Yay Women Writers!

Let me start this blog response by saying that I really enjoyed reading these articles that were written by women during the 1900s. I thought that was really neat.

The first article by Gene Stratton Porter, "From Moths if the Limberlost," felt like an adventure from Indiana Jones or Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It was like the author was searching for the holy grail but this time it was a butterfly/moth and she didn't have a whip or she wasn't using coconuts as horse hooves. As reading of how the author was on this long search for the Cecropia I couldn't help but feel discomfort. From studying to be a scientist I understand that we need to discover and research things to move on to the next level but I often struggle with feeling the need to discover and name every species out there. And to discover all those species it requires taking them out of their natural habitat so we as humans can fully understand every little piece of that certain species. Now don't get me wrong I love exploring new areas and discovering new things and I love labs, but this is just a constant struggle that I feel. In the realm of science, there has always been that constant struggle, of finding how to find a good balance between humans and nature.

I really connected to Mary Austin's article "The Land of Little Rain" because it was a little taste of familiarity and it actually made me really miss home. Even though Austin was talking about California I couldn't help but think of home. She did a good job of describing the wonder about the desert and how it's so different from other places like Indiana. I really do love the dry weather, blue skies, sunshine, painted rocks. Austin is right, it for sure doesn't rain a lot but when it does it is so spectacular! The clouds get dark blue and purple and the lighting is unbelievable, so clear and dangerous and then when it does rain... it rains! But then after 15 minutes or so the rain stops and the clouds move on and then the sun breaks through. Those are the type of storms I like. Another thing that I really enjoy is that you can look out at a landscape and see for miles to the next horizon, and you can see every crevice and do't get me started on the texture of the rocks! . Austin states, "Very fertile are the desert plants in expedients to prevent evaporation, turning their foliage edgewise toward the sun, growing silky hairs, exuding viscid gum." I think that is just so amazing how plant life adapts to the climate of the desert and how it survives. Those are the type of things that assure me of why I choose to study biology and why I want to be an environmental educator.