Archive for the ‘Henry David Thoreau’ Tag
Image by kenne
Standing At Nature’s Alter
When we stand
at the altar of nature,
we stand with the greats;
Ralph Waldo Emerson,
Henry David Thoreau,
and John Muir,
each having helped define
our relationship
with nature and language —
“every natural fact is a symbol
of some spiritual fact,
. . . words are signs of natural facts.”
Nature’s beauty becomes
a source of spiritual energy
connecting all things
into a universal whole
with the energy of our
thoughts and will.
We stand at nature’s alter as man
not separate from her,
seeing her in the flowers,
insects, animals, mountains,
creating a unified landscape
of our inward and outward senses.
Like all relationships,
the experience depends
on the degree of harmony
between man and nature,
therefore becoming a gift
granted while walking with nature
as she is embraced in our minds –
Enlighten, she shares her secrets,
making the universe more “transparent.”
Yet the gift may only offer a glimpse,
to be shared in images and words,
charming all living things.
kenne
(First posted August 30, 2011)
Sonoran Desert Yellow Trumpet Flower — Image by kenne
No man ever followed his genius till it misled him.
Though the result were bodily weakness,
yet perhaps no one can say that the consequences were to be regretted,
for these were a life in conformity to higher principles.
If the day and night are such that you greet them with joy,
and life emits a fragrance like flowers and sweet-scented herbs,
is more elastic, more starry, more immortal, … That is your success.
All nature is your congratulation, and you have cause momentarily to bless yourself.
The greatest gains and values are farthest from being appreciated.
We easily come to doubt if they exist. We soon forget them.
They are the highest reality. … The true harvest of my daily life
is somewhat as intangible and indescribable as the tints of morning or evening.
It is a little star-dust caught, a segment of the rainbow which I have clutched.
— from Walden or Life in the Woods — Where I Lived, and What I Lived For by Henry David Thoreau
Searching for Nature’s Sweetness — Computer Paintings by kenne
This world is but a canvas to our imagination.
— Henry David Thoreau
Morning Clouds Moving On, Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains — Images by kenne
An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.
— Henry David Thoreau
Image by kenne
As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth,
so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind.
To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again.
To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over
the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.
— Henry David Thoreau
Orange Skipperling Butterfly — Image by kenne
This butterfly is small with a fast skipping flight, with an almost blurred, wing beat, so it’s not likely you will find an image of the orange skipperling in flight. In looking for butterflies to photograph, currently skippers are the most common here in the desert. Although they are considered butterflies, the traits of large eyes and short antennae are different.
kenne
Nature will bear the closest inspection.
She invites us to lay our eye level with her smallest leaf,
and take an insect view of its plain.
— Henry David Thoreau
- Capturing The Moment – It’s All About Timing! (kenneturner.com)
- Butterflies are Free (nancypennick.wordpress.com)
- Butterfly (alisonmariephoto.wordpress.com)
- Butterflies (writingwranglersandwarriors.wordpress.com)
“Place In The Desert” Image by kenne
How will you know when
you are in the right place?
The secret is out!
. . . in a place where
each question
contains the answer.
You will know
that place
when you have
the right feeling —
The secret is out!
Or is it?
What to do
when the feeling
is missing?
. . . sadly,
your place
is not the right place.
kenne
Naturalist David Lazaroff and several other naturalists with the 2011 SCVN Training Class, Day 1 — Image by kenne
I was a member of the 2011 Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists (SCVN) class. During the fall training I wrote the following poem, posting it on this blog:
STANDING AT THE ALTAR OF NATURE
When we stand
at the altar of nature,
we stand with the greats;
Ralph Waldo Emerson,
Henry David Thoreau,
and John Muir,
each having helped define
our relationship
with nature and language –
“every natural fact is a symbol
of some spiritual fact,
. . . words are signs of natural facts.”
Nature’s beauty becomes
a source of spiritual energy
connecting all things
into a universal whole
with the energy of our
thoughts and will.
We stand at nature’s alter as man
not separate from her,
seeing her in the flowers,
insects, animals, mountains,
creating a unified landscape
of our inward and outward senses.
Like all relationships,
the experience depends
on the degree of harmony
between us and nature,
therefore becoming a gift
granted while walking with nature
as she is embraced in our minds –
Enlighten, she shares her secrets,
making the universe more “transparent.”
Yet the gift may only offer a glimpse,
to be shared in images and words,
charming all living things.
Commenting on my poem, SCVN member, Walt Tornow, wrote that my poem ”. . . captures beautifully my feelings about being in the mountains.” He went on to share the following:
GOD, GRACE, AND GRATITUDE
Finding God in the wilderness …
- The majesty of our mountains, the magnificence of views/ vistas they afford, and the splendor and munificence of the many gifts that nature has to offer
- The awe and humility that comes from being witness to the grandeur of it all, juxtaposed with realizing the relative smallness and fleetingness of our existence
- Never feeling or being alone … lots of company by nature’s creatures, and taking in the beauty of nature’s show
- Feeling vulnerable, yet trusting, being in the wilderness — potential prey to wildlife, and exposed to the elements
- Experiencing awe, joy and inspiration by being here
- Feeling connected … becoming one with myself, with nature, and the universe
- Finding peace, serenity, and sense of holiness … my place of worship and meditation
Here for the grace of God am I …
Grateful to be, to be here, and be given the opportunity and capacity to enjoy the many gifts/ blessings around me.
– Walt Tornow
If you feel our passion for nature, we want to share it with you by inviting you to become a Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalist.
We are currently recruiting people who share our passion for nature
to take part in our 2013 SCVN Training Class from the beginning of September to December.
After completing the training you will start next January teaching kindergarten and/or elementary students approximately 1 morning per week. All training curriculum materials provide for an excellent learning experience, along with many guest nature experts.
Additionally, you can take part in adult Public Interpretations nature programs about Sabino Canyon.
You can learn more about this wonderful volunteer nature program and get an application by visiting our website
You can also learn more about the SCVN program and Sabino Canyon by searching SCVN on this blog. Since August 2011 I have posted 125 entries with the tag SCVN.
Please pass on this information on to persons you will might be interested in becoming an SCVN member. Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have — kenneturner@gmail.com
kenne
Naturalist, Gwen Swanson, demonstrates “panning” to students in the “Strike It Rich” program. — Image by kenne
This creekside activity allows children to learn about the difference between rocks and minerals by panning for garnets in the sand along Sabino Creek,
and the importance of water in forming the canyon.
SCVN Training nature walk with naturalist, Bill Kaufman (Fall 2011) — Image by kenne
Cabin In The Woods (One of the older cabins on Mount Lemmon.)– Image by kenne
“When I came to build my chimney I studied masonry. My bricks being second-hand ones required to be cleaned with a trowel, so that I learned more than usual of the qualities of bricks and trowels… I filled the spaces between the bricks about the fireplace with stones from the pond shore, and also made my mortar with the white sand from the same place… Indeed I worked so deliberately, that though I commenced at the ground in the morning, a course of bricks raised a few inches above the floor served for my pillow at night… I was so pleased to see my work rising so square and solid by degrees, and reflected, that, if it proceeded slowly, it was calculated to endure a long time. The chimney is to some extent an independent structure, standing on the ground and rising through the house to the heavens; even after the house is burned it still stands sometimes, and its importance and independence are apparent.”
— “House Warming,” from Henry David Thoreau‘s Walden.
Tucson Mountains Park — Image by kenne
“Dwell as near as possible to the channel in which your life flows.”
— Henry David Thoreau
Image by kenne
Standing At The Altar Of Nature
When we stand at the
altar of nature,
we stand with the greats;
Ralph Waldo Emerson,
Henry David Thoreau,
and John Muir,
each having helped define
our relationship
with nature and language —
“Every natural fact is a symbol
of some spiritual fact,
. . . words are signs of natural facts.”
Nature’s beauty becomes
a source of spiritual energy
connecting all things
into a universal whole
with the power of our
thoughts and will.
We stand at nature’s altar
not separate from her,
seeing us in the flowers,
insects, animals, mountains,
creating a unified landscape
of our inward and outward senses.
Like all relationships,
the experience depends
on the degree of harmony
between us and nature,
therefore becoming a gift
granted while walking with nature
as she is embraced in our minds –
Enlighten, she shares her secrets,
making the universe more “transparent.”
Yet, the gift may only offer a glimpse,
to be shared in images and words,
charming all living things.
— kenne
Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. — John Muir
- The Earth’s Poetry (artistoftheeveryday.wordpress.com)
- coming alive (thoughtfulpauses.wordpress.com)
- Faith and Evidence (kellyjmccleary.wordpress.com)
- Project 365 Aug. 20-26 (scribblingsofasoccermom.com)
- Environmentalism – Wiki (96.127.149.74)
- How Quiet Places Could Save the World (space2live.net)
Manzanita, español for “little apple” — Image by kenne The Manzanita is one of my favorite draught tolerant plants. In the Tucson area they are more commonly seen along the higher elevation trails in the surrounding mountains. The “little apple” is such a beautiful plant, of which there are 106 species. The common characteristics are a smooth red bark with stiff twisting branches. As often is the case with nature’s beauty, finding the words can be difficult, which often brings to mind the following Henry David Thoreau quote:
A perfectly healthy sentence, it is true, is extremely rare.
For the most part we miss the hue and fragrance of the
thought; as if we could be satisfied with the dews of
morning or evening without their colors, or the heavens
without their azure.
These images taken in Tucson’s azure sky can help fill my word void.
kenne
Manzanita — Image by kenne
