Winter Reflection

Since the weather is transitioning towards sunnier spring days I wanted to reflect on my walks I took during the snowstorm in January. There is a unique stillness outside when there is snow surrounding everything. When everything was covered in a blanket my walks were quiet and I felt more at peace. I took my time, partially because I was trying not to slip, but also because I felt less rushed during my snow walks. Maybe it had something to do with classes being cancelled, or just because the noise of cars zooming by had gone away. I like to think it is the latter. Everyone had transitioned to walking to avoid using their cars and the typical background hum of engines was now quiet. 

Something I noted was how snow has an effect of simplifying a landscape. Everything felt clean and soft. The concrete that surrounds so much of the environment I am normally in was more hidden away which I liked. Even the sounds were different. My footsteps had a quiet crunch when the snow was still fresh. The ice was not as kind to me and even took my feet out from under me on a couple of occasions. I can also remember the cold air on my cheeks. The warm air that is coming here now overwhelms me at times when I am out in nature, and sends me retreating back inside my house. 

Looking back on those walks now a month later in a different season, I can better appreciate the snow. It’s funny how when it is cold I want it to be warm and vice versa. I have found myself wishing that the cold would return so I could spend a little more time in the snow after having this realization. The beauty of nature does not only come when it is spring/summer and everything is blooming and I think this is the first winter I have had this mindset. But for now I will be enjoying the lovely Texas spring.

Trip to the Museum

Today our class took a trip to the Amon G Carter Museum. My favorite paintings are landscapes. It is awing to me how artists can capture scenes of nature so clearly. Nature is filled with details that are easy to miss if you are not examining it closely. 

In my last blog post, I noted how slowing down on my walk allowed me to see many details of my walking route that I had previously missed. Looking at the landscapes today gave me a similar feeling of wanting to slow down so that I did not do the same to them. 

Each leaf on the trees and shadow in the clouds were so clearly detailed. Some of them I wanted to stand as close as possible because they almost had the illusion of a photograph. A painting that stood out to me was Sunrise at Yosemite Valley. There was an excerpt next to it where the artist stated that when he visited, he felt he was in the Garden of Eden. His painting of the valley felt like I had been transported there myself. The yellow hue coming from the sun was hitting a cliffside and radiating towards me. 

Abbey in Desert Solitaire transports its readers to the Arches Monument, and this painting did the same to me with Yosemite. Reading Abbey's description of the nature around him has made me yearn to be where he is so I can experience it myself. Similarly, the painting was calling me to stand where the artist stood. However, the Garden of Eden is a symbol of purity and harmony with nature. A part of me wants to keep the Sunrise at Yosemite Valley at bay so it can remain just as it is.