People are building concrete houses at the middle of the fields. No trees near them. Wherever someone does this, he is saying, “I have made a decision. I am staying here. I am putting my roots here.”
It is cool today. Sky full of clouds but the promise of rain is unsure. Farmers are spraying their harvests. I also hear paranum from a far.
I pass by some leaves that were burned not by the sun but by someone who burned some dried leaves and grass from below. The tree grows from below an irrigation canal. It looks like one of those trees that large mariposas perch on. Almost an entire half of the tree is burned. Such large fire could only be caused by a large heap of fuel. And yet I couldnt see signs of hacking trees or shrubs around. The dried leaves may have been a lot.
When fire burns leaves that are still attached to the body of a tree, they seem to die and decompose fast while they are still attached. How will this tree, still alive, get over this burning? Eventually, I think the tree will lose them. And from them new leaves should grow. The branches don’t look burned like the leaves.
For some reason, this sight reminds me of Thoreau’s mistake of burning an entire portion of a forest by mistake.
I hear high pitched sounds of birds behind me. Then they stopped.
I know I may be different from Thoreau and Dillard. Thoreau performed an experiment that also was literally a performance and he fictionalized his book. He wasn’t true entirely. So is Dillard.
Do I have then to do the same. To experience these transcendental moments and show through my writing that I have experienced them.
What kind of nature writing appeals to me? All the more reason why I need to understand this genre and contextualize what I want to do in it.
Essay idea: People are so unused to seeing someone walk.
- a young man stopped and asked me if I needed a lift.
- An old man that didnt talk that much had to stop and ask me why i dont ride my bike
- Another old man thought I was drunk and deep in thought
- Many times I was asked where I was going
- Some friends who know me would say exercise?
So people think that the only acceptable reasons for walking are going to somewhere, exercising. If you are not doing it for exercise you are either drunk or in need of help.
This alolong is too small as if it was built for a dwende or something. I’m not sure what it is built for