I took the Girl Scouts to the prairie yesterday afternoon. This part of Nebraska is where the tall grass prairie grass once grew in abundance. Very little native prairie remains - about 1-2%. It may seem strange to get all worked up about grass, and it really is not for everyone, but there is something about miles and miles of grass. Really.
I was not in a good mood yesterday. I danced at a parade at 8:30, I went to a soccer game at 10:30, I got a kid to Boy Scouts at 12:30, I took Girl Scouts hiking at 2, and all of this on top of dealing with two work trips in the previous week and some tension at home regarding my dog.
My dog is driving everyone crazy with her galloping goofiness and issues. I am not sure what to do other than give her time to adjust. I got a crate for her. I try and walk her, include her in what I am doing, and give her as much attention as possible. She is neurotic and it did not help that I went away for days so soon after getting her. If she would just stop chasing the cats and bugging the older dog I think the kids would be much happier with her.
So anyway. Bad mood. Car full of girls going on a hike. And apparently it was just what I needed. In the tick-filled grass with a hot sun beating down on us, I felt happy. We walked the mowed path among the grass that ranged from knee-high to over my head. I pictured the variety of insects and birds that make that grass their home. I pictured the roots beneath the grass. The roots are in many cases longer than the grass is tall. I tried to imagine 8 foot long roots for the 7 foot tall grass.
The settlers recognized early on that some folks are able to live on the prarie and some folks aren't. For some the wide space, wind, lack of trees and exposure to sun (or cold) was just too much. For others they found that it tapped into some deep part of them that found pleasure in the waving grass and giant sky. The prairie can give people 7 foot deep roots too. There is a third group, which Bill belongs to. He does not have feelings about his environment (well, unless you include my huge, slobbering dog which is part of his environment - he has feelings about that part of his environment). Bill is constantly surprised by my experience of the world - noticing a flower or a fence or a bird - and I am constantly surprised that he does not see what I see.
Bill and the teen went to visit a college. My oldest is working at the zoo today. The house is calm and the dog is laying at my feet while I write. I would love to take her for a run on the prairie, but I am afraid she will have to settle for the bike path.
I was not in a good mood yesterday. I danced at a parade at 8:30, I went to a soccer game at 10:30, I got a kid to Boy Scouts at 12:30, I took Girl Scouts hiking at 2, and all of this on top of dealing with two work trips in the previous week and some tension at home regarding my dog.
My dog is driving everyone crazy with her galloping goofiness and issues. I am not sure what to do other than give her time to adjust. I got a crate for her. I try and walk her, include her in what I am doing, and give her as much attention as possible. She is neurotic and it did not help that I went away for days so soon after getting her. If she would just stop chasing the cats and bugging the older dog I think the kids would be much happier with her.
So anyway. Bad mood. Car full of girls going on a hike. And apparently it was just what I needed. In the tick-filled grass with a hot sun beating down on us, I felt happy. We walked the mowed path among the grass that ranged from knee-high to over my head. I pictured the variety of insects and birds that make that grass their home. I pictured the roots beneath the grass. The roots are in many cases longer than the grass is tall. I tried to imagine 8 foot long roots for the 7 foot tall grass.
The settlers recognized early on that some folks are able to live on the prarie and some folks aren't. For some the wide space, wind, lack of trees and exposure to sun (or cold) was just too much. For others they found that it tapped into some deep part of them that found pleasure in the waving grass and giant sky. The prairie can give people 7 foot deep roots too. There is a third group, which Bill belongs to. He does not have feelings about his environment (well, unless you include my huge, slobbering dog which is part of his environment - he has feelings about that part of his environment). Bill is constantly surprised by my experience of the world - noticing a flower or a fence or a bird - and I am constantly surprised that he does not see what I see.
Bill and the teen went to visit a college. My oldest is working at the zoo today. The house is calm and the dog is laying at my feet while I write. I would love to take her for a run on the prairie, but I am afraid she will have to settle for the bike path.
posted by Lea at 8:05 AM
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