One of the most important aspects of my spot was that it had to be in a place where no one would interact with me. I found this spot in my first week on campus when I was tired of eating in my room, so I decided to go exploring. I found a spot next to the pond where no one could see me unless they were looking closely, and I couldn’t hear anyone. I wanted it to be near water, so naturally I went to the pond. I also looked at the stream, but it didn’t seem remote enough. I sit next to the bushes that surround the pond, looking toward the road. The stream is far enough away that I can only see the trees that follow it. There are no trees in my immediate area, but to the east (to the right behind me) there is a young, small tree. A large tree is almost in front of me a little ways off. The area is usually quiet and uninterrupted.

         I found this spot to get away from people and closer to natural elements. The water in the pond and the stream, the grass, the trees, and even the ants that crawl onto my blanket helped me achieve my goal. Most of the time it is sunny and warm when I am here, but this time it is dreary and wet. I love it. Sitting under an umbrella, trying not to get too wet, was cozy for me. The droplets disturb the surface of the pond while also weighing down the leaves on the few trees. 

        I hear the birds in the trees surrounding the pond, but they never come out to where I can see them. The squirrels though, they do come out. These particular squirrels never come as close as the ones in the garden do, but similarly to their counterparts, if I moved, they moved – usually farther away from me. Watching the grass, I could see a whole other miniature world where the ants roamed. Few other bugs dared to bother the ants’ territory. Gnats mingled in the air while the occasional dragonfly whipped by. 

        I enjoyed my time at my sit-spot. Having the time to focus on the world around me is a luxury that I so often ignore. It is peaceful, away from people, away from problems, and surrounded by life. Watching the squirrels interact and the ants bump into one another sheds different lights on your perspective on the world. And maybe I’m getting too deep into the philosophy of life. But sitting on the ground for a while does wonders for clearing my mind. I’m interested to see how the area changes over time and as the seasons pass.

 

     

          I have chosen to follow the pond, the small tree behind me, and the large tree in front of me. The pond is the most interesting to me, with its inhabitants and plant life. Algae covered some of the surface and coated much of the banks. I’d like to track its growth to see if there is more or less in the colder months. I chose the young, small tree so I could watch it grow. I know I won’t see an inordinate amount of growth in only a few months, but I’m hoping I’ll be able to notice some differences, perhaps in leaf size or height. The large tree in front of me is one that has a large and beautiful canopy. This tree dwarfs all the others around it in size, and I’m hoping to figure out what kind of tree it is (along with the small one).