Hunter Ricks Blog

Nature Journal Thirteen: A Windy City             Growing up in a suburb of Chicago wind has always been a common natural element of my life. Until this class, I never really thought anything of it. I decided to spend some time outside over Thanksgiving break and reflect on the atmosphere. No one seems to fancy wind; it amplifies cold weather, or it can destroy lives through tornadoes. While wind is always portrayed as a negative element, it can do some beautiful things as well. It can transmit smells and sounds across the earth. I could hear animals whaling in the distance as their cries were miles away yet echoed so clearly. As the wind chilled my soul, I began to notice the leaves falling from the trees. The simple process that many anger at as it requires work to clean was a stepping stone to new life. The falling leaves will soon disappear and make the soil stronger and more nutrias for it's inhabitan...

Nature Journal Twelve: A “Wild” Coyote             It was a brisk day running throughout the neighborhood in Scottsdale. The sun hid itself behind the towering mountains while the clouds began to blanket the sky. My ankle crunched with every step as the sole of my shoe kicked up an exhaust trail of asphalt. I decided to take a break at the local recreation center midway through my four-mile excursion. I turned on the light on my phone to better illuminate my surroundings before I saw four pearly white orbs looking at me from the tennis courts. I began to get a closer view before I could see the sleek fur of two dogs. As I assumed that they ran away from home, I began to take a step to look for a collar, little did I know these were no house dogs. I was looking directly into the face of coyotes. I sat still as a statue to show I was no threat. The air became cold and the sound of cars from the freeway died into ...