Laurie Jackson SOC 334

Essay 1: Past and Present Experiences with Nature & the Outdoors

Nature to me is spacious natural areas outside of the city. Nature can co-exist with urban

areas as backyard ecosystems or the occasional opossum that wanders into the yard, but true

nature does not exist in the city. True nature is not affected by humans; it exists on a different

realm outside of our control. Examples near Lexington include Raven Run or the Red River

Gorge. There are developed trails in these natural areas, but humans didn’t make the natural

areas, they are visitors to a pre-existing land. Nature isn’t bought from a store or developed, it

occurs naturally. In the city the reverse is true; nature is the guest in a manmade world.

Growing up, I remember two main ways we interacted with nature, we went camping and

we spent time at my grandparent’s house. However after reading this book, I realize I actually

spent most of my childhood in nature, my siblings and I played out in the backyard and around

our neighborhood most of the summer. I remember taking five gallon buckets to a nearby

irrigation canal to get pollywogs and watching them grow into frogs. What I remember the best

however, are visits to my grandparent’s home.

My grandparents lived in a house my grandfather built into the side of a mountain. Half

of their house was outside the mountain, the other half was inside. Natural hot springs heated

their home through pipes that ran through the floor, it was always warm there. They lived on a

big ranch; the nearest neighbor was 16 miles away. They had horses and cows we could go pet

but a rancher friend owned and was taking care of them, because my grandpa wasn’t able to keep

up the ranch anymore. Their friend was usually the only person outside of family we would see

when we visited.

We would go visit practically every weekend in the summer. I remember helping my

grandma with her garden, wandering around the nearby hills most of the day and playing in the

creek. I personally interacted with nature every day when we visited them. I remember

watching baby birds learn to fly. I tried to adopt one once but got in trouble and had to give it

back to its mother. My grandparents lived by a hot springs and made a natural bathhouse, there

were always water snakes around the outside; sometimes the snakes came inside the bathhouse.

My grandparents grew up in the Great Depression and grew much of their own food.

Next to their bathhouse was a greenhouse, even in the winter they grew tomatoes. I remember

helping my grandma can vegetables and put them in her pantry, which was the only cold room in

the house. The pantry was attached to the kitchen but the heating pipes didn’t go into the pantry.

It was naturally cool all year round like a cave. She would wash and reuse plastic bread bags,

which I always thought was very funny, we didn’t do that at home.

For living so far away from others, my grandparents always had friends stopping by

sharing produce from their farms. I remember a guestbook they had visitors sign. I could look

through it as far back as the time I first learned to write my own name. We would all (10 kids

and 2 parents) go visit as a family, spending the day swimming in their pool, roasting

marshmallows and hotdogs for dinner, and driving back home arguing over who got to watch the

stars from the back of the pickup. I didn’t like swimming very much because I almost drowned a

few times and I couldn’t see well without my glasses on. I spent the day alone, hiking around the

area, climbing onto the plateau across from their house or watching the beavers in the creek

while my siblings swam.

Going to visit my grandparents and spending so much time in nature helped shape me as

a person because it helped me deal with rough times in life. I grew up in a large poor family.

These visits were our vacation each year. I didn’t have many friends at school and was often

bullied for being poor. I knew at my grandparent’s house I could be myself and not feel judged.

I was always welcome and always loved no matter what was going on. It was a place I could

relax and not worry about life. I loved to sit on top of that plateau and think about the future.

Today I love being outside in nature! I still love hiking and we frequently go camping as

a family over the summer. Family vacations have included Yellowstone Park, camping on Orcas

Island in Washington, touring the Grand Canyon & Monument Valley and climbing a waterfall in

Jamaica.

Winters in the Midwest (after living in Seattle, Washington with evergreens and mild

temperatures) can be very depressing for me. Every spring I look forward to seeing the

blooming flower bulbs we planted our first spring in Kentucky. We have a backyard garden, as

well as a playhouse and swings for our kids. We walk to the city pool to swim and ride our bikes

around the neighborhood. The neighbor’s daughter likes to come over to play as well, when I

can’t find them in our backyard, I know they are at her house, jumping on the trampoline or

playing underneath it. (901 words)

Three photos:

The creek I would cross and plateau I would climb at my grandparent’s house.

My grandparent’s house & ranch from the top of the plateau.

Catching water snakes, I am holding the snake.

Essay 2: Snapshot of Technology Use

I used the internet on my Kindle Fire for 1.5 hours, my laptop for 2 hours and watched

TV for one hour; for a total of 4.5 hours of technology time in one day.

Combined, these 3 activities took up 18% of my day; compared to 8.5 hours in class,

preparing for class and commuting to school, which took up 36% of my day. It is important to

note this class work time does not include time in between classes which is when I am using my

Kindle fire to check school and home email. I spend almost 70% of my day involved with

schoolwork or sleeping. Miscellaneous time was used to prepare meals, do housework, help my

kids with homework and spend time overall with my family.

I feel my technology usage is less than most people. I have a basic cell phone only for

emergencies; I’ve never been much of a phone person. I typically communicate via email. From

what I observe around me, not just from students but from older friends as well, people

constantly use their smart phones to make calls, send texts, play games and surf the internet.

Taking 19 credits is not easy, so I make sure I manage my time as productively as I can. I try to

do as much schoolwork as possible at school and between classes because it is difficult to do at

home when I am surrounded by distractions. When I don’t have such a stressful work load, I do

use technology for gaming or TV more often. I feel the level I use technology on an average

school day, such as described above, it just about right. I tend to overuse technology in

unproductive ways when I have more free time.

I have noticed a significant mood shift this semester compared to previous part time

semesters. I know part of this is due to technology use but part is also due to how much time I

need to spend on schoolwork to do well in all of my classes. During the winter, usually spring

semester, this mood change is much more noticeable. I get sad and depressed when I go long

periods of time without being able to spend time outside. I will seek out sunny spots by the

window at the student center to study and if it is warm enough, study outside. Summer

semesters I typically take online classes so I can spend more time outside rather than sitting in

classrooms. At home I can take my books or laptop outside and sit in the backyard for school.

My mood is much happier during the summer.

Although it appears from this particular day that I spend little time with family, it is

important to note my husband works and my children are in school all day as well. We have

evenings and weekends to spend together. Even if I cut technology use, family time isn’t

improved because I’m using the majority of my technology at school or at home before everyone

else comes home. If I’m watching TV, it is with family members. More than anything I feel

like I don’t get enough time with family. It is important to me to take online courses during the

summer so I am home when my children are home. (551 words)

2 Photos:

My husband playing games on his smart phone in bed, technology even displaces sleep time for some people.

You’ll find me working on homework for school, I LOVE online classes!

Essay 3: What You Know About the Food You Eat

Three food items I ate today were: coffee, oatmeal and stir fried meat and vegetables

served with rice. The coffee comes from Starbucks, which gets its beans from South America

from free trade cooperatives. The oatmeal comes from Quaker Oats, I am unsure of where they

get their oats. The rice, meat and vegetables come from the grocery store. I am not specifically

aware of their origin. I imagine most of the food I eat is not from Kentucky. Typically fruits and

vegetables I see in the store come from other countries.

A majority of foods today, particularly grains, are genetically modified. Genetically

modified foods, especially those modified for higher yields and fewer pesticides do not bother

me. People eat genetically modified foods every day, and have been for years, without even

realizing they have been modified. Even organic foods can and have been modified. Genetically

modified foods have been tested and found to be just as healthy as non modified foods. In fact,

some unmodified foods may fail the standards genetic foods are held to. The issue with genetic

modification comes in when foods are mixed with other non-food organisms. For example, it’s

ok to grow modified corn that produces higher yields or is pest resistant; but not corn that is

mixed with animal or human DNA. There is also the question of who owns and can grow the

food. Can a company sue a farmer if the modified plants pollinate unmodified plants in a nearby

farm?

I appreciate that Starbucks goes out of their way to educate the public on where their

coffee beans come from and why it should matter. The farmers have a right to be treated fairly

and obtain fair prices for their beans. In my opinion, we have a moral obligation to protect

human rights for all peoples and prevent exploitation worldwide. I am becoming more aware of

this obligation as I learn more about different cultures through college courses and the internet.

I personally know how to grow basic vegetables, every year we plant a backyard garden.

The growing climate is a little different in Kentucky than what I am used to. I grew up in a small

town in Idaho known for potatoes and sugar beets. It seemed like everyone around me was a

farmer. My family didn’t own any farms or work on the farms, but I helped in our large

backyard garden every year. We got most of our fresh produce this way; the produce in the

stores was too expensive to feed our large family. I dislike potatoes today because I ate so many

when I was younger.

Now I’m more dependent on the produce in the grocery stores, our little garden seems to

only grow cucumbers and tomatoes well. That may be due to my lack of understanding the

Kentucky climate however. We like to try new foods, specifically looking for things in the

grocery store we’ve never tried before. Sometimes we go to the Farmer’s Market but their foods

are pricey for our budget.

My sister lives on a farm and writes on her blog about canning foods like my grandma

did, making jam and raising cows for the market and milking at home. I find this way of life

intriguing but I am a city person and don’t feel I need to connect with my food in such an

intimate way. Although I like fresh food from a garden, maintaining a garden is not something I

derive a lot of joy from. I derive joy from being around and helping other people. I love city

life! I find the utopian view presented in the book with a return to farmland to be out of touch.

As a city person with no desire to move to the country a more realistic return to nature for me

would mean being more aware of where my food is coming from and advocating for human

rights. (656 words)

Two photos:

Our backyard garden, we forgot to weed it but the weeds kept it from dying in the extreme summer heat (notice the grass all around it is dead). We even got some tomatoes this year!

Essay 4: Incorporating Nature in my Life and the Future

I feel increasing my exposure to the natural world is a good thing; it helps me relax and

eases daily stress. I spent most of my childhood in nature, and have continued being out in

nature through camping and hiking with my family. One of my most amazing and terrifying

accomplishments was doing the entire Angel’s landing trail in Zion National Park. I most likely

will never do that again, (please talk me out of it if I ever think about it); however, I will never

forget it either. My father in law went to the top with me and we will always share that scary

experience, even if don’t agree on other things in life. Spending time together outdoors brings

our family closer together and helps us get away from our busy lives in the city; it puts life back

into perspective. Real fear to me dramatically changed from being shy and afraid to talk to

people, to falling off a trail and dying. I gained a confidence I never had before that day.

Being a stay at home mom for ten years, I’ve always had quite a bit of freedom in

deciding what we will do and how we will spend our time. I frequently took my children to the

park or beach in Seattle and just let them play in the sand until they got tired. I feel as I have

returned to school, doing the things we like to do, including being outside, has become more

difficult. I was able to take online classes at BCTC to fit my schedule, but that is not an option

or is very limited at UK. Because the attendance policy is such a large focus, I spend most of my

time sitting in classrooms and most of my time at home doing homework or catching up on

chores. We can’t seem to find time to even get away even for a weekend when school is in

session. Spring Break isn’t even an option, as our breaks don’t match up. I don’t feel like we

have time to go do the things we used to do, and worry when I am out of college and working

scheduling will be just as difficult.

My children’s lives have gotten busier too; they also spend much more time on

homework. Organized sports rather than free play have become the best way to socialize with

other people. I am very proud of my son who has had speech therapy all through elementary

school, as I have watched him gain self confidence by participating in organized sports. I feel

organized sports can be detrimental too though.

Unfortunately my predictions of the future of the natural world and human’s interactions

in it seem to mesh with the author of the book’s view. I see hope and I see change, but I also see

schools with few windows, no recess and overscheduled kids. I see our lives becoming so busy

we don’t have time to spend in nature. Because of this, funding will continue to be cut for

national parks and people won’t go camping or hiking. Nature won’t be as valued if kids never

spend time in it. I think it is important to spend time with your children, whether or not it is in

nature. I also feel it is necessary to give children free play time, visiting city parks is a good way

to do this. Cities need more parks and an atmosphere where it is safe to ride your bike or walk

around the neighborhood. In Lexington there aren’t enough bike paths and getting hit by a car is

a very real danger. It is necessary to expose children to nature because nature brings peace and

balance to chaos and being able to free play in nature helps you understand how the world works

and builds imagination, it gives kids a place to be accepted and loved without having to live up

to cultural expectations.

Fortunately, my children have had quite a bit of experience with nature. They grew up

playing in parks and at the beach in Seattle, on walking rails to trails paths in Indiana and hiking

and camping in Kentucky; as well as bigger family trips to national parks. In fact when we

moved to Kentucky, my daughter was accepting of the smaller bedroom if we could make her a

garden room. Every night she sleeps under a tree painted on her wall, looking up at glow in the

dark stars. My son also has a natural jungle scene mural on his wall, which he chose himself.

We may not be about to get outside as much as we’d like, but I hope even the “fake” nature they

chose and we recreated inside gives them the same feeling of love and acceptance real nature

would.

A quick activity a 7-10 year old could do in Kentucky would definitely be hiking. My

kids love short day trips and short hikes, especially when a waterfall is at the end of the hike.

They love playing in the water. I realize kids this age play a lot of video games, and even hiking

you can incorporate ideas from a game into nature. For example, you can ask what Pokémon

character would be the best for this environment. You can talk about how a fire Pokémon

wouldn’t be good in the water. You can make up your own Pokémon characters with powers that

you wish were in the game. We play a game while we are hiking or bored called “The Island”.

The Island is a mixed up world that includes characters from video games, movies, real life and

ones we made up. In the Island, anything can happen and you can go to other islands too. The

kids drive the action in the Island and use whatever character they’d like. Sometimes characters

in the island are hiking like we are and encounter scary stuff, like mutant bears, how will they

deal with this? We use real life knowledge to help their character get away.

An activity in the city would be going to the park to fly a kite or raising butterflies and

releasing them. We like walking to the city pool and having a picnic lunch. We’ll also eat lunch

on top of the playhouse. Getting a backyard fire pit and roasting hotdogs & marshmallows is fun

too. We have lots of books about animals, so learning about a specific animal like birds, bats or

owls and making a bird or bat house is a good idea too. My daughter likes to take the camera to

get shots of birds or all the cats in the neighborhood. (1114 words)

Nine photos:

Angel’s Landing, don’t look down!

View from the top

Family vacations to natural areas are good ways to spend time in nature—Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend Overlook

Staying local playing in a waterfall, flying cool kites or playing in a backyard playhouse is effective too.