Towering Pines Blog
The Natural Beauty of the Northwoods
“What a wondrous time is spring,
when all the trees are budding;
The birds begin to sing,
the flowers start their blooming…”
Every spring the first little taste of sunshine and greenery we get after a long dreary winter makes me long to be reacquainted with nature in my favorite place in the world… Towering Pines. Despite camp’s glorious natural beauty, it can still be difficult not to take it for granted when you get to live in it every day. If you pause for a moment to think about the numerous natural spots and wildlife that blur the line between nature and backyard for 6 weeks, it really is an unbelievable experience. Once we become unplugged from technology and connect to the world with our senses instead of a digital news feed, we truly are able to see, hear, smell, and touch the abundance of nature in our summer home.
As a high school Social Studies teacher I am frequently struck by how atypical these experiences are in today’s world. Having spent every summer of my life at camp up north, it’s easy to forget that not everyone is fortunate enough to have such a rich relationship with the outdoors. Many of my students have never had a true close up encounter with a wild creature, or even REALLY seen the stars at night (with no city lights to impede the view).
It can be disconcerting to some when they first move into a little rustic cabin in the woods, but we all soon grow accustomed to being surrounded by the tall pines, the sound of birds waking us up in the morning, and yes, even the occasional spider. There are so many peaceful nature spots that are part of our everyday camp life: The Seeking Place at the end of a picturesque forest trail; the trails that wind through meadows, where deer make their homes; Lake Nokomis, where the sun sets behind eagle’s nests, and glows through a plume of smoke and song; the moss garden, with its pillowy floor; the spongy bog, teeming with its rich ecosystem; and the morning fog that settles into dewdrops on the grassy expanses of the A-Field, snack area, and pasture… There are just too many to count!
Because a picture is worth a thousand words, I am going to let these stunning images speak for themselves.