Question of the Week: What’s your favorite place out in the environment?
Posted on June 8th, 2009 - 10:30 AM
Relaxing in your backyard. Hiking in a national park. Birding in a wetland. We all have a favorite place where we go to connect with nature. June is Great Outdoors Month.
What’s your favorite place out in the environment?
Each week we ask a question related to the environment. Please let us know your thoughts as comments. Feel free to respond to earlier comments or post new ideas. Previous questions.
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Question of the Week
June 8th, 2009 at 11:09 am
The ocean for sure. Walking along the beach - sunrise, sunset - doesn’t matter. Swimming in the ocean or just listening to the waves. Hands down my favorite connection to nature.
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Nancie reply on June 8, 2009 1:36 pm:
I’ll second the ocean! Nothing as calming or freeing as the big blue. I could sit for hours and just watch nature.
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Sylvia H reply on June 8, 2009 2:11 pm:
My favorite place in nature is watching the Sunrise in the early morning near the mountains as the fog clears as I review the beautiful scenery, flowers, trees, brooks, waterfalls and hearing the wonderful sounds of the trees rustling, birds chirping, wildlife talking to each other. What a glorious mass of sensory activities to observe and feel!
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Sangyong Han reply on June 8, 2009 9:16 pm:
Hillo! I feel like so with you. My best place in nature is the wood in the early morning. It’s calmly and peaceful, fresh and neat.
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Anonymous reply on June 8, 2009 3:11 pm:
so many places and this is one: the beach
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sophia reply on June 8, 2009 3:33 pm:
so many places i can’t figure out which place. at my grandma’s house there is woods with lots of cool stuff of nature. my mom went to one of my favorite places the beach, i love it there its the best and in these days my dad made a trip to the beach and i found hundreds of shells and we invited some friends and we had a nice time thats how i turned out to like the beach i like it it is awesome!!!!!!!!
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Tammy reply on June 8, 2009 9:43 pm:
My number one place to be outdoors is amongst the Ancient Redwoods, I especially love taking the roaring camp steam engine train in the Santa Cruz Mountains for a scenic tour. There is a place there called the cathedral where a ring of giant redwoods filter light, until it shines as if through leaded glass. It is a spectacular display of natural beauty, that never fails to take my breath away.
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Anonymous reply on June 9, 2009 9:21 am:
i like nature
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Anonymous reply on June 9, 2009 12:13 pm:
beach is awesome
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Anonymous reply on June 9, 2009 12:14 pm:
beach is beautiful
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June 8th, 2009 at 11:12 am
I enjoy riding in the country side getting lost and finding my way back. During this time I get to see new places and vista views of the farmland, livestock and old farm barns.
More parks should be constructed for the public in these rural areas.
[idea] Farm parks
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June 8th, 2009 at 11:17 am
in my backyard, i live in the woods so i am surrounded by nature!
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June 8th, 2009 at 11:19 am
my favourite place is any open area be it a beach or simply green grassy land. whenever i can go i do go there but when time and work bindings are there i love sitting in my little garden filled with flowers very naturally!
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June 8th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Red rock Country in Arizona
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June 8th, 2009 at 11:42 am
Outdoors - the beach…any beach. I love the ocean, sand and people.
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June 8th, 2009 at 11:56 am
The Northwoods of Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is peaceful, quiet, and relaxing.
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June 8th, 2009 at 11:58 am
The environment is everywhere without boundries and not one “specific” place. My two favorite places to marvel at nature are the Grand Canyon and anywhere in the Rocky Mountains.
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June 8th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
My favorate places out in the environment are the beach and a flower garden.
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June 8th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Trinity Lake in Trinity County in Northern California when the lake is full. Lately they have been letting to much water out be cause of a court ruling. This has made the water level to low to enjoy the lake.
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June 8th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Ecotones. Places where the Earth is most dynamic and alive. Where forest meets savannah. Where mountains leave trees behind. Where waves crash against a craggy shore. Also in the edge of a coral reef, where abundance receded into nothingness…
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June 8th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
south of turkey and taksim in istanbul…
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June 8th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
I love the ocean; it’s my happy place! More specifically, I could spend the rest of my days on a pristine beach with mangroves and shrubbery… It is a rare find in Florida, but once found- there’s nothing like it!
Oh! And the Mounds @ Lake Jackson in Tallahassee, FL! Pure amazingness!
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June 8th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Chicago neighborhood parks and tree lined streets, Lake Michigan and LSD…
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June 8th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Any place I can relax, close my eyes and listen to nature …. hearing the birds in my backyard, listening to the ocean against the sand…. hearing the crickets and frogs at a lake or the stillness of the mountains.
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June 8th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
“Out” in the environment? I disagree. The environment is here, everywhere we go on this planet. We transform the natural places mentioned in other responses into man-made creations where other species sometimes adapt, sometimes die out. We need to think of the earth in a different light. Humans have claimed more than half of all land, cut down half the world’s forests, dried up rivers, and have left 1/4 of mammal species on a course to endangerment by 2050.
National Parks are GREAT! State parks are GREAT! The beach is AWESOME! But take a look at a satellite map of the U.S., or open the window shade on your next airplane ride. How much unaltered space do you see?
Now think about your everyday choices as a consumer and how these choices affect the environment. For your daily commute, can you imagine using bike paths instead of your car? For your everyday food, do you know what crops are local to your area?
Let’s hope our great-grandchildren can inherit a comfortable, stable planet to enjoy every day, not just during Great Outdoors Month.
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Chris S reply on June 9, 2009 10:55 am:
Oh, so true!
The term ecology was coined from the Greek and referred to “home” - so I guess we can really say that anywhere on the planet Terra, which is “home” for our species until space travel becomes a reality.
For my part, I’m happiest when I not anywhere near pavement, large crowds of humanity and the air is fresh to breathe.
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June 8th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
I like to be in any and all natural areas where I can peddle my bike and experience.
Some places I frequent when convenient are:
Shadow Cliff in Pleasanton, Ca.
Rio Hondo water duct/canal(aka marano bch) bike path.
Huntington & Venice Beach, Ca
Lake Havasu City, Ca
Yosimite & Sedona…
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June 8th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
The beach…DEFINITELY the beach. As a native Southern
Californian, I’ve been going to the beaches of Orange County
ever since I was a tiny-tot, and my mother insisted after
eating ANYTHING we had to wait 45-minutes for our food
to digest, otherwise my brother and I would get cramps
and instantly-drown!
Y’day, for example, I went to Huntington Beach, on the
west side, where the parking in the residential neighborhood
is free and the waves are consistent and not to big.
I continue to boogie-board as I have for 4 decades, and
I’m going to keep doing it as long as my eyes and my
body function.
Cold? Heck, yes. And I never wear a wetsuit, but it’s
fun to challenge myself against the swells. And of course,
living now in the desert, going to the beach holds even
more meaning to me now than ever! Sometimes…it’s
the ONLY place to be!
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June 8th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Locally (SF area), I really like the ocean shore and sunsets.
That’s part of why I live about 200 feet from the Pacific Ocean. However, Golden Gate Park has some great treed areas to hike through (and you can get back to civilization by walking 1-2 blocks from any location).
2nd Place - Oregon (near Mill City/Salem) has forest, river, ocean and mountains all in one package! Very relaxed. Oregon/northern California is very similar.
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June 8th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
My favourite place on earth is the tropical forest, warm and with a heavy moisture. In the morning the fog moves around toward the sky. At night nor the moon can illuminate the ground. The richness place on earth may put you in front of animals that you cannot expect and will let you in astonishment. Sometimes you can feel like you were in a maze. That’s terrific.
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June 8th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Game management of squirrels in my background - OK, I’m being antagonistic. My cynical sense of humor.
In truth I like anywhere that I can’t see, hear, or smell the press of people. Whether that is offshore in the ocean, on top of an Alaskan mountain, or just in the middle of the desert. I find wide open empty spaces hold a special appeal for me.
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June 8th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
I grew up in Miami, Florida and so I have fond memories of walking on the beach at sunset or having a picnic at the beach with family and friends.
I also loved to go body surfing and feel the surge of the waves pulling me the shoreline. The ocean air and the waves always make me feel free and clears my mind.
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Luis Visani reply on June 9, 2009 4:59 pm:
Really a fantastic memory. One day i’ll surf in the beaches of Florida and feel like you felt when you were younger. I’m from Brazil and here we have marvelous landscapes that i will have to spend one entire life visiting. That is great.
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June 8th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
‘da BEACH!
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June 8th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Hands down my favorite place to be is anywhere in Yosemite National Park. Yosemite Falls, Vernal Falls, Toulamne meadows, Tioga pass, Hetch Hetchy, Glacier Point, any of the Giant Sequoia groves or just sitting next to the Merced River. All of the national parks deserve to be preserved and protected.
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June 8th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Death Valley, California. It is unique. It is wierd. It is almost unearthly. The light is brilliant. The vistas change every moment. The air is sparkling clean and fresh without a trace of humidity. Sand dunes, salt flats, etc.
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Left Coast Tim reply on June 25, 2009 5:51 pm:
Hmm…you must be one of those cock-eyed optimists. I work literally on Death Valley’s edge…and now that the 100+ degrees of summer have started, it’s all I can do to restrain myself from jumping in front of one of the many trains that pass through Barstow to end the climatological misery, hah-hah!
Though an ex- and I did stay in DV for New Year’s Eve awhile back, it WAS nice…but then, it never got
over 75. To each their own.
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June 8th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
I prefer going to a natural park with lots of tree, reading books in the forest, listening soft music and breathing the pure air.
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June 8th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
To better put me in connection with environment nature. I get more than one favorite place out, those are: Sitting by beach seaside, High Mountain clips forest and riverside.
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June 8th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Well let see I planted a garden with cabbage,tomato,peppers,hot pepper, sage, cantolope,collar greens, and lot’s of flowers. So there are a lot of birds ,black birds, red robin, dove, humming bird,butterflys,moths,and birds that I have never seen or hard of.small with yellow bep and black tail.
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June 8th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
There are so many to choose from, but Glacier National Park in early August is tough to beat! Going to the Sun Road to Logan Pass VC, Highline Trail, Granite Park Chalet, Swiftcurrent Pass, and then arrive at Many Glacier Hotel - no better hike on the planet.
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June 8th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Honestly anywhere. Excluding the city and urban areas. Somewhere where there is little pollution and fresh air.
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June 8th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
I love walking through our pastures after a spring rain. We are in a semi-arid region and most of our rain events are May-June and in September. When it rains the wildflowers bloom and the air smells fresh. Plants come to life along with insects, birds, mammals of all types and the earth seems to start to mend itself. I wish all Americans had the privilege to own a few acres of rural land. It would change their outlook on life. It amazes me how intricate nature is and how God planned and created it. I feel the closest to Him when I have time to enjoy nature.
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June 8th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Forests…or wetlands…maybe a forest near wetlands.
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Kristen Perez reply on June 9, 2009 3:52 pm:
Maritime forest
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June 8th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
My favorite place out in the environment is black mountain road in california. It has trees, hills, water, wildlife, a wire fence, benches and few people.
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June 9th, 2009 at 5:46 am
i love walking lonely along roads on the hills. i like to live in hill stations since they are cool and quite. i am a lover of nature and i love to enjoy the nature.
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June 9th, 2009 at 7:31 am
I’ve been blessed with the ability of hiking many, many national parks, beachs, countrysides, etc… can’t choose which one would be my favorite environment. God’s country is remarkable is every aspect.
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June 9th, 2009 at 7:38 am
standing besides my son (used to be my father) fishing on a small pond and listening to the frogs.
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June 9th, 2009 at 9:07 am
Love going to the lakes in Notheastern Oklahoma, but the lakes and rivers have become so polluted with heavy metals and hazardous materials and animal waste and warnings about going into the water or eating the fish it makes it hard to find safe water or lake to enjoy or let the grand children play in or fish.
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June 9th, 2009 at 9:43 am
My own yard - I live on a farm and love to be anywhere on the property. Watching the sheep graze, walking along the creek, sitting by the pond, hiking in the woods or looking across the pastures. It’s my refuge from a world that is too polluted, overpopulated, noisey and greedy.
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Chris S reply on June 9, 2009 12:48 pm:
I too have a small farm that is pasture & woodlot with a small stream.
But the sheep have been replaced with Scottish Highland Cattle.
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June 9th, 2009 at 9:46 am
My heart’s favorite is hiking in the Kettle Moraine in Wisconsin. I love to watch the the hawks overhead. But Ireland is a green I have never seen any place - the Connemara area is beautiful. And I love when it is pitch dark and you can really see the stars. Where I live now that is hard to come by.
I guess what was said earlier, there is beauty in all of our environment and our environmenta is everywhere.
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June 9th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Near water….it possesses such a calming feeling. I live by an estuary and enjoy walking along the bay, watching the shorebirds feeding in the mud, and the gulls & terns flying overhead. I also like the ocean’s shore and can become mesmerized by the crashing surf. There is a peace and serenity I feel as I watch the waves. And there’s nothing quite like a beautiful sunset.
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June 9th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Mountains with snow
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June 9th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
and rivers
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June 9th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
On the beaches of Dauphin Island off the Gulf Coast of Alabama.
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June 10th, 2009 at 12:08 am
I enjoy biking and or walking threw Prince William National Forest.
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June 10th, 2009 at 7:45 am
Why make the overcrowding worse by adding my presence? I stay home to watch the documentaries and travelogues.
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June 10th, 2009 at 9:22 am
My House.
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June 10th, 2009 at 9:40 am
My cabin and tree farm in northern Minnesota.
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June 10th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Wading the flats of Tampa Bay and pulling on trout faces.
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June 10th, 2009 at 11:08 am
Chimney Pond in Baxter State Park in Maine.
Mountain overlook in Great Pond Mountain Conservancy Trust Wildlands in Maine.
By my frog-filled pond surrounded by forest, my home in Maine.
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June 10th, 2009 at 11:41 am
I love wide open spaces with low vegetation, allowing me to see far distances and enjoy sunsets and sunrises. Growing up in central Illinois on a farm greatly influenced this. Gliding on the water of northern Lake Superior around Isle Royale is also a favorite spot of mine.
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June 10th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
by the ocean. and blueberry hill in maine
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June 10th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
On top of a mountain in NH…preferably one with a rocky summit (great for lunching on) on a bright clear day when you can see clear to Canada. Hopefully, the white throated sparrow is singing “Old Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody”, and the Clintonia is blooming.
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June 10th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
The ocean, any clean ocean or sea. Stay in a hut in the brush. Then when you decide to really breathe, go out on a small sailing vessel or catamaran with living quarters. Kayak.
I also have a passion for larger rivers and tributaries. A canoe trip for a few days, pitch a tent.
With nature, become alive again. Bring a friend, have beautiful memories.
Thanks for the question. It was like creating a banquet for one’s being.
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Johnny R. reply on June 11, 2009 9:58 am:
I notice you stipulated “any clean ocean or sea” - not so easy to find these days.
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June 11th, 2009 at 10:54 am
i like the indoors because there is air conditioning, food, and no animal feces.
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June 11th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
My favorite place is in the shadow of our nuclear power plant. I can just look at it and imagine all the electrons rushing out to power water treatment plants, respirators at the hospitals, provide heat for nursing homes and etc. All the while emitting no CO2. I wonder why Obama wont build more plants with the one trilliion dollar stimulus?
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June 11th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
The desert, the desert, the desert, I loooove the desert.
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June 12th, 2009 at 9:24 am
Anywhere outdoor in the Great USA: East and West Coast beaches, the Great Plains, Smokies, Rockies, swamps. Take it in. Climb a Colorado 14er and watch the sunrise over this huge, beautiful expanse of land and water.
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June 14th, 2009 at 9:36 am
My favorite place in nature is watching the Spring in the night near the mountains, flowers, trees.
There is a peace and serenity I feel as I watch the water, And there’s nothing quite like a beautiful mountain.
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June 15th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
Cool, early morning hillside in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, overlooking a tallgrass vale commingled with a few oak stands and fir; maybe with wisps of ground fog lazing between the trees…
Or laying on a bedroll, in the West Texas Davis Mountains, watching the moonrise with too many stars to count…
Or maybe looking westward across a pristine lake in the Boundary Waters, the sun barely above the trees, with the only disturbance on the lake, the waves from a loon gliding across
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June 25th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
June is a great time to spend it hiking back in Western Montana. Before the all the tourist arrive.
Remember one can be a traveler, without being a tourist.
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June 27th, 2009 at 11:06 pm
I LOVE 2 go down to the creek near my house and it has a very small waterfall and u cant go swimming but it is so beautiful and has rocks plus next to the creek is wonderful trails if u follow them far enough u will come to this old abandon shed or house a tree has fallen on it so u cant enter but if i had the chance i would. Saddly are wonderful creek and trails will be ruiend because this man wants to plant trees and use the creek water to water them but he needs to relize is it isn’t a ocean. And it cant supply water 4 over 1,000 trees. Help protect are little creek. <3
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July 3rd, 2009 at 11:31 am
My favorite place in the world is a forest w/hills in SE Oklahoma, the Ouachita Mountains. We have a little cabin in the forest, and it is so peaceful, you can sometimes hear a pin drop. We see different birds, wasps, bugs, lizards, spiders, and hear all sorts of music created by the animals. We are so lucky to participate in nature’s celebration!
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