Casey

Casey Experience:

High on the embankment overlooking the creek, four legs hung over the edge. Mine jumped down, spurred by the excitement of wilderness. The sun beat down, fifty times hotter and stronger than it had a few hours before, while the wind calmly flew through the spring air. My feet, clothed in the protective rubber of my rainboots, found their way along the lower bank, hopping from one perch to another until there was no place further to explore safely. I stood, looking at the creek, thinking about the girl (whom we had offended when we couldn't understand how anyone could possibly sit in a deer stand for hours on end), who told us that "Sitting outside by yourself is one of the most calming experiences you can have." It truly was. So I lay placid on my coat until it was time to retreat.


O'Brien:

O'Brien's neighbors distrusted him for quite some time after he moved onto his property. He found out later that they thought he was a spy, because he treated his land so differently than everyone else did. He, unlike the others, allowed some land to go unused. He was protecting the delicate soils by doing so, and ended up getting better results in the end.

O'Brien used his land not just as a source of economy but as a place to find beauty, to study, and to improve. He also, most importantly, had a strong desire to return the land to its most natural state. (This desire was a leading proponent of his decision to switch from raising cattle to buffalo).

All of these factors can be applied to the usage of the Casey Property. For, since the donator required the land not be economically, the possibilities left are similar to those of O'Brien: for enjoyment, study, and improvement, and to, possibly, also restore the land to its more primitive state.