Natural Writing




Yosemite Half Dome as viewed from Washburn Point in evening light before sunset

When I pen my writing I often quote authors to amplify the message. It is necessary to bring together history to see the issues of the current time. Today I provide quotes from John Muir of the importance and transformational power of nature's mountains and of nature's rocks.

“Heaven knows that John the Baptist was not more eager to get all his fellow sinners into the Jordan than I to baptize all of mine in the beauty of God’s mountains.”

“Compare walking on dead planks with walking on living rock where a distinct electric flash seems to attend every step. ”

John Muir

Think of the redemptive power of the mountains and the valleys and live with appreciation.

Their brave beauty work

Yosemite Plants - Road from Arch Rock Station

Having read John Muir and learned John Muir one hears Muir's descriptions when walking the trails of Yosemite.

The radiance in some places is so great as to be fairly dazzling, keen lance-rays of every color flashing, sparkling in glorious abundance, joining the plants in their fine, brave beauty-work, every flower, every crystal, a window opening into heaven, a mirror reflecting the Creator.

 

 

 

John Muir

Much of the forest, perhaps the majority of the forest is old growth forest.  To visit Yosemite is to visit a Xanadu of protected old growth forest.  Though the trees are protected from cutting they still may be damaged by drought, insects, and blights. Though the sequoias get the attention the sugar pines grow in many more parts of the mountains and valleys of the Sierra Nevada mountains.   The sugar pines are so appealing you want to look at them. 


 

The radiance of the Sierra

The radiance in some places is so great as to be fairly dazzling, keen lance-rays of every color flashing, sparkling in glorious abundance, joining the plants in their fine, brave beauty-work,-
every flower, every crystal, a window opening into heaven, a mirror reflecting the Creator.

John Muir

This writing is so powerful that it must be repeated.

A puzzle

Snowy path - Iroquois Park

John Muir wrote of the outdoors and the land under the sky.  In his writing he said it is "familiar."  And it is familiar.  When we enter the outdoors we go into a big room that we find familiar.  Though there all sorts of creatures that we don't know about we sense the familiar in our journey into the outdoors.  The scents to come to us mostly appeal to us.  It is a puzzle how the outdoors is full of unknowns and is familiar.  And it is familiar.

In us

"Life is a great adventure... accept it in such a spirit."  Theodore Roosevelt

"We little know how much wildness there is in us."   John Muir 

"If you wish to advance into the infinite, explore the finite in all directions."       
  Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe 

See more, hear more and do it soon.  Theodore Roosevelt, John Muir and Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe have provided the path for you.