Author: mpeticca20

This was a particularly grim chapter from Refuge. The beginning of this chapter sets up the subject matter incredibly well. Williams sets up a cold lakeside location at high tide. Williams describes the weather as cold and windy. The in-depth description of the lake reminds me of local lakes just before winter when the air is crisp and nature seems to be crumbling around you. Williams notes that this lake is not untouched by humans through the example of the empty shotgun shells. It is shocking to see how Williams treats the dead swan. While I would never touch a dead wild animal with such confidence, Williams has no problems with it. Rather than just moving the bird, Williams shows it proper respect through moving it into a more respectable position as well as covering its eyes. Washing the bird’s beak with my own saliva would definitely cross the line for how comfortable I am with nature, but Williams believes that nature deserves a certain respect that sometimes trumps the dignity of humans. I have a lot of respect for how Williams acts here. Maybe someday I will have that intimate of a connection with nature.

Because Ohio just experienced the first snowfall of the season just a couple of days ago, it seems appropriate to write about a Winter chapter. I really like Kline’s commentary on both farm and wild animals. He begins to chapter by discussing how he tries to let the animals graze outside for as long as possible during the month of November. This also helps his save on winter feed. Once the animals move inside, he feeds the horses first before moving on to feed the calves and cows. He even comments on the unpleasant smell in the barn where the animals are kept. This helps the reader to gain an idea of what being in the barn is like.

He then moves on to discuss wild animals. He starts first with smaller animals such as the woodchuck who makes his home near the fence. But Kline spends most of the chapter discussing different birds who visit him during the winter. He comments that the summer birds have all left for warmer climates while new birds such as juncos and sparrows begin to visit. It is always fun to read about the sounds different birds make. He does this in an entertaining way in describing the white-throated sparrow’s sound.

Leading to Holden Hall, there is a sidewalk with two bushes on either side. Every day, I passed those bushes every day on my way to work and class. I particularly remember one day that I noticed them, they seemed to be reaching out to me. I had never seen them so healthy. Their purple leaves looked vibrant and intense. I was sad to see the bush die during the winter along with most of the other plants near Holden. It is always a dull time that follows the beautiful colors of fall until the first snowfall. However, the bush came back to liven up the area in the spring. I never knew that this particular bush was called a Heather plant until recently. The bush produces lots of very little flowers which gives it the appearance of being entirely purple. It covers a lot of ground, making it very large. While I do not live in Holden Hall anymore, I do take a special note of the bush every time I happen to pass by.

When I was of pre-elementary age, maybe five or six years old, I found a toad in the creek by my house. I picked him up and carried him to my backyard where I showed him off to my two friends, Billy and Jake. Collectively, we decided to creatively name him Toady Toad. I brought him into my house to show my mother who was cooking dinner. To my surprise, she would not let me keep him in the house. She made me return Toady Toad to the creek. It was a few days before I returned to the creek again to find my new friend. I remember finding him (or a similar looking toad) on a rock in the creek. This time, I decided not to interact with the toad. But I remember feeling very excited to find him and relieved that he was still alive. I never saw Toady Toad again, but I like to think he is still hopping around that creek.