I trudge through the hot and humid weather, towards a herd of elephants in an attempt to get the perfect photo. I feel my clothes cling to my body, damp from the sweat and mud of a hot summer day. The water is cool, but thick layers of wet earth have caked onto my clothes, making them heavy and wet. The sun shines brightly in my eyes, making it difficult to see clearly. I squint, but the light only seems to shine more, reflecting off of the water and lighting up the entire area. The coolness of the breeze on my damp legs keeps me alert, even though I’m hot and tired from walking all day long. The wind blows through the trees, roaring fiercely like a lion. The birds in the trees are an alarm, set to remind me of my surroundings. I inhale deeply
The heat and humidity pressed onto my skin and . My throat was harsh and dry, desperate for water. I forced myself to admire the surroundings in an attempt to distract myself from my blistered feet and my gaping thirst for water. Feeling light headed, my vision began to blur, trees started to sway vigorously and laggardly began to swirl together into one green blob. I quickly took out my bottle and thirstily slurped the cool water, feeling refreshed and anew.
Wiping the sleepies out of my eyes, I quickly glanced at my alarm clock – 5 am. “Good, I’ve got plenty of time,” I thought to myself. As quietly as possible, which never works when I am trying to, I quickly grabbed a bowl of cereal for breakfast. Checking my list and grabbing my gear I headed out to wait for a taxi in the cool fading morning. I could taste the excitement, or was that the humidity?
The evening sun was disappearing from the valley. A cool breeze rushed through the leaves of the trees as birds danced to the sound of silence. The calm, bright blue Salinas River swayed back and forth, bumping into the grayish rocks. Grass sprouted as they were being fed. The barn was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. No more yelling, no more galloping horses, just the sound of lungs inhaling and exhaling.
The Hot Zone by Richard Preston is a true story about an outbreak of the Ebola virus, just outside of Washington D.C. in the 1980’s. Early in the story, the author describes a series of several outbreaks that took place in Africa, in order to describe the true destruction of this very lethal virus. The first appearance of this virus happens in a cave in Kenya. The virus infects Charles Monet, and then he is later taken to a hospital where his bloody death is described in detail. Later on the nurses that treated him also become infected with the disease, starting an outbreak. There are many more outbreaks to come later in the story.
I am forced to eat my dinner outside at the table. As I sit outside i decide it is peaceful enough to make some observations for this essay. As i look out into my backyard i see complete darkness the only light is the light shining in from the house and the bright, warm, and white light glowing off the circular moon. I feel a cool breeze that chills my neck, I pull my jacket up over my neck and take a sip of my warm hot chocolate i made inside. As i observe our _____ tree in my backyard i can hear the faint rustling of leaves and see them twitching on the tree. I can only see a silhouette of the branches in front of the moon. But this is all i needed to see, i felt content. I can hear a faint howl of a neighbor's dog and quit a sound of my own dogs paws walking on the cement. As i glance up towards the black thin telephone wire i see a small innocent creature running along the wire. SIlently it scatters over the tree and leaps onto the tree without a noise. It was a rat making its way around without a single noise. The beauty of the silence this rat maintained is un describable. Suddenly i am hit with another gentle cool breeze causing my feet and toes to feel stiff. I rest my foot on the cold hard cement. Despite the cement being uncomfortable i feel secure and safe. The cement feels unbreakable and strong even in the dark of the night.
The grass is cool on my bare feet and I feel the summer breeze blow past me from the creek and across the cornfields. It travels into the woods and disappears past the dark trees. Each day I walk through my family's country property and connect to the nature around me in a way that is the closest to spirituality that I have ever experienced. I think about how much I appreciate the peacefulness of the birds and wind and how close I once was to losing my small Eden forever. I know now that the fight to protecting the natural world is never over and how imperative of a fight it is to pursue.
As the first rays of the sun peak over the horizon, penetrating the dark, soft light illuminates the mist rising up from the ground, forming an eerie, almost surreal landscape. The ground sparkles, wet with dew, and while walking from the truck to the barn, my riding boots soak it in. The crickets still chirp, only slower now. They know that daytime fast approaches. Sounds, the soft rustling of hooves, a snort, and from far down the aisle a sharp whinny that begs for breakfast, inform me that the crickets are not the only ones preparing for the day.
The breeze is the world’s way of cooling down the Earth from the blazing hot summer and preparing the Earth for the winter chill. When the wind chill blows upon someone’s skin, small goosebumps outline the skin to where every microscopic hair on the body is visible. Not only does the wind chill bring goosebumps to people’s skin, but it also brings in tranquility into the lungs. During the daytime, one deep breath of the autumn air will bring tranquility to one’s soul. The morning air brings a calmness that one’s entire body becomes to connect with all the elements within the environment. However, at night the autumn air brings dewy mist that stains one’s skin with perspiration. The first arrival of mist will bring a gray blanket of fog that pierces the sky. The gleaming moon in the autumn night aligns the streets perfectly that there is still some light that pierces through the gray blanket of fog. Although the fall contrasts the appearance of air from day to night in autumn seems like nature’s own battle between lightness and darkness, the brisk autumn air possesses a tranquil earth tone that would just put one’s being at
When going for a walk, a person takes in the beauty around them. On this particular day, the refulgent sun is extra bright, making the sky a perfect blue. White, puffy clouds fill the sky, slowly moving at their own pace. The wind is peacefully calm, making the trees stand tall and proud. There is no humidity in the air.
As I stumble among the dense underbrush, I spot a lethargic looking male. This brings me great shock, as I regularly visit this particular patch of overgrown forest as its raw and unkept beauty never fails to amaze me, yet I have never seen anyone else here. I watch him and notice he seems at home sitting about the patch of overgrown grass. In awe, I begin to gawk as dancing yellow petals fall from the bushes behind him, leaving him appearing to be godly. As questions flood my mind, I consider his stance as his body is positioned in an inattentive slump, full of arms and legs.
Closer and closer to the calm water, I began sinking deeper in the sand. It was comforting, the silence, tranquility, and warmth of the faint sun. There is a slight breeze, warm, but cold and lonely. I could smell the scent of fish blowing through my hair and body. The sun was still fading, slowly but surely the day was almost over. About half of it is gone now. I could see shades of blue, red, purple, and pinkish-yellow. They were mixed with puffy clouds that lined the beginning of the sky and the end of the water. I noticed the darker shades on the bottom of the lower clouds.
The familiarity of the woods, the natural urges my body has to be outside and be active in the setting that most people in today’s society only truly see in movies, if that, reminds me of other ventures into the woods, the citrusy smell of pine mixed with the smells of wild grasses and various flowers create an unmatched bombardment of scents. These scents stimulate the mind in a calming way unlike any medication or music ever could. The aroma of the forest sends chills down my spine, causing you to get the urge to explore and to absorb yourself in to the natural wonders the human body
Fortunately, I wake every morning to the most beautiful sun lit house. I sit on my porch sipping coffee, while I drink in an atmosphere that steals my breath away. Rolling hills lay before me that undulate until they crash into golden purple mountains. Oh how they are covered in spectacular fauna, ever blooming foliage, and trees that are heavy with pungent fruit. Green it is always so green here at my house. Here where the air lays heavy and cool on my skin as does the striking rays of the sun upon my cheeks. I know in my soul why I choose to be here every day. Pocketed in all the nooks and crannies of these valleys and hills are stately homes, rich with architecture resplendent. Diversity is the palate here; ...
I brush my eyes awake, feeling the cold seeping in from my window. It’s 9 AM and it’s winter in Minnesota. Feeling sleepy, I stand up and go outside. I love the winter air. It always refreshes my mind and there’s just a cold bite to it that I enjoy. Coming back inside, I boot up my computer, hoping to enjoy it a little before heading out. The winter days swim together, phasing throughout my mind, and I fall asleep again, or I have woken up.
I think we all have a beautiful place in our mind. I have a wonderful place that made me happy a lot of times, years ago. But sometimes I think that I am the only person who likes this place and I'm asking myself if this place will be as beautiful as I thought when I will go back to visit it again. Perhaps I made it beautiful in my mind.