Nature Journal- Taking the Dogs for a Walk

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While in Bozeman, MT, I found myself in awe of the beauty of the surroundings. I’m not sure if it was because nature in Texas is vastly different than in Montana or if it were some other reason. One day during my visit, I went outside with the dogs to take them for a walk through the big pasture. Two horses, five dogs, and one cat all live on the property and they, just like me, love going outside and exploring the surroundings. I walked across the gravel road and immediately crossed a creek. Even though it was right by the road, I hadn't noticed the creek prior to this because it was hidden by trees. The water softly ran under the handmade bridge. We made our way through the tall grass, stopping every once in a while, to throw a stick for the dogs to chase. The house looked so small up on the hill from out in the pasture. There is a second creek on the other side of the pasture. When we arrived at this creek I sat on a rock and relaxed while the dogs played in the water. The water was absolutely freezing, but the dogs didn't seem to mind. I was told that there were trout in this stream and I although I looked for them, I didn’t see any. I’m sure they were right in front of my eyes but were camouflaged too well for me to even notice them. The horses heard us walk up and meandered over to the stream to grab a drink of water. My cousins had dammed the creek to make a swimming hole. This stream provides water for the animals, is a home to the fish, and a great swimming spot for the dogs. It provided sustenance, a habitat, and entertainment for all those that used it. I noticed just how versatile nature is and it made me question whether we really have the right to “use” nature. A similar question was posed in class: do we have the right to dominate nature? I’m not sure I have an answer to that. However, I think we absolutely have the right to enjoy nature, as long as we appreciate it.


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