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TexasMadness Profile
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Registered: 03-2007
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 3972
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Nature in unexpected places


I started walking to work after I purchased my house at the end of November last year. It’s a pretty “dismal” walk – or at least I thought it was. I walk through the neighbor hood and then along the frontage road of a major highway (about 1 mile). During the winter, it did seem like a pretty crummy walk. The drainage ditch on the side of the road was full of trash and the cars racing by scared the you-know-what out of me (there is a guardrail between me and the cars, but still…). Then spring happened! The new plant growth has started to hide the terrible liter problem and there is life everywhere! I’ve noticed bullfrog tadpoles in the little dammed up area, I’ve seen every kind of song bird Central Texas has to offer, a few deer, and today, a beautiful Louisiana heron mere feet away from me. Right here in the middle of the city! I’m now used to the cars and am really starting to enjoy this little piece of my day. I think I read that Firlefanz walks through a park on the way home from work – (I’m jealous!) - but at least I’m getting a bit of nature!

By the way, the ditch is about 10 feet from the road surface (there’s a big concrete wall) but I have thought about devising some sort of super long litter grabbing tool. I’ve started picking up the trash along the street in my neighborhood though. I can’t believe what people throw out! And it’s a “closed” neighborhood – there are no through streets to anywhere. The only people driving on that road live there or are visiting – yet they still dump trash! I’ve been thinking about collecting all the trash and bringing it to the next neighborhood meeting and just dumping it in the middle of the aisle for everyone to see.
4/5/2007, 10:01 pm Link to this post Send Email to TexasMadness   Send PM to TexasMadness
 
Firlefanz Profile
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Registered: 05-2003
Location: Germany
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Re: Nature in unexpected places


Walking to work is great!

Yes, I make a little detour on my way home, that takes me through a park. It has old trees (well, there are even old trees along the four-lane road that I walk in the morning), and a largish pond with lots of geese.

The road has a good sidewalk, and people can't drive that fast as it's still in city limits. Even so, the exhaust stinks (I recently regained my sense of smell, and still notice all of it.)

Not a lot of wildlife on the road, but at least plenty of birds. There's also a pair of crows who live at one stretch and seem to get to know me. At least they don't always fly away when I pass them.

I do envy you the many animals and birds you see on your walks. And I think it's a very good idea to show people how much trash they are dumping! They just always drive by and never notice.

---
- Firlefanz

Writing: "Kiera und der Gauklerjunge" - novel


4/6/2007, 8:35 am Link to this post Send Email to Firlefanz   Send PM to Firlefanz Blog
 
Saijen SilverWolf Profile
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Registered: 10-2004
Location: Upper North East Tennessee
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Re: Nature in unexpected places


Isn't it amazing what new life can bring to a dismal place? And just think...all that was always there, just hidden for the duration of the cold months.

I'm glad that your daily walk has been graced with new and wonderful things. Makes it a lot more enjoyable emoticon

I liked your idea of dumping the trash at the next neighborhood meeting. It never ceases to amaze me what people toss out of their car windows, or while walking down the road.
I've been known to stop my car and turn around when one of my kids would toss a lollipop stick out the window, or the wrapper, and make them get out and pick it up, along with any other trash in the same general vicinity. They soon learned not to throw things out the car window. It's icky picking up other people's garbage. If they couldn't find what they tossed out, they still had to pick up trash. One of the things I dislike the most is a litter-bug.
So....good on you for picking up!!! Hopefully the neighborhood will realize that the road/grass/yards/sidewalk...etc, aren't dumps.

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Blessed Be,
~*~ Saijen ~*~

~~*~~ .~~*~~
4/6/2007, 4:22 pm Link to this post Send Email to Saijen SilverWolf   Send PM to Saijen SilverWolf Yahoo
 


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