Comparison of the woods

October 16, 2007
I fear that I will actually have lots of entries to write since it has been so long, but for now I will just start with my comparison of the Northern woods and the jungle at the camp in Honduras. This past week I have had the opportunity to be back in Lancaster and I took several hikes in the woods at Black Rock Retreat. I love the fall season with the changing leaves, the colors, and the crunch underfoot. To my disappointment the temperatures when I arrived in PA, gave no indication of autumn and the colors were not too noticeable. Thankfully the temperatures dropped and so it felt like fall even though the colors were still lacking.

Regardless of how much it looked or felt like fall, I loved the short hikes and time sitting by the creek at Black Rock. Having just spent most of my time hiking around my camp in Honduras which has the tropical feel, I noticed many differences. The temperature was an obvious one but I realized that the northern woods are more subtle in the sounds and colors. The call of the birds was more gentle. Their size and color blended well with their surroundings. Although the cardinals and bluebirds are around, the birds in PA tend to be less flamboyant and loud in announcing their presence. I have become accustomed to the loud calls of the birds of Honduras, their bright colors, and also the fact that the jungle changes every week. There are always new flowers or new fruits popping up. Change is slower and seemingly more organized in the northern woods where most things bloom and die around the same time. These are all generalizations of course and there are tons of exceptions but I found myself thinking of the beauty of both worlds and thankful that I can experience both.

(RIGHT: Passionfruit flower, Honduras)