Kern
Music Information:
- California Sessions
- G major/E Minor
- 36 Measures
- Cello and Piano
- 3:20 min
- 4 Pages
“We only have two kinds of weather in California, magnificent and unusual.” – James M Cain
KERN COUNTY
Nature is everywhere, and it always manages to make its way through, even in the most unexpected places. In big industrialized cities, when I stop, take a deep breath, and look around, I always find some form of it—whether I see a beautiful bird soaring across the sky or notice a colorful flower on display in a fancy store window. Nature persists, reminding us of its presence even amid concrete and steel.
This same resilient spirit of nature thrives in Kern County, a central California region located just north of Los Angeles. Founded in 1866, Kern County stands as the third-largest county in the state by area, and here, nature isn't just surviving in small pockets—it's the foundation of life itself. The county's predominantly Hispanic community has built an agricultural economy that competes with farming regions across the entire country. It is of no surprise that agriculture dominates the landscape.
In Kern County, nature isn't just an occasional glimpse of beauty breaking through urban development—it's the driving force of the economy, the molder of the landscape, and the heart of the community. From the smallest flower in a city storefront to the endless rows of crops, nature finds a way to reveal itself, confirming that we're always connected to the earth, no matter where we stand.
INVASION
In all honesty, I have not spent a lot of time in Kern County. However, in the last couple of years, I have made short trips to and through this beautiful place that, in my opinion, is underestimated. Its history is complex only if one is unfamiliar with it; otherwise, it becomes very clear that foreigners wanted the rich land for themselves, just like the rest of California. They even had the audacity to call the invasion of the state an expedition.
But let us not turn this into a bitter political statement. Last summer, I made a trip to Kern County. I was not there for a camping trip, nor for a visit to some well-known national park—I went to a social event held in the city of Bakersfield. I took Highway 65 South, and the drive was an experience of breathtaking views. Most of the county is a real treasure of nothing but pure nature.
A COYOTE
Nature is a promise that life is not just empty tasks that I have to accomplish every day. Life is more than uninspired everyday activities. Because of nature, the whole world is bigger, more colorful, and more dynamic than I may think at first glance. This truth revealed itself to me on that drive through Kern County in a moment I will never forget.
At one point during my trip, I remember looking to the right side of the road and seeing one of the most beautiful creatures: a coyote. It was thoroughly unexpected—I had to hold my breath for a second or two. The sunlight made the animal's fur look brighter, and the metallic shades of green in some parts of its body were beyond beautiful. The elegant creature looked at the cars passing by, seemingly unconcerned and unafraid.
I remember wondering about the sort of life coyotes have. Many intriguing but important questions popped into my head at that moment: How long do they live in the wild? What do they eat? How do they die? What is more, it made me think about my own life and how captivating it is to live in a vibrant place like California.
SENSE OF AWE
After the trip, I kept thinking about wildlife. This life will continue its course, and nature will make its way through. I know there will be others, just like me, who hopefully get to experience nature with the same sense of awe that I had on my short trip to Kern County.
The boundless land ahead waited patiently—in this ruthless expedition we call life—for the coyote to continue forward and merge as one with the horizon as he walked away. Unlike myself, for the coyote, there was no rush to get from one point to another, no agenda, no deadlines, no irritation over a foreign invasion that happened more than a hundred years ago. For the coyote, it was, well, just life.
HAPPY TO BE ALIVE
It has been said by philosophers and romanticized by poets through history, that being in contact with nature might exalt mankind. I cannot say for sure if the hurried encounter with the coyote exalted me in any way, however, the brief connection I had, with the remarkable nature that exists in Kern County, made me feel very happy to be alive.