Today I joined the Langley Field Naturalists for what I innocently thought was a walk in the bog. I keep forgetting that with these people, “a walk” can mean a full scientific immersion into wetlands, moss, cranes, soil nutriens and the history of water.
One gentleman arrived prepared to educate us about moss and the history of the wetland at Darby Reach Park. I learned that there are different kinds of wetlands—marshes, swamps, fens, and bogs—each defined by such things as water sources, soil chemistry and plant life. Very interesting! Unfortunately, the explanation was delivered in a way that made my brain quietly leave the building.
So I asked questions. Lots of them. I suspect some people were beginning to wonder whether I had wandered in from a completely different tour. But after some reflection, I decided that if a talk is clear and well organized, people usually don’t need to ask quite so many questions. Therefore, naturally, I asked more.
Then came a woman who had defended her PhD on cranes. She explained their habitats, rituals and various calls. Again, fascinating—but I know approximately nothing about cranes, so I was hoping for the “cranes for ordinary people” version. Instead, I received the “welcome to the inner circle of people who have devoted years of their lives to this subject” version.
By the end, I was decidedly met by repeated and increasingly obvious truths about climate change and the outdoors.
Still, I learned something important about myself: I apparently enjoy nature much more when nobody makes me feel that I need a membership card to understand it.
I will probably join them again. But next time I will remind myself: I am not signing up for a walk. I am signing up for a subject.
