Texts and Treks

          After a few brutal weeks of schoolwork, I went on a much needed trip out of town this last weekend. I met up with my dad and some of my uncles and cousins to go pheasant hunting in North Dakota. It was relatively spontaneous in nature and one of the most fun things I have done in a long time. This was my first time hunting and we couldn't have gotten luckier with the timing - we maxed out on birds each day! We stayed at my cousin's family friend’s farm and he had established numerous hunting spots throughout his properties by planting sunflowers, corn, canola and other pheasant food.            We had five dogs who were all extremely well trained for hunting birds and a total of fifteen guys. This trip was super special, not just because it was my first time hunting but it was great to spend time with my dad and extended family. We are all older now and I don’t see my parents and family much anymore. In addition,...

               On Monday, I went for my weekly walk along the Trinity but unfortunately wasn’t exposed to any new forms of wildlife this week. I snapped a few pictures of the local animals that I see on a regular basis now, but aside from what is pictured below (Blue Heron, White Heron, Turtles), it was relatively quiet that morning. Although the wildlife didn’t catch my attention as it has in the past few weeks, I found this walk to actually be rather informative.                We're living in a relatively stressful time right now between the pandemic, my senior year of college - searching for jobs and a plan for next year, election season and a full class load. To say it lightly, there has been a lot on my mind recently. Throughout the course of this semester, I have found that walking, especially in a natural environment, has a profound calming affect which allows me to completely clear my mind...

            Once again, I went for my walk on Monday morning around 10 AM down by the Trinity river. I have come to really enjoy my weekly walk along the Trinity. It reduces any stressors that I have about the week ahead and reminds me that there is more to life than textbooks and tests. It is especially nice to see how many people have found the same experience to be uplifting. Every time I walk the trail there are always people riding bikes, running, or just walking and enjoying the scenery. It is an extremely peaceful area to spend time in the mornings and it sure does brighten my week. I walked for about an hour, hoping that I would come across some wildlife that I had not yet seen before.   For quite some time, I could only see the same birds, fish, and turtles that I had already seen down at the river previously. I snapped a few additional photos, as seen below, of the several white herons I saw perched around the water. As I continued wal...