Jane Martin-9-11-08

J. Martin

11 September 2008

0930-0957

Sitting in the Japanese Garden, facing the back of the Olin Science Building and with my back to the Art building I realized how peaceful it is in that small, nook-like shelter with a bench.  It is nice to sit in there because you can look around and not feel like you are missing anything because the whole garden is in your view of observation.  I start to notice some very distinct features about all different trees and bushes.  The long thin leaves, the short rounded leaves, but what I notice the most is how the garden is set up.  Why everything was placed where it was placed.  Another question I ask myself is, why did they put a fence around it? Well after sitting there for quite some time doing other work, I realized that I would not like it as much if the fence weren’t there.  With the fence it is a whole different feel to just sitting in some grass.  It is very peaceful because you can’t see the people walking, biking, and running by.  Sometimes you can hear the golf cart type equipment being driven by but you do not have to worry about overhearing another persons conversation or having to look after your belongings because its so busy.  People walk through, but that was it. 

A moment of frustration for me was when I was observing 2 squirrels.  They looked to be Eastern Gray Squirrels but I may be mistaken.  They were chasing each other all over the garden from tree to tree.  And when one would get in the lead the other squirrel would chase him.  They stopped abruptly directly in front of me and were staring at me.  After about 15 seconds passed I made some noises to see what they would do.  Nothing.  That was surprising to me that they didn’t run away.  Just then a man came barging through the entrance of the Japanese Garden making a lot of noise.  He came over to where I was sitting and started talking in his boisterous manly voice.  No need to say, the squirrels scattered and raced up different trees.  All he wanted was the cigar he stashed in the covered bench roof.  That ruined my squirrel observing for then.