Sep 14 2025
Site Journal #1
Flower
Our steps fell into a rhythmic pattern hitting against the concrete path; a soft background accompaniment to the gentle progress of the people passing us. My thinking thoughts was far away from the people pacing back and fourth with us and focused on the lively activity at our feet. Clusters of yellow wildflowers and spiky, tall thistles nestled beside daisies and coneflowers; all happy and thriving in their designated square of earth. I continued to ponder how a small, delicate seed could produce these beautiful life forms, and how they painted joy, colorfulness, and liveliness onto the path.
I continued to ponder and then my mind went back to Linda Hogan’s essay Walking, in which she talks about the sunflower, which progresses in its life cycle from a small, humble sprout to a tall sunflower blooming with its bloom and fulfilling its life purpose. The sun flower is not merely decoration, similar the the plant ahead of us. The wildflowers and thistles have reached out their space, how they have developed and nurtured their space. Harnessing each plant together create new microhabitats, shelter, pollen, and nectar for their whole host of life!
This simple moment provided me profound insight. It sometimes might feel like flowers do nothing. They reach deep down into the earth, but what else!? The flowers that span our path had changed in color from beautiful splashes of bright yellow, or arrow like shapes against the sky. Each flower was a cover for bugs/insects, a feeding station for bees, and dwelling of unknown creatures amongst their stems. Even the thistles, rough and prickly to the touch of our finger, defending tiny creatures and evolving the soil and land around them.
From that moment I was reminded how these flowers represented. As all part of life, from smallest wildflower to the bright purple thistle, had achieved sustenance for all the beings across the land. What was even better? The earth is full of these silent, life changing acts of creation that it gives freely. All we must do is to slow down enough to notice them.
Mission
The sun set on the horizon and the sky went from a beautiful bright blue to a stunning dark blue, as a breeze danced around us. The clear details from that day faded into twilight and the honking of geese echoed from afar as a perfect soundtrack to our beautiful stroll. I saw a big tree that the water bumped up against, and lifted my legs for fun to see if I could see how long I could hold on. My friend laughed and caught the moment for all its silliness and joy.
Cottonwood Tree
I had initially planned to photograph the sunset at that very moment, while the sun was near the horizon, but I was a little late for the sunset’s best colors. Still I was able to enjoy the last light before all went dark the gentle sounds of fish disturbing the surface of the water along with the soft rustle of trees swaying back and forth with the breeze. And even in the darkening light, the distant mountain ranges could still be distinguished, much as the silhouetted masses of land began to lose form up above in the night sky.
The air was a mixed bag of aromas, the dampness of wet banks, the murky water, and slight hints of food escaping restaurants tucked not far off.
The city lights flipped on, mirrored across the water, and twinkled like stars over its surface. The light of the city was surrounded by those walking paths with family and dogs in an animated ebb and flow of voices as they shared in a casual conversation. As I collected my final images, sound, smells, and sights, all the elements collided to a place, where people and their surrounding environment were created in oneness. The shared beauty was place-making where it re-enforced humans are greatly connected to the lands which give birth to us.
Mother Nature
My friend and I carried on walking, continuing to discuss how beautiful the park was in the cool evening air. “Will we see any animals this late?” I asked. We approached a bridge and as I crossed over the running water below, I spotted something right by the water’s edge just out of eyesight. I couldn’t help but get closer to see what it was.There was a family of raccoons, a mother and two kits. They were in the glimmering moonlight washing themselves off. The mother paused washing and looked up at me for a moment. Then went back washing with her kits, as if perplexed by any potential danger. I stood there enamored by the wonder of it all, soaking in this experience. This was a simple but very deep moment of a mother teaching her kits to navigate their world. I was reminded that learning from family is a primary operation of life for any life form as a way to maintain your survival.
