On September 7th I went off into the dark to find my favorite place to hideaway. My intention was to repeat my experience there in daylight hours on the 8th or 9th. However, I did not find time in the daylight to do so. Nonetheless, it was a magical experience in the safety of the night.

My adventure started with heading out towards Siberia (West Parking Lot) through the open grass field. I steered to the left and walked down the slope. Eventually, I saw breakage in the foliage lining the creek and knew I was coming upon my spot. After getting through the brambles down to the water’s edge, I crossed the creek to a small “peninsula” of rocks and dead leaves and set up to sit. As prepared as I was for the night, I had left my notebook and only had one I keep in my bag at all times.  It was a

beautiful night and the first thing I couldn’t help but notice was the sounds of all the lovely bugs. It was the loudest, most complex, orchestra performance I have ever heard. The sounds of traffic in

the background stood no chance to challenge the cicadas, crickets, and more. An entrancing siren’s song I have not had the opportunity nor pleasure to experience before, the orchestra echoed from the canopy, from the ground, from all directions.

I was so entranced that I was very startled when I heard the first gunshot. I wasn’t even positive it was a gunshot at first, but after the second gunshot, I knew. I was upset that something so common in life outside the blanket of the night had to disturb my peaceful observations. It took a small bit of time for me to fall back into the mindset I had been in before. However, the two bangs that broke the magic of the night reminded me that sometimes it is not just the crickets I’ve become desensitized to.

Back home, I did not have many opportunities for experiences like this. City life is a constant thrum of chaos, but when you slow down and breathe you can see more, enjoy more, and be quiet enough that a possum will come and join you.

It was hard to pick three things I wanted to follow, how big should they be or how small. The first thing I picked is a cluster of twigs/branches that have red berries hanging from them. I’m not sure what season they’re there, if they change size, or if animals like to pick them, but I’m excited to find out.

The second thing I picked is a little more abstract. The way the water and rocks look is captivating. In other areas of the creek,

I know the water will sometimes eddy and create foam. I’m curious if that will happen here as well, and if it doesn’t how come? What life or change might it bring in the coming weeks?

Lastly, I want to follow this one branch of a tree. It seems to collect a lot of dead leaves and many insects were crawling on it. I’m curious how the shape might change and if spiders might use it for construction.

I went into the sit-spot ready for anything, and I got what I wished for. There was so much life from start to end I couldn’t help feeling childish glee at what future sittings will be like. I do think that these assignments will stay with me forever (and that my friends back home are going to get sick of me talking about cicadas, crickets, and all the different states of dead leaves)