June 22, 2010

Did you have a special nature place you went to explore?

Yes, our farm. It was a learning place no matter where we went on it. Part of the time I spent up above the canal going past beehives that were there and also lifting up the rocks to look for scorpions and other wild creatures. Part of the time was spent exploring along the canal and watching for deer, rabbits and coyotes. Some of it spent down by the springs and the resultant marsh where we had to be really careful how we crossed it or we could sink into mud to the tops of our shoes. Then the one other spot of the most visits was the pond and rock pit next to it. In fact recently on a trip to Duchesne I wandered down there again and was amazed to find that the rock pit was filled with water as well as the old pond. We use to dump our trash into that pit so now there are lots of pieces of old things in and under the water. It is no longer used that way and a lot of it was covered over when we did use it but I was surprised to find water in it now. Generally with a farm you didn’t need a spot or special nature area because the whole thing was just that in reality. I grew up seeing porcupines, badgers, rabbits, coyotes, deer, elk, bear, bullet or chicken hawks, eagles, and numerous varieties of birds without ever having to leave the 40 or so acres of the farm.