For me spending time in nature is a time to let go of all worries and to focus on what is happening around me. There is a sense of selflessness that comes upon me when I am in nature. This summer I worked two jobs, both of which were centered in nature. My first job was farming. We have a family business in which we farm pistachios and oranges. I work on the farm from 6 a.m. until 3 p.m. After this I take about an hour break or two to go get some food or just to lay down and relax before starting my second job which consisted of installing sprinkler and lighting systems. In addition to working these two jobs I still found time in my schedule to go and visit some nature on my own in order to clear my mind or to just relax.
I feel that the time I spent in these three different types of nature impacted my perceived stress in different ways. For example, working at the ranch is an awesome opportunity to see the beautiful aspects of nature. While working you can see various things such as: orange trees, pistachio trees, rabbits, snakes, mice, many different birds, frogs, lizards, coyotes, and many other things. It’s fascinating to take some time to just watch little animals such as snails and ants. The snails are so slow but it always seems as if they are on a mission to complete something because they go in a straight line and hardly deviate from that path. According to the article, Interesting Facts About Snails, because of their moist skin, common snails are most active in damp weather and at night. When conditions become too dry, the snail will retreat into its shell and seal the entrance with a parchment like barrier known as an epiphragm. I see this every day at the ranch. In the morning when I am irrigating I see the snails moving around and can see their slimy trails; however, in the afternoon I just see then dried up on the trunk of the trees. Also the ants are fun to watch! They work in groups to carry things that they find to their shelter in order to survive; whether its little pieces of food that they are gathering or miscellaneous objects in order to strengthen their home. According to Onekind.org “Ants can lift and carry many many times their own weight. In fact the tiny leafcutter ant can lift and carry in its jaws something 50 times its own body weight of about 500mg.” Another thing that I keep my eye on while working at the ranch are crows. These birds are extremely smart and mischievous. They will come down out of the sky and land in our pistachio trees, which is something that we do not like because they knock nuts off of the trees. Also if they become thirsty and our irrigation system is on they will bite the hose until it breaks and then they will drink the water that is gushing out. Although these things are not appreciated it is still fascinating to sit and observe their actions and how smart they are. My perceived stress levels are definitely lower when I am at the ranch observing and working in nature rather than when I work indoors.
In addition, my second job is also based in nature whether it is in the mountains or in someone’s yard. When I am installing sprinklers or light fixtures in someone’s yard it is nice to just look around and take in my surroundings. If I am in someone’s backyard I look for the little signs of life. For example, while I dig I look for worms in the soil or for ants running in the dirt. It is interesting to see how the prevalence of certain creatures differs in the different parts of town due to the change in soil. On the East side of town the soil is very rocky versus the West side of town, which is smooth and easier to work with. I also pay attention to the flowers that I see growing in their gardens and the trees they have growing in their yards. When I work in the mountains I perceive my stress to be sub zero even though the work is harder. I love being in the mountains and taking in the views, which in my opinion are extremely beautiful. Whether it is watching the hawks fly over, the coyotes running in the distance, the cotton tail running up to you, or even deer walking by. The views are absolutely breath taking and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, working or not. Like Vincent Van Gogh once said, “If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.”
Furthermore, when I spend time in nature without any responsibilities is when I feel the most relaxed. I usually spend this time alone fishing in different places in order to clear my mind of any stress or complications that I am facing in my life. This strategy tends to help me stay less stressed because during those brief periods that I am spending in nature I have no worries and I can take in my surroundings as a whole. I like to look at the water and see how it is flowing at this specific time and how the life inside the water is reacting to it. It is very fascinating to me to see if bugs are prevalent on the surface of the water or if it is only life under water that I see. I like to look around for birds and ducks to see if they are landing on the water or if they are nowhere to be found. One might ask why I look for all of these specific things and its because all of these things put together tells its own story and explains what the fish might be doing on that day. For example, on a windy morning, where the bugs are prevalent on the surface of the water, fish can be seen coming to the surface of the water in an attempt to catch their morning grub. “Fish like large mouth bass will come closer to the banks if it is windy. This is because small bait fish such as sunfish will be pushed toward the bank with the wind” according to arkansasstripers.com. As a fisherman I would fly fish during this period of time and lay a dry fly so perfectly on the water to trick the fish into eating it. This is where the real beauty of nature comes into play. It’s amazing when a fish strikes your fly and begins its run down the river. “No prudent man would risk a dollars worth of fly and leader pulling a trout upstream through the giant toothbrush of alder stems comprising the bend of that creek. But, as I said, no prudent man is a fisherman” (Leopold). There is nothing more exhilarating than seeing a beautiful fish swallow your fly, initiating a battle between you and it for an unknown amount of time. During this time is when you focus on technique as well as watching this tremendous fish fight with all of its might to escape the stronghold of your hook. After I reel in the fish I like to examine it and take in all of its beauty, take a picture with it, and then release it back into its home. The release is also a very special moment in my opinion. It symbolizes the fish’s freedom being restored.
I was lucky to be able to experience and take in nature’s beauty in my everyday life. The ways in which I encountered nature may have differed day to day; however, the positive affect it had on my perceived level was continuously positive.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ant. OneKind, 2010. Web. 23 Sept. 2015.
How Does Weather Affect Fish Behavior. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2015.
About Snails. N.p., 2008. Web. 23 Sept. 2015.
Nature Quotes. N.p., 2015. Web. 23 Sept. 2015.
A Sand County Almanac, and Sketches Here and There. New York: Oxford UP, 1987.
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