The Great Outdoors

In what is a complete turn around from yesterday's rather somber post, I find myself blogging today for the fun of it rather than for the necessity of it. I sort of want to test the waters today with a couple of random odds and ends, so let's get to it.

B3 the Naturalist

For the last four weeks I have been going to Side Cut Metropark in Maumee every Saturday and Sunday morning. These trips have been the highlight of my week: a time to escape everything else I know (I don't even take music with me); I usually leave my cell phone off. Side Cut strikes a nice balance between wilderness and convenience of location: a short five-minute drive from home gets me there, and the trails of the park are layed out in loops, so I can get plenty of walking done without having to backtrack.

What I like best about Side Cut, however, is the wildlife. While generally speaking wildlife is minimal in the winter, I've still found plenty of it to enjoy. Geese are plentiful, as are smaller creatures (squirrels, chipmunks). The highlight of the park is the deer, and they are plentiful. One aclove in particular promises plenty of deer for sightseeing, and these are surprisingly calm creatures. Side Cut is a rather busy park, so I'm sure these deer have lots of exposure to humans, but I'm still amazed at how many of them gather at once, not to mention how close I'm able to get to them to take pictures. The silent moment of staring face to face with a deer or five is one that I've come to love, and I hope I can keep up this routine will into summer and beyond.

These trips to Side Cut have perked my interests in local fauna and flora, and my newfound interests begin with photography. While I've been spending time researching the local wildlife of Northwest Ohio, I'm also capturing as many pictures as I can of these animals.

See the album on Facebook here.

Preparing for Spring

While my time at Side Cut has given me a new appreciation of the outdoors in winter, I am certainly looking forward to warmer temperatures. Spring, the season of renewal, might wind up being a perfect parellel for what I'm going through right now, so warmer temperatures overall should translate into better opportunities for me to get outside and enjoy myself. What I look forward to the most is being away from my computer. While any of my friends might think I've lost it, I now work in front of a computer for eight hours a day... why should I stay stuffed inside for the other eight free hours of my day? I'm looking forward to biking the most, but honestly, any time I spend outside will be more valuable than the time I've spent inside all winter.

With that I am out of here. I have a semi-busy week of work ahead of me, so it will be crucial that I enjoy the rest of my day. B3 out.