Nina Bacon's Blog

 Nature Journal # 10 Thanksgiving Break in San Diego: November 18th, 2023 I kicked off my Thanksgiving break in San Diego, CA visiting a friend before I flew back home to freezing cold St. Louis, MO. We spent a day traveling from Yorba Linda to San Diego and spending the day at the beach. Even though the water was obviously freezing and it wasn't quite a tanning type of day, hearing the sounds and breathing in the smells of the beach brought me an immense amount of peace and relaxation. It is so fun to experience somebody else's home for yourself and get to enjoy the uniqueness of their space.  We biked along parts of the town and walked on some of the rocky hills. The sights, sounds, and smells of San Diego both grounded me and forced me to recognize the vastness of the world. Something about looking out at the ocean and seeing the never-ending water always makes me think about who is on the other side of the world...who is seeing the same ocean miles and miles away. It is cr...

 Mary Oliver Poem #6: “Mindful” pg 173-174 Mary Oliver's poem "Mindful" is a celebration of the profound beauty found in the ordinary moments of life. With a keen sense of observation, Oliver invites readers to embrace the simple joys that surround us daily. The poem encourages a mindful engagement with the world, urging us to open our senses to the everyday wonders that often go unnoticed. Oliver reminds readers that something, within everyday, can be seen as remarkable. This reminds me of our class discussion last week about finding unusual beauty in nature. It might be something we pass often without thought, however, with a moment of mindfulness, we may see it from a different perspective. The opening lines, "Every day I see or I hear something that more or less kills me with delight," set the tone for a reflection on the transformative power of ordinary experiences. Oliver suggests that these moments of delight act as a catalyst, leaving her feeling like a ...

 Mary Oliver Poem #5: “First Snow” pg 371 Mary Oliver's "First Snow" speaks to me on a profoundly personal level, as if the poet is inviting me to join her in a contemplative journey through the magical landscape of the first snowfall. The poem opens with a sense of continuity, as the snow begins in the morning and persists throughout the day, its "white rhetoric everywhere" calling me back to fundamental questions about life's beauty and meaning. Mary Oliver’s use of language, describing the snow as having an "oracular fever," suggests a mysterious quality, as if the snow holds the answers to the questions it prompts. I find myself swept up in this peom, drawn into the dialogue between nature and reflection. The snow becomes not just a meteorological event but a medium for profound reflection, a silent communicator urging me to delve into the why, how, and whence of the beauty that surrounds us. As the snow continues its relentless descent, the im...

 Nature Journal #9: What Fall feels like to me Fall is my favorite season; not only is my birthday in the fall season, but I love the crisp air, the cozy clothing, and the colorful trees. While in St. Louis, I took myself on a nature walk to enjoy the foliage not present in Fort Worth. This walk proved to be a restorative experience; it was both extremely tranquil and connected me with the natural world. As the crisp autumn air met my exposed cheeks, I found comfort in the rhythmic crunch of fallen leaves beneath my every step. The vibrant shades of red, gold, and amber painted across the landscape invoked a sense of awe, capturing the essence of the season's transformative beauty. To me, fall does not feel like a death of life. But rather, I see the leaves shed from their trees as in preparation for the future. Moreover, I experience the colorful display as the leaves finale. They show off and display their beauty in the most profound was possible to capture the attention of the w...

 Nature Journal #8: Rainbows Rainbows have always had a comforting presence to me; even outside of their religious affiliation, rainbows are quite literally a bright spot on a rainy day. When I was little, I used to sit on the floor of my dining room where we had a crystal chandelier hanging. I'd try to catch the sun gleaming on the fixture in order to witness the rainbow spectrum reflected all across the room. On particularly sunny days or at certain times of year, I'd walk through our dining room and it would be polka-dotted in rainbows. I've always found it fascinating how light is refracted to create such a vision.  But more so than rainbows that appear through certain materials, rainbows that cover the sky after a rainstorm always impress me to a different level. I went home for a few days to St. Louis hoping I would get to see beautiful trees and crisp weather. While I did get some of that, I also experienced some rainy gloomy weather. But one afternoon, after it rain...

 Mary Oliver Poem #4: “Praying”  Mary Oliver's poem "Praying" serves as a gentle guide to a more contemplative and grateful existence. Mary Oliver invites the reader, me in this case, to prayer. She explains what this can look like and debunks some myths surrounding prayer. She explains how prayer isn't confined to the grand or picturesque; it extends to the ordinary and overlooked elements of the world. The opening line, "It doesn't have to be the blue iris," immediately alleviates any pressure to seek out the traditionally beautiful or exceptional. Oliver encourages a shift in perspective, a willingness to recognize the divine in the everyday. Whether it's weeds in a vacant lot or a few small stones, the poet prompts me to pay attention to the often-dismissed details of my surroundings. The directive to "just pay attention" becomes a call to mindfulness, an invitation to be fully present in the moment. In doing so, I am prompted to engage...