Home field advantage

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. —Lao Tzu

As I wished to get some fresh air and be more in touch with nature during the past year, I started making frequent visits to the nature trails that were close to my home. Osamegquin nature preserve was one of the trails I spent a lot of time exploring. Its location is a mere five minutes’ drive from my home, I am embarrassed to admit I have never set foot there for the twenty years I have lived in the neighborhood. After I made my initial visit to the trail, I was immediately taken by its beauty.

Osamequin nature preserve dates back to the history of Massasoit Ousa Mequin. He welcomed the Pilgrims from the Mayflower and sighed the Peace Treaty with them that lasted for 54 years. The Massassoit was the leader of the headship Pokanoket Tribe which ruled over many other tribes within the Pokanoket Nation. The ancestral homeland of the Pakanoket Tribe was called Sowams. Its land consisted of what is now East Bay Rhode Island and parts of Southeastern Massachusetts. This includes Barrington, the town I reside in.

As I first walked through the entrance to the nature preserve during my initial visit in the winter, I was greeted by this path lined with this beautiful tall beige grass on both sides. Bathed in sunlight, the tall grass looked as though it was glowing. With a short walk, you have some beautiful views of the salt marsh. Bird houses dotted all over as the nature preserve provides sanctuary to many bird species. The trail offers a perfect respite for one’s hectic life despite hints of traffic coming from the nearby major highway, the Wampanoag trail.

I began bringing my camera equipment with me during my walks after my initial visit. The proximity of its location makes for a perfect ground for experimentation whenever I wish to exercise my creative muscle. I make visits whenever time allows. I gain an intimate knowledge of the area as time goes on. The many different species of trees and plant life provide abundance of material to work with. My favorite time to visit is in the quiet of the early morning when there are few visitors.

I devote a lot of my time photographing the salt marsh, where the coastal wetlands being flooded and drained by the salt water brought in by the tides. Due to such ever-changing conditions, the opportunities to photograph are infinite. I find the transient nature of a subject with varied temperament a perfect metaphor for life. I am keenly aware each movement is unique, each moment is sweet.

I feel blessed to have such easy access at my doorstep to photograph a land with deep connections to some of the most significant American history. My appreciation to the Osamequin nature preserve continues to deepen as I learn what it has to offer.

#Nature #Seasons #Osamequin