I got some beautiful scenic shots, which I will save for a future post, but I also got some rather ugly pics which I am sharing today... photos of the litter left behind from disrespectful, irresponsible humans. I can't tell you how much this irks me! If I had the proper tools on hand, I would have done a trash pick up, but when I left the house this afternoon, picking up trash was not in my agenda for today.
I'm thinking I will purchase a whatchamacallit tool.... that has a gripper on a pole, and a whole lot of trash bags, and dedicate a day of cleaning up the forest, because... well this is awful, and inexcusable! We are blessed to live in one of the most beautiful areas of Arizona, and this is how people treat it. Being a lover of the forest, I just don't understand it; it's so sad.
A nasty old diaper
A oil container used for target practice.... oil!
You know some of the oil still existed inside that bottle :(
a cardboard box and shattered glass
Cardboard boxes and buckets
Oh come on!
The Forest is one of my favorite places to be, and it's a place where I feel the most connected to deity. It's peaceful, healing, beautiful, and magickal. How can someone disrespect it so? What happened to the rule, "Pack it in, Pack it out"?
Beloved Forest, how I love you so! This breaks my heart.
I changed my mind... I don't want to end this in ugliness...
I will share some of the beauty I saw today, as well as a poem I wrote in 2009 dedicated to the Forest.
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Forest’s Lullaby
Peaceful serenity
Cocoons me, renews my spirit
Pacifies my soul
Returns to me, my sanity
Within
Forest’s lullaby
Sentinels wizened in years
Whisper secrets in my ears
Kissed by Nature’s perfume
Caresses my cheek, dries my tears
Blessed sweet voices in chorus
Sweet divas of the forest
Chirping, singing merrily
Notes of healing harmony
Flowing shivery coolness
Cleanses away the dismalness
Worries ebbing, fading
Life’s pressures dissipating
Peaceful serenity
Returns to me my sanity
Where healing and magick abide
Within
Forest’s lullaby
©Reba White 2009
I feel your pain, Reba. I see the same thing going on at the waterfalls in this area.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad, though, that you chose not to end this post with those ugly pics. The beautiful photos and poem remind us just how powerful Mother Nature is and inspires us to pay greater attention to what we do when we're in Her presence.
Blessings,
Rainbow
Thank you Rainbow! I'm sorry to hear about your waterfalls.... such a shame :(
DeleteIt's hard to get people to clean up trash, even their own. They figure people get paid to do it, so why should they bother?
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to even get my Pagan student group here at university to pick up trash around campus. We've done two this year and four to five people have shown up. Our organization is made up of over thirty people. Where are all these people going that they can't spare an hour to clean up?!
I digress. Anyway, if you are going to do a forest clean-up, drag a friend or two along with you. Talk to the people in charge of caring for these pieces of land and work with them to sponsor days of clean-up around the place with volunteers from the area, if they don't do so already.
And if/when you do go out, which I highly recommend as the forest will be pleased to see you making an effort, then wear heavy duty gloves and bring more trash bags than you think you need. Wear clothes you're not afraid of getting dirty and shoes you won't mind getting wet. Be prepared to do a bit of wading, too, as you shouldn't forget to clear out any trash you see from streambeds and riversides.
Good luck. It's not work if you take your time, so be sure to enjoy it! You won't regret it, either.
Great pointers, thank you Kaye; I will surely do that :)
DeleteThe last time I hiked the Grand Canyon - I can't tell you the amount of trash that people leave on the trail. My pockets were filled - I was kind of ticked. I always am afraid of what these people's homes look like.
ReplyDeleteHomelight, yes, it does make you wonder! I'm glad you picked some of it up. I plan on doing some cleaning up this weekend... got the gripper tool so I don't have to handle the nasty things like that gross diaper!
DeleteBeautiful poem! It makes me very sad/angry as well to see the trash people leave behind. So rude! It's a gift that we have these places to enjoy.
ReplyDeleteThank you Rue, I'm always a bit shy with my poetry... and my artwork for that matter. I purchased the gripper tool and plan on doing some clean up this weekend :)
DeleteIt is pretty sad how some people treat Nature and her green. My Piano Man went for a walk the other day, I wanted to see spring. I got a whole bunch of pictures, which I'll share later. But we spent many minutes picking up trash that people left behind. I swear that every drunk around here goes to get rid of garbage at the park *sigh* Abuse indeed.
ReplyDeleteMagaly, I know... it's awful. Hope you enjoyed your walk though, despite the trash... I did for the most part. I will watch for your pics :)
ReplyDelete