The people of the forest. Who are they, these people of the forest? That's an easy one. They are the people that I meet on my everyday adventures. Up until now I've told you how mean and angry I get when I see other people roaming around my peaceful forest paths. It's the truth, but not the complete truth at all.The real truth is that I like seeing other people out there sometimes. Really I do. For all of you city dwellers, and for some of you who aren't used to a city, there's something I need to explain. While you're in the middle of a city most people are extremely rude to each other. If you live in the country it's not the same as in a busy city. I don't know why that is, but it just is. Not all of time of course, but most of the time.
It's a completely different experience in the forest on a hiking trail, than in a city. It's like being in the country. Most of the people you pass by give you a friendly greeting. Almost never in a city. In the forest we all have something in common. The love of nature. Sometimes people will excitedly stop me with a story of the animal they just saw, or some other interesting thing that happened.
On the place I go to see the nesting goose, there is retired man who I frequently compare pictures with. We show each other what we have collected on our cameras for that day. I met him shortly after discovering the goose. We don't say much else except for our talk of nature. He once told me that the city there has been trying to buy the land to make that nature preserve for twenty years. It just opened last fall.Yesterday while I was walking through the forest, I saw a group of people standing on the trail. They were all looking up into the trees. A few had expensive looking binoculars. The rest had really good cameras. I noticed one guy carrying a camera with a lens that was as big around as my arm! It was almost as long. These people were obviously bird watchers.
I smiled to myself as I walked by, because I've been telling all of you that I have to sneak up on any animals that I photograph, and I'm getting pretty good at it. I do it because my camera is just a point and shoot digital camera. With the camera that guy has, there shouldn't be any bad pictures. Half of mine turn out blurry!
With all of those fancy cameras, no wonder there are so many beautiful pictures on the internet! I'm still happy with my humble little camera though. It's fun to develop my sneaking skills. I've also had to develop a few skills to make the animals like me a little bit. Sometimes they get angry with me for tricking them, but it works well enough.Right after seeing the animal fight I told you about yesterday, I walked around a bend and saw a woman with a very small little girl. The girl couldn't have been older than three years. The woman looked to be her grandmother. The woman was teaching her about the forest in a special grandmotherly way. It made me smile.
When they saw me coming, the little girl looked up with a little bit of fear in her eyes. That's the usual reaction to me from little kids. I was already smiling, so I gave the little girl a wave, the kind you do for small children. The grandmother smiled at me. The little girl looked shyly towards the ground, the fear still in her eyes.
I walked past them and on my way out of the trails towards the parking lot. When I got there the parking lot was very full. I liked that. More people should experience nature. It's good for them. It's good for us all. I got in my truck, and went home happy. I talk to a lot of people at those nature parks. Even more since I wrote most of this story.One final note on this. I'm sure you've noticed that I have no pictures of any of these people. I've said in the past that I don't really like taking pictures of people. For one thing, I think they spoil nature pictures when they're in them. For another, most people feel like that little girl did when there's a camera pointed at them. I don't want to scare any animal more than necessary, not even the human kind.
Make sure you come back tomorrow. I have something very special for you. I'll give you a clue. Who is Ratty?
You have tried different camera angles and the look do strike differently
ReplyDeleteBirders are great to run into while hiking becuause they are always rather quiet as they too don't want to scare the animals or birds away!
ReplyDeleteYou do a great job w/ that point and click of yours and I enjoy coming here and seeing all of your pictures.
The forest looks so beautiful. You have captured the winding pathway so well. I think people who live in such surroundings must be very serene as well? I think the surrounding has a big impact on our behaviour.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what grandmothers in cities teach the grandchildren. One thing I have seen them teach is how to cross the road, how to stay away from strangers, etc. Very different from forest folk.
You speak the story well in the way people are lovely in the forest, especially who we meet every weekend.
ReplyDeleteA look at the eye, a wave of the hand, or a simple good morning simply gets me wanting to see them again.
Those are wonderful pictures of the path! So inviting, and peaceful!
ReplyDeleteOne of the reasons I love living in the U.P.is that almost everyone loves nature and almost everyone is friendly. We always say hi when walking in the woods and seeing each other. If we are driving on woods road, many times each driver will stop and roll down our windows and ask if they saw any wildlife, etc. It is a delight to be out in nature and sharing it with others. Last week, I was on my belly on a hill trying to get a close up of a wildflower when a van came around the bend. I had just previously told my hubby: Watch, some car will come up while I am laying on the ground like this! and sure enough! They stopped, rolled down their window and asked if I got a good shot and smiled. I showed them my pictures and they loved them. Then, they told us where to go to hopefully find a Moose! (We didn't but I hope to in the future). They had a camp close to where we were and were so friendly. It was a delight to visit with them.
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog from the Retirement Chronicles. I really like your pictures of the path, and especially the trail in the second photo. I am retired now but where I worked, my computer was facing the back of a big file. I placed the picture of a path, just like yours, and looked at it often, over my computer and in my mind I was walking there.
ReplyDeleteIt looks so peaceful there Ratty. What I'd give just to be able to walk down a path in a forest like that. I'll be waiting for your post tomorrow!!
ReplyDeleteRatty! You are lucky to have friends out there on the trail. At Hill-Stead, we are really underused. I can walk for a couple of hours even on a weekend sometimes, and never see another soul. It's good for animal watching, but not as good for sharing the pleasure. Cheers, Diane Tucker, Estate Naturalist
ReplyDeleteRoentarre - I take a lot of forest path pictures. I try everything I think of.
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Kallen - When I was walking past them, I was a little worried that I was making too much noise. I didn't want to ruin it for them, because I think they had a good prize up in one of those trees.
Their cameras were impressive. I like the fun I'm having with mine though.
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L. Venkata - People here are very different in different surroundings. Big cities seem to make people angry. The country and the forest brings peace of mind to us all.
Yes it is very different, but also very similar. They teach the children how to exist in those different surroundings.
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Rainfield - You just spoke of the people just as well while needing far fewer words. I sometimes go to my nature trails looking to have a nice meeting with someone.
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Icy BC - I think that peacefulness is why people are so nice to each other there.
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The Retired one - That's exactly what I miss about the times I've lived in the country. I'm glad I've had the benefit of experiencing city and country life. Most people don't. I've shared similar experiences as yours on the trails. People will stop to tell me where to find a deer, or ask for advice on something out there. It's just such a pleasant way to be. I really love it.
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Vagabonde - I'm glad you came, and I'm happy you like some of my stuff. I did exactly the same thing at work! I hate being there without nature, so I also put up pictures like this. As you already know, it helps get us through the day.
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Ginnymo - I hope I can make my pictures and stories as real as possible for you, so you can experience at least some of it. Tomorrow's post won't be about forest, but it will be very special.
Diane T. - Most of the time I wish for exactly what you have. At the same time, I sometimes really like having a spontaneous conversation about nature with people out there. The good thing about a place like yours is that if you do get anyone there, it will probably be only true nature lovers.
ReplyDeletelovely pictures, especially the first one, i can get lost there, and i would love to get lost there. so green, love it. i understand what you mean about how different it is when you're walking on city streets and on hiking trails, i think because in nature parks, people ore more relaxed and shares the love for nature, they find it easier to open up and say hi or even strike a conversation with their favorite native plant, animal, etc.
ReplyDeleteDo you notice that usually people you met in the forest or nature walk are kinder and friendlier? I wish everyone can have that kind of attitude everywhere, not only in the forest :).
ReplyDeleteI liked this post - interesting story and yes, I meet the friendly folk on the forest trail and the 'beast' in the city - I stay away from the cities - there not enjoyable to me.
ReplyDeleteBetchai - That first one is the entrance to the forest at one of my favorite parks. You go through there, and it's like walking into a different world. People get so relaxed in a place like this that they let their guard and forget to instantly hate each other.
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Vanilla - I wish they could have that attitude everywhere too. The world would be so much better. Cities seem to breed anger though.
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Mike - I stay away from cities as much as I can too. Unfortunately I still sometimes need them. Maybe they could plant a few more trees there. I'd like to tame that city beast.