I Miss This Place

The pink and orange hues of the sunset reflect across my face as I gaze intensively at the sight. The colors change their shades as the sun sinks deeper behind the White Mountains.

I’ve watched this sun set dozens of times in the same spot at my aunt’s house tucked away in the mountainside of Jackson, New Hampshire. When I was younger, the sunset was the cue for my aunt Cathy and I to get in her car, drive down the mountain, and look for wildlife wandering in the night. Our first stops were around different housing communities, restaurants, or any facility that had large dumpsters, to see if the bears were out trash picking. These adventures never failed us. Each night we would see bears and their cubs “foraging” for the McDonald’s leftovers. These nights were my first encounters with the more fierce wildlife. I’ve seen bears and deer wandering in the front yard of the house, but this experience taught me how animals tried to adapt to the lifestyle of humans and how we moved into their forest homes. These nights were some of my most memorable, but my aunt never failed to remind me that wildlife shouldn’t have to depend on humans for food for survival. Every story was more captivating than the one before. My aunt created the core foundation of my love for nature. When I was about 17, my aunt passed away from cancer. I took all the lessons and nights spent with her as my motivation to earn a degree in Environmental Conservation. I go back to the house in Jackson a few times a year, wishing I could tell my aunt everything I’ve learned. I know the first thing we would do is hop in the car and go on our bear spotting excursions.

This week I wanted to share some of the photos I’ve taken in Jackson and the White Mountains. Enjoy!