses. They are simply happy. This is one of the reasons I love Fiji. Romano asked the chief respectfully if he may present his gift, and she obliged. Around her there were other women, all with handmade jewelry, woven reed tapestries, and all sorts of cool rainforest-made items. After the chief accepted the gift, she told my family, who were the only tourists, “It is good that you have asked my permission to see the waterfall. Once some people went to our waterfall without asking, and bad things fell upon them. At the waterfall they got hurt and had to be brought to the hospital. Nobody who has asked permission has ever gotten hurt.” My family and I looked through the trinkets, jewelry, and woven tapestries, for they were all for sale. My sister bought a nice wood turtle necklace, and I got a tapestry for my grandmother. Soon it was time to leave the village. My sister wanted to play with the puppies first though, so we had to wait a little while longer. But then, it was time to see the true aim of our trip to this remote place. We came back to the trail, and began walking. Romano showed the way, but I was hardly paying attention to him. All around us trees, vines, and flowers of all sorts were to be seen. It was a like a huge painting, only better. On one side of the trail there were wild peppers, very spicy, Romano informed us. On the other, papayas grew, wild as well, with elephant-ear plants boasting their huge leaves beside them. Wild coconut and banana trees grew around us too. There was simply no end to the wildlife and plants. Birds flitted around above us, bugs and small animals could be heard in the underbrush. All in all, it was beautiful. Finally, the moment of anticipation came as we began to hear the roaring, rushing cascade we knew was the waterfall. When it finally came into sight, my sister Lena and I ran the rest of the trail, hearts pounding with excitement. And then we arrived. Clear, cool water fell down an outcropping of rock about forty feet high. It collected in a pool that eventually went on to continue the river that flowed before it turned into the waterfall. Romano called it a “natural swimming pool”. My parents and Romano arrived, my father and Romano immediately ripped off their shirts and dove in. I was quick to follow, and after me, Lena. My mother refrained from going for a swim. She thought the water was too cold, for cold it was, but not cold enough to deter me. Romano climbed the waterfall and jumped in, making a huge splash. I must say, he was at least thirty feet up. My father tried to climb as high, but couldn’t. He ended up jumping off at around twenty feet. I climbed the waterfall, but only to about ten feet high. It was an exhilarating jump into the water. We finally returned to Koro Sun Resort. We thanked Romano, and headed to our villa for a rest. Leaving Vanua Levu was very hard and sad for my family and I. It is a sacred place in my heart, for it is one of the places where nature truly rules. I want to protect this place, for future tourism and simply its beauty. I am determined to keep it the way it is. Who will join me?