Human + Nature: Lillian Hollis

One of my first memories as a child was going to Bunched Arrowhead Heritage Preserve with my family and dog. I like running on the trails and investigating the bird houses. We would sit at the edge of the pond and listen and watch the frogs. My mother and I would have a picnic there and enjoy the view and listen to the sounds of nature. 

We liked to see how the place changed with each season. The flowers blooming in the spring, the green leaves in the summer, the different shades of orange, red, and yellow in the fall, and the little bits of snow and ice in the winter. 

We like to bring our visiting out-of-town family there to show them one of my favorite places where I live. I am happy there are places like Bunched Arrowhead where I live so I can experience the beauty of the outdoors. 

This story was initially published in the Upstate Advocate, a twice-yearly print newsletter produced by Upstate Forever, as part of a piece called "Human + Nature: Ten Upstate Residents Share How the Natural World Shapes Their Lives." View the full issue (PDF)