Barren Tree Before and After                                            Heart Shaped Plant After and Before

Stream Before and After

 

After and Before

As being my last sit-spot, there is a clear difference between the very first sit-spot session and the very last one. From the previous sit-spot session, this time was definitely drier, based on the weather, with it being dry, windy and cold this time, and last time being humid, cold and rainy. Therefore, there was more clarity in the activity in the sit-spot area without rain this time, although the same effects of the season were the same. This sit-spot has changed in such a way that it is very easy to distinguish between the times based on seasonal changes over the semester. For instance, there is a clear difference in fauna and flora activity in general between the decrease in this early winter stage and the increase in the late summer and fall seasons. Another clear factor of a bigger difference would be the deciduous plants and trees around posed a very big difference when the fall and early winter stages in comparison to the first sit-spot. The biological and kinetic activity of the stream also had a significant decrease in this last one versus the first one. 

Arriving at 3:17 PM, ending at 3:56 PM, the skies were clear with minimum clouds, it was very sunny, and the temperature outside was 51 °F, but the winds were heavy, high and extremely brisk; it was almost unbearable with the cold. This time, in terms of animals, I saw and heard a squirrel that was scurrying right behind me from my left, with the clicking of its mouth and chewing on some food item, running to the other side of my sit-spot area. I also heard a singular bird periodically chirping above me in a tree across the stream. With the heavy whistling of the wind, I also caught the falling of dried-out leaves hitting the ground or the stream had a significant amount of sound in the area. The trees and plants in the area were almost all completely barren because of the seasonal changes, of course. Overall, the area was just not as lively as it was from the start.

In terms of changes from my three items that I focused on, the first one was the tree with the barren branches actually ran out of leaves. It is now completely barren, with it narrow, dry, brown leaves, leaving evidence as large leaf piles on the ground; in comparison, the plant was sparse in leaves from the first sit spot, but a lot was there, very green and vibrant. Another one was the stream, which was previously lively with movement from organism and other forces, but now it is pretty dried up with very little movement, which is a production from the heavy winds. The last focus item was the plant with the heart-shaped leaf that was stationed in front of the tree to the left of my sit-spot, which ran out of leaves this time around. I chose these items, because they caught my eye originally, and it would be easier to focus and research on something that are easier to catch my attention and I would see bigger changes in. 

This experience has been a transitional one. I have gained a perspective of awareness and attentiveness that I can not only use while walking casually in nature, but I can use while doing other tasks and assignments. This has made me more comfortable in nature, just because of the conditioning I got to get relaxed in nature while trying to complete a task. Overall, I enjoyed this experience, and one of the coolest things I saw was the snake on the red plant I observed in one of the earlier sit-spot sessions.