— John Muir
Rocky Mountain National Park — Photo Essay by kenne
On July 30, 2017, we drove through the park from the west entrance to the east entrance. We had been to the park several times in the past while visiting Estas Park entering outside of Estas Park.
— kenne
Catalina Highway Underpass Near Mt. Bigalow, Santa Catalina Mountains — Painting by kenne
Catalina Highway Panorama (April 14, 2017) — View from the Bug Springs Trail by kenne
As the desert spring days begin to become too warm for hiking the foothill canyons, we have begun hiking the trails along the Catalina Highway at the 5,000-6,000 foot level. The Bug Springs trail has an accumulated gain of 1,500 feet. (I merged three photos in Photoshop to create the above panorama.)
— kenne
— John Muir
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 altar
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 …
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
Naturalist, Gwen Swanson, demonstrates “panning” to students in the “Strike It Rich” program.
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.
Image by kenne
SCVN Training nature walk with naturalist, Bill Kaufman (Fall 2011) — Image by kenne
Modern Footprints On The Trail — Image by kenne
— John Muir
Bee on Common Mullein Blossoms — Image by kenne
— John Muir
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)
