Observation Essay

Shannon Griswold Signature AssignmentObservation Essay BIO 1010 April 19, 2014

Observation Essay

Signature AssignmentObservation Essay As I sit outside in the backyard of a suburban neighborhood in Draper, Utah, time seems to stand still. The hair on the back of my neck reaches toward the sky, as if to welcome the warm sun. I close my eyes to take it all in; the cool spring breeze causes the trees to rustle, producing a calming whisper sound. I hear a wind chime whistling in the distance from a nearby house. The chimes and rustling of trees create homophonic texture, like the instruments of an orchestra playing different notes but maintaining the same melody. I hear birds communicating in high-pitched chirps, followed by the flutter of their wings in unison. Again and again I hear chirps in the background, completing the peaceful ambiance. Occasionally, there is a disruption of peace when I hear the noise of a car passing by on the street. It begins as a muffle, then becomes vibrant, and slowly fades away into the distance. Nature seems to take a deep breath as the car approaches the street; there is a rise in tension and energy while the car reaches its most disruptive state, then nature exhales as the quietness returns. I finally open my eyes to see where childrens voices are coming from. I see them in the distance at the park with their dog. My eyes slowly scan the surroundings, as if I am carefully looking at a famous painting. The trees dance in the wind in the most graceful manner; I watch each leaf glimmer in the sun at its own pace, but the branches and the tree as a unit, sways in cohesion. The grass on the ground even seems to shake overwhelmingly with joy when the breeze passes through. I see a few small, white specks of cotton that resemble some kind of mystical fairy. They too dance in the wind, spastically, as they thrust up and then float toward the earth from the random waves of breeze.

Observation Essay

Looking toward the ground, I see flowers reach for the sun, and I notice how beautiful they are. In a sea of green and brown landscape, they look like colorful splotches with vivacious personalities. Beside them, I see some birds pecking at the ground, perhaps looking for food or materials to build a nest. They move quickly, like they are in a hurry to be somewhere. In contrast, I look up towards the sky at the clouds, which sluggishly glide across the atmosphere. Their whitish-gray composition is a disparity against the bright blue sky. My eyes wander to see the massive mountains in the distance. From here, they only take up a small portion of my optical canvas, but I know how immense they are. They seem to reign over nature, looking down upon the land, with their arms stretched endlessly around it. I feel my hair prance in the wind, tickling my neck and back. The pores of my skin seem to beg for the sun to stay, while the rays shine vibrantly. I feel something tickle on my foot, and I look down to find an ant grazing across my skin. After gently brushing it off, I lie down and slowly take a deep breath. The smell of fresh-cut grass engulfs my entire being, as memories rush through my mind. I am taken back to my childhood days, playing outside with my siblings until dark. Rolling around in the grass with my dogs, playing soccer, and running around playing tag are my innermost thoughts. The scent of fresh air from a calming breeze is all I need to be filled with gratitude and peace. Even in a world full of humans and industrialization, the peace of nature still exists. The sights, sounds, smells, and feelings of nature somehow find an important role in all of our lives, whether we know it or not. To damage or harm this connection to nature would be a shame, but it happens nonetheless. Regardless, Mother Nature prevails, in one way or another, to produce a breathtaking serenity within the depths of our souls.