Webster Park in Orono is a place that I have been going to for years. I feel like I am from here, in a way. It has nurtured my relationships with friends, animals, and the Earth in ways that have impacted who I am today.
My favorite thing to do, no matter the season, is to walk to the park. My favorite part of the park is that I might run into a friend. On this day, I ran into Emma, who was showing off her new talent of making dandelion crowns!
While I was excitedly trying to learn, while Emma was mastering the skill, our friend Julia arrived with her dog, Addy, and their (now former) friends. Emma and I combined our efforts to ensure that Addy could be adorned with the most beautiful crown of all.
The Stillwater River is part of Webster Park. I took this photo because I thought it was really cool to see a plant that should be resting on the water, growing above it! I feel like I am constantly looking at plants, and especially bugs, through much more romantic eyes when I am at the park.
It is also so cool to be able to watch Addy interact with such an interesting space. She wades into the river in November just like we do in July.
A different day than our dandelion crowns, but Emma, Julia, and I were at the park another day. The prerequisite to climb this tree was the ability to do a chin up, and to then quickly swing both legs up and around a branch. I took many photos like this from the ground, but I was able to watch in delight when Emma was able to replicate Julia’s routine perfectly for the first time. This park has shaped me to entirely appreciate the value of relationships formed alongside interactions with the natural world, and to thrive through experiences that coincide with that value.
