The two best places I visited this month were a Longhorn Dam and a small ranch in Goliad Texas. Each visit taught me the diversity of nature. I found myself comparing these places during my visit. Taking time alone in nature reminds me how little time I dedicate to silence.
Longhorn Dam was so peaceful. I counted five different types of plants around me. Nearby there was a stadium with bright lights. I wondered if the lights and the noise disturbed the wildlife here. There were also many runners and bikers. This may also contribute some disturbance. At on point I saw a snake swim near the bank. I also saw dragon flies, cats, dogs and spiders. Just before leaving I decided to channel my inner child and clim a low lying tree. This proved to be a terrible idea. Once I climbed a few feet up I realized that my face was inches from a cockroach. In an effort to escape I jumped out of the tree and cut my foot. Overall I loved the restful hour at Longhorn Dam.
The visit to the ranch in Goliad was just lovely. I spent some time near a man made pond. I loved seeing all these different species come together near this small area of water. The owners released a couple dozen Goldfish last summer and I fed them some fish food. I learned that Goldfish swim in flocks. I loved seeing the dragon flies and wasps dance along the waters edge and rest upon lilies. Near the end of the day some donkeys and horses walked over to the pond to take a drink. I loved seeing all the animals interact in this small area.
These are the fish I fed during my visit.
“When I call to mind my earliest impressions, I wonder whether the process ordinarily referred to as growing up is not actually a process of growing down; whether experience, so much touted among adults as the thing children lack, is not actually a progressive dilution of the essentials by the trivialities of living.”