Before I started with iNat, I would go out for a brisk hour-long nature walk every couple of days or so, stopping occasionally to take a picture or two of something interesting that I might encounter.
Shortly after joining, I noticed that my hour walks were starting to be two hour strolls and that I was only covering half the distance. But lots more neat pictures, yes.
After about the second month, I struggled to spend less than 4 hours on my excursions, often never making it more than a few yards past the trail entrance.
Now, in the middle of my fourth month, I have started ‘waking up’ at the end of a long day outdoors, not sure of anything other than dead camera batteries and no more room on the mem card.
Then last night in the shower, I noticed that… some of my body hair was starting to take on a little greenish tint. And what I thought was a rash on the bottom of my feet is looking more and more like certain lichens I’ve recently seen.
Today I find myself struggling to fight the urge to climb to the top of a high tree, bite a limb, close my eyes and give into that strange feeling that something wants to… well, ‘emerge’ from the top of my skull.
Oh, and yes. iNat has given me a very satisfying feeling that we’re all part of something much larger (or smaller?) than we could ever truly imagine.
Hold on. Excuse me a sec.
:::Aaahhchooo!!:::
Ooh, tendrils!