If you can't write at the time you are in the midst of a beautiful spot, then take a few photos, and look at them later, when you have the time to write. Describe everything you see and admire, along with the feel of the breeze, the sun on your face, the sound of rain drops on leaves, or cool snowflakes tinging your eyelashes. Whatever you remember from when you were there.
I recall a time when I was in the Adirondack Mountains and took an unplanned stroll on a path off the side of a road. At the end of this path was a lake named, Rock Lake. It was totally silent there, except for the thrilling and haunting calls of two Loons on the lake, and leaves falling to the ground. I could hear each leaf as it landed on the forest floor.
Unfortunately, I left my camera in the car, as this was an unplanned venture. But the memory of it remains fresh in my mind, even a decade or so later.
But not all nature experiences are necessarily pleasant, although always interesting. Getting caught in a lightening storm is not only frightening but dangerous. Walking or driving on a foggy road can be a daunting task. And weathering out a storm, be it snow or torrential rain, can bring on a sense of foreboding. However, they make for great genuine tension in a story.
And don't overlook the intricate wonders of nature, like colorful fungi, peeping critters off the side of the road, unique flowers, and stacks of firewood on a front porch. They all can add a real sense of 'being there' to the reader as you describe these gems of nature.
It's a good idea to have a nature journal to record such special sacred times with Mother Nature. At some point, you might need to refer to it for writing a nature scene. Have it in sections of seasons, and also in sections of, serene, challenging, or frightening.
When we describe what we've really experienced and saw, the description is always more engrossing and alive, than when we write of a place from research alone.
This is why I travel a couple hours from my mountain place to the Amish community of, Stone Arabia, whenever I can.
At present, I write mainly Amish stories. The Amish live in farm settings and their lives are surrounded by nature and farm animals. Internet research and information given to me by others, seems stale in comparison to the actual viewing of the place where my stories take place. It's one thing to look at a photo of an Amish horse and buggy coming down a road, but entirely another, to hear the clip-clop of the horse and see the smile of greeting on the Amish driver as he passes my car.
Next time, we'll talk about how to grasp the energy and pulse of city life.
