Into the “Wildness”- The Final Chapter (Tia Smith)

December 4th, 2019

12:45PM-1:56PM

The trees in my sit-spot have lost more leaves from my last session, finally exposing only the sycamore fruits and a few dry, auburn leaves. The stream was actually very clear that day compared to previous session with lots of leaf litter in the water.Over time, my sit-spot has become a shell of its former self. It is recognizable but hardly as beautiful as it used to be. I suppose beauty is relative, however to me lush green trees and soft summer grasses are more welcoming than brittle leaf litter and naked branches.

My last session was pretty slow. I assumed because it was super cold out including wind chill. It was approximately 50 degrees with heavy winds blowing toward the East. I really wanted to see some more birds that day which thankfully I did! At one point I saw a group of really fast flying birds with white undersides. They flew by so fast that I didn’t get a good look at them; I would estimate that there were about six birds in the flock. About 45 minutes later I saw a bird fly into a near by tree behind my sit-spot. It had a white belly, with a small stature and dainty legs. The wings, neck, and head were brown with dark brown or black speckles on its wings and back. When it flew it used only a couple flaps to glide through the air; those birds look very similar to the birds that we see hoping around campus. Eventually, I put two and two together and realized that it may have been the same birds from earlier. However, I was confused on if that species of bird typically flew in flocks or if they were more individuals?

The three objects that I studied were the Sycamore tree, the Willow tree, and the stream levels that ran directly in front of my sit-spot. I chose the Sycamore tree because I had just been introduced to the species of the tree, so I really wanted to study the progression of the species throughout the seasons. The Willow tree I chose because it was a tree I played in a lot as a child. Finally, I chose to watch the water levels of the stream simply because I was curious to watch how this would change.

The Ecology Sit-Spot experience has been a positive one overall. There were times that I really despised going outside and wasn’t allowing myself to see the bigger picture as to why this blog was important for me to create a relationship with nature. But of course eventually I came to senses and got things done, even if they were late. This experience emphasized the fact that time doesn’t stop for me and that nature doesn’t stop for anyone. I do believe that I have gained valuable skills such as the ability to look at things a little closer. When prompted to compare out objects and surroundings to our last session allowed me to look at changes in color, shape, quality, and other little details. This experience has made me feel more comfortable sitting alone in obscure places and writing down my thoughts and observations. Anything that you do more than once typically makes you feel more familiar with things and it sure has for me.

Looking back over my experience, the coolest thing that I experienced would have to be when I saw those deer across the stream from my sit-spot. It was midnight and I really enjoyed how secret and unwatched I felt. It was as if no one was there but the deer and I, which was a scary and relaxing fact.

This was a great experience and I hope that it continues. Thank you Liz, and thank you to my classmates for coming along for the ride into the “wildness”.

Sincerely,

Tia