Late this summer, Steve Tavener, Division Chair Math/Science Deptartment and Instructor of Biology at Interlochen Center for the Arts brought a class to explore the Natural Education Reserve. Here's what he had to say:

We had a great trip a couple of weeks ago and I finally condensed some of
the comments that my students made.  Most comments that I've included here
are only parts of what different students wrote.  One student even composed
a song.  For the first 15 minutes I ask that the students walk in silence.
They then sat down and I ask them to record what they saw & heard & were
thinking.  It was a beautiful day which certainly helped!

Please enjoy this powerful collection of compositions from the Interlochen Students. And then, please visit and experience these wonders of nature for yourself!

I’ve always been a city girl even after moving to Michigan. But here I sit, on this dock, amazed by what is around me. The sun rays reflect off the undisturbed surface of the water, and even the fallen trees seem to amaze me. I imagine the long lives they’ve lived, the history they’ve encountered.

Two adult swans, two babies, still covered in fuzz.

There is time yet for them to become white, graceful and beautiful.

They lead the young ones to the edge of the lake.

Swampish waters, rippling, clear cool surface of a lake.

Distant sounds of automobiles. Don’t worry, they cannot harm you here.

Twittering birds, rippling shadows criss-cross everywhere.

Violet flowers and orange flowers – so small, so delicate.

Water spiders flitting across the still edges of the water.

Reeds rippling gently.

Constant, quiet, soothing chatter of animals that are not humans.

Restful and peaceful to the ear.

Bright sunlight reflected into the eyes.

Distorted reflections in the glassy surface of the water – like a looking glass.

It may be early for you but everything that lives here has already been up long before you and you wonder; what do they do all day? It would be nice to just stay here, relishing the peacefulness, worries tossed into the lake to never be remembered again, and the utter simplicity of it all.

I definitely thought of Debussy during this walk. It’s so hard to put into words what I feel when I take those kinds of walks, but I guess that could be due to my not being a writer. The feeling that I get, a raw, un-organized sense of peace, is very similar to the impressionistic musical works of that period. The idea of a rhapsody is especially significant. It starts at one point and then it grows and evolves. It is not based on a set theme or pattern, although there can be a common link. The different elements of nature work together harmoniously and they accent each other’s beauty. The work together so intricately but they have a wild and unrestrained quality, too.

I may have hard the crow cawing.

The chickadees chirping.

The mourning dove singing.

Yes, I heard their chorus.

But alas, none showed themselves to me.

Not even a wee mosquito whined in my eager ears,

Begging for a precious meal,

Asking for a mere drop to quench his thirst.

And now I beg!

I pray, I hope,

That nature will offer a sight to behold.

As I walked through this place, I began to wonder. The shapes in the trees seem to change just a little every time you look. Some seem to have personalities. A poor Sumac is just waiting for someone to notice its beauty. A mighty Sugar Maple seems to be big and jolly, ready to spread its branches to anyone who wants to see them. Other trees may the personality to be cruel, sad, vengeful, or just waiting, waiting for someone to care, for someone to bother about how it is doing. The sad truth is that for most, this wait will never cease until the trees do. For man has made his mark everywhere.

The loud silence that occurs in a forest is deafening. It seems to fill every crevasse of my mind. Though there seems to be a whisper of something that I’m just not catching. It is trying to tell me something. But what? The whisper gets louder. For everyone, it will say something different but for me it says…….care.

The leaves on the trees that surrounded the large pond rippled softly in the frosty breeze. Somewhere beneath it all in the mirror-like water swam fish, basking in the now glowing light that shone on the water’s surface. The bird, now eyeing the water with intense curiosity, now lunged into the water, her white feathered bottom quivering with anticipation as she tore away from the waters icy grip.

I understand that being calm and quiet is really the only way to fully enjoy and appreciate this experience. I didn’t feel any urge to share with my friends what I was thinking because all your focus goes to absorbing the surroundings.

There are fallen trees, and some dead trees still standing immediately in front of me, and although that may not, should or look beautiful to some, when you really look at it, you start to notice the small yellow flowers growing in between, or how the water flows gracefully around the branches. It is an interesting concept, how these lovely, living things bring beauty and attention to what’s constantly overlooked.

I love nature. It’s so peaceful and calming. All you can hear is the birds chirping and the wind blowing around in the trees. It’s really beautiful. I love looking at all the plants around me. Normally, I’ll look down at the grass and see nothing but grass, but here, I look down and I see all different kinds of plants. I like how it looks with the dark brown of the mud underneath. It makes it seem more alive than if it was just crusty soil. Every time I go into nature, I always think, why can’t the rest of the world be this way.

I can hear so many different kinds of bird’s sounds. Right now, two birds are answering each other. So amazingly, they have rhythm and melody in their language. It is so pleasant sounding in such a quiet place. As time is passing, the weather is getting warmer and I can feel that the sun is rising higher and higher.

I can smell fresh scent of air, lake, and trees. Despite I don’t have many senses of smell; I smell the freshness of this lake and woods. What I feel is that this is such a delight and fresh experience with natural environment. What if I don’t have to go to school? What if I don’t have to practice? What if I don’t have to worry about my future? Probably I could feel and live in these places where preserved so clear and beautiful environments. Actually, I really didn’t want to come here, but now I have experienced so many good things.

To me, this is the perfect scenery, the perfect surroundings. The water almost looks like glass except for the occasional ripple made from the wind. You can see the reflection of the trees and sky in it shifting as the water moves. In the background you hear all different types of birds and you can feel the cool fresh air all around you. To me, the birds and the rustling of the leaves, is the perfect sound.

Seeing the water so calm, the bees jumping from flower to flower, and the peacefulness of the land is breathtaking. Watching all of this makes you forget about your problems and stress. You sit and watch and feel the relaxation of nature, and how soothing it is. It’s almost taken for granted. It’s almost a dream how beautiful everything is. The leaves kind of shiver in the cold fall air, the water ripples just barely. This is a place of true peace and quiet.

While I watch, I hear real sounds. Not everyday city noises, but natural sound. The sound of joy and excitement. When in nature, you don’t need to look to feel and see its beauty. If you close your eyes and just listen, you can see everything in your mind. By using your ears, your imagination can run wild. Now, its up to your brain to think, enjoy, and excite yourself to the glorious pleasure of nature.

Nature is a work of art. When you forget about all the scientific details and learn from what you see, everything changes. You get this natural high of wanting to learn everything around you. The experience of nature and its beauty makes you realize how we take our lives for granted. Walking through the woods, taking time to enjoy nature and what it has to offer makes you realize what life is about. When you forget or delete everyday life and sit and listen and explore your imagination, this calm takes over and moves you to appreciate what life has given you.

I Will Never Know

The blurry image

Trees in the distance

A pair of swans mates in the shade of the trees.

Why can’t our lives always be this simple?

The sound of boots

Breaking sticks

That’s all I hear

The trees create a fence

All around us our worries are no more

Fallen trees pierce my eyesight

May they be old or sick?

But they die all the same

Tangled branches

Entwined for a lifetime

Spider webs glisten in the soft light of the morning sun

Pale white clouds seen scarcely on the light blue sky

Why can’t our lives always be this simple?

There’s a bird way up in the trees

He is in my ears

But not my eyes

What does he say when he speaks?

Does he speak of me?

Of my complicity

Of my morals that are so different than his own?

I will never know

I will never know why the water ripples so lightly in the cold of the morning

I will never know whey the bird sings its song of despair

I will never know why the different species of trees can grow as one

I will never know why can’t our lives always be this simple.

The moment I stepped into these woods, I found a peace like no other. I was almost transported back in time, back when there were no planes flying overhead, and there were no busy highways to be heard. It fills me with such happiness that I could be able to experience it, and yet a sadness in knowing that all of this beauty is shut out by so many. It is inescapable, this nature is everywhere. To shut it out, is like closing your eyes when there is paradise all around you.

It’s funny, when I hard about this trip and that we need to dress warmly. I pictured a cold gray sort of place where there was not going to be much freedom of thought or spirit. Where I am now is the exact opposite of that picture. Here there is so much inspiration and spirit, that it could hardly be described on one page.

 

Tags: inspire, interlochen, nature, students, writing