Back Where My Story Began

There is a wooden plaque in my parents' house that reads "Home is where your story begins", and is the inspiration for this particular blog post.  As I've discussed before, I made the choice to move back to my hometown for the winter to lend an extra set of hands to my older sister and her family.  One more month here and it will be the longest I've spent in Kansas since I was 18.  I find it to be a bit of a paradox, that for as much as I love my family and my hometown, I've spent so little time here in the past eight years...

One of my mother's birdfeeders in the backyard, which has attracted the attention
of numerous house sparrows, black-capped chickadees, cardinals, and a red-bellied
woodpecker, which have all in turn attracted a Cooper's hawk.

But being home is good thing, it's almost a reminder of me to myself, and it's extremely comforting to know that for all the changes I've undergone since leaving home, the same things that started me on my current path still move me and fill me with joy and purpose.

Enter Dillon Nature Center.

Besides my backyad, this was the place where my natural education began.  Every summer I would go to nature camp here, learn to fish, to identify dragonfly larvae, where to find frogs, and would be allowed to simply play outside all day.  While most of my memories of the place are from the summer months, I recently persuaded a friend of mine to walk the trails again yesterday, in the middle of December.



The Outer Trail on a beautiful December afternoon

The Lower Pond

Typical red berries against a snowy backdrop

Fall colors + semi-frozen pond = December in Kansas

Just some Branta canadensis hanging out on the half-frozen big pond

I like this guy

New favorite photo subject: Ice.

Not bad, huh? It's hard to grow up with that and not want to hang out in nature for a living. 

Yes, the stresses of unemployment and financial insecurity continue to creep into my mind, and yes, I'm in my mid-twenties and unsure of my own footsteps, and yes, I still dream of wild places that I've seen and have yet to see...but it's so, so nice to sit and soak up the feeling of being home, enveloped in that lovely coccoon of family.

And in light of recent events, there's no place else I would want to be.  Since this is my blog and not my family's, I'll only discuss my own ailments, but suffice it to say my family has dealt with/is dealing with a lot the past few weeks, our emotional and physical burdens pushed to their limits, and yet...we seem to be coming out on the other side.

To make a long story short, I debated on whether or not to include this last little section, but I like the idea of this blog as a way to record bits and pieces of my life, and that means including not only the things that I love and the things that inspire me, but also the things that terrify me.  I have once again tested as pre-diabetic, and when factors of family history and personal experiences are considered, I'm not surprised.  In six months I'll have THE test(s) for diabetes, and if those are positive then I'll have more tests to confirm.  My doctor is optimistic since I've never had any issues with weight and I've always been active. I'm bound and determined to reverse my condition - I've done it before - so I'm hopeful that next June you will read a joyous and exuberant post from yours truly.

More importantly, the presents are wrapped, the treats have been made, and holiday cheer and spirit is close to overwhelming!  I'm currently sitting in the sun as it spills in from the kitchen windows, finishing this up before my parents get home and see that I still have not done the dishes :-)

Happy, happy holidays!  May they be very merry and bright!