A Collection of Thoughts

This blog is a dedication to the daily walk. After studying for hours or attending a particularly grueling class, I have found that a short walk around the neighborhood is incredibly rejuvenating. I like to take out my roommate's dog, an English Cream Golden Retriever named Cali, and walk for at least fifteen minutes. I make it a point to look at my phone as little as possible, except to take pictures. For me, these walks are more than a break; they are a reminder of the world outside my tiny bubble of school. Too often I use schoolwork as an excuse to not engage in anything requiring the slightest bit of effort. 

Cali and I like to walk in the neighborhood because the setting is quiet and far less busy. While Cali is busy hunting for squirrels, I like to admire the unique architecture of each home. I hate neighborhoods where each residence is built from the same book, each one differentiated only by the color of brick. TCU neighborhoods definitely exhibit some of this cookie-cutter influence, however, I have noticed that as you walk farther away the homes become more and more individualized.

On these daily walks, I also like to look for different flora. I find it fascinating how a bush that is overflowing with blooms one day can be completely devoid of anything but leaves the next. I think flowers are fickle; more temperamental and needy than a good-ole fashioned conifer or fern. However, I think flowers are far easier to frame in photos, especially for a novice photographer. In this photograph taken from a previous walk, I tried to capture the natural beauty of the interaction between the blooming flower and industrious bee. I found it incredibly difficult to photograph such a fast-moving creature, but after five long minutes following the bee with my camera, I think this picture was worth my efforts.

A lonely bee and a Texas Ranger bush (Leucophyllum frutescens)

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis