Have You 'Natured' In Fair Lawn?

I find nature amazing.

And what's with this Radburn name anyway? It's everywhere.

Okay, here goes. I'm a big proponent of recognizing what's to my right and left, and not only what I can trip over or what's immediately in eye's view. You see, many will hop in a car, drive through Fair Lawn and meet Routes 4 or 208 or another highway, with nary a glance at what lingers on the roadside. They'll miss the tiny blades of grass, the decayed and fallen tree limb, the nuisance weeds and the singing sparrow. When I can, I try to notice them.

I'm at the picnic table at Daly Field, which is private property of the Radburn Association. The picnic bench itself is chained to a neighboring tree.

I'm not a nature expert, nor a good estimator of acreage, so it's hard to tell how big Daly Field really is. The setting is serene, almost what you would expect on a sunny, 80-degree day. Birds are chirping, a nice level of green grass prevails down a slight hill, the area maintained up until a fence separates wild growth from the main part of the field. Also in the distance, an old basketball backboard and hoop reign along the Plaza Drive side.

I could return to this picnic table one day, and sit and perhaps read a book–and maybe (okay, definitely) I will. But here's the main question: How many people have ever come here, minus walking a dog and playing ball, to explore, investigate nature? How many have taken a close peek at a downed tree on Chiefs Way (Berdan Avenue)? Walked to that fence roughly 50 yards away and compare the growth? I wonder, have deer been spotted here? Bears?

Remember, I'm no nature expert, but just someone who marvels at things sometimes silent that I often–and perhaps–shouldn't ignore.

Be well,

Steve