Baby Squirrels-10-11-2008

Time: 1215-1245

Date: 11 October 2008

Climate: about 52 degrees, clear

Location: Almost to State Street on Winter Street

I was telling some friends about the baby squirrels that we saw on our way to the Museum with our class.   They were all so intrigued by the fact that we were petting and holding baby squirrels that they wanted to as well.  We got to the same place as we were with class almost to state street but still on winter street.  I saw one baby squirrel start to come out of a little bush.  It is the bush that i think their nest is in.  Every time they get scared or nervous they seem to run towards that one particular bush.  We walked very quietly, relaxed, and slowly.  The baby just stared at us.  After scoping out the area we noticed another near the tree closest to the road.  We managed to pet the one on the tree and it stay for a second and then bolted.  It is so interesting to watch these tiny creatures because they are so unsure about everything.  They are not sure what to make of us humans.  They are timid and nervous but they are still not smart enough to stay away from humans.  The adult squirrels are very fast but these babies are so slow and unsteady on their feet.  They stumble and climb up the trees but their climbing is very rough.  It is not a straight shot of the tree, it is more choppy and not smooth.  It is so cool to watch because when you watch a baby grow up it is like seeing something that you know will eventually be an adult in the world and that is how these squirrels are.  They will someday be off on their own fending for themselves but now they are still babies that have so much to learn.  

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/44/138589413_46455c939c.jpg?http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KSLE/2008/10/11/DailyHistory.html?req_city=NA&req_state=NA&req_statename=NA

talking a late night/super early morning walk- 10-11-2008

Time: 0130-0230

Date: 11 October 2008

Climate: 35 degrees, SO cold

Location: mill stream to riverfront park

Its about 1:30 in the morning and i am walking with some friends around campus.  We are walking along the side of the mill stream closest to the UC center.  There are Mallards in the water squawking very loudly but it is too dark to see if they are male or female.  There are 2 under a tree and that is it.  There are a few people walking and talking around the stream but for the most part it is deserted.  We decided to walk to riverfront park even though it is freezing cold out.  While we are walking through Salem we notice a big group of people walking and screaming at each other.  We quickly took a detour and went down another street to avoid any unnecessary drama.  When we got to Riverfront Park the first thing we see are flashing lights.  There are people having light saber fights that they were very intense about.  They soon saw us and tried to get us in on their games but we were uninterested.  We walked down a path and went towards the giant globe.  We went to where our class was when we came here and hung out by the water.  I lied down and looked up into the sky.  At first i couldn't see any stars but then when my eyes adjusted and i looked very hard i could see some.  I love to look at the stars because I know that my friends back home are looking at the same sky just in a different place.  There is a sense of comfort in that.  When i was in Africa i would always look at the sky and find the big dipper and for some reason i felt closer to home just because i could see it at home and in Africa.  

http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KSLE/2008/10/11/DailyHistory.html?req_city=NA&req_state=NA&req_statename=NA

car in the mill stream? 10-10-08

Time:1810-1845

Date: 10 October 2008

Climate: 50 degrees, chilly, but clear out

Location: Mill stream next to Goudy Commons

On my way to dinner on friday night i heard screeching and and bang.  I look over and there is a car on its side in the mill stream.  The driver had been trying to get away from the police apparently for bank fraud.  He saw himself going strait into the mill stream so he leaped out and ran across campus, ultimately getting caught.  While this is all very exciting and crazy it also sparked thoughts in my mind about whether or not this would potentially effect the mill stream as a whole.  Will this put chemicals into the mill stream that could hurt it? would it change the PH of the water and kill whatever wildlife is living there? This could be very dangerous to things living in the mill stream.  If the car leaks fluid into the stream like gasoline, this would definitely effect the wildlife in e negative way.  Anything that isn't good to touch would not be good for fish and birds eating things out of the stream.  If the car is taken out fast enough then maybe the negative effects wouldn't be so bad, but any amount of gasoline could be harmful.  It would definitely be a good idea to make sure that the water is tested and treated if something is wrong.  It would not be good if this had long term effects on the mill stream.  

http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KSLE/2008/10/10/DailyHistory.html?req_city=NA&req_state=NA&req_statename=NA

Environmental Science class-10-10-2008

Time: 0937-1000

Date: 10 October 2008

Climate:45 degrees, cold, overcast

Location: end of the mill stream in between law buildings

For my environmental science class we were assigned a field book writing assignment about the restoration of the mill stream.  Kaitlyn and i went to the very end of the Mill stream to observe and saw some very interesting things.  We walked there and there is a waterfall.  I did not remember ever seeing a waterfall however it is quite obvious due to its size and the noise it makes.  It is loud, and has rushing water flowing very quickly over it.  It is interesting to me that the stream is so fast here because in some spots it is almost completely still.  There are many many pine trees around, and huge oak trees towering above me.  There is a grate at the end of the stream so i cant see where the water exactly goes when it gets to this point.  The roads pick up and that is all you can see.  I picked up a bunch of different pine cones to try and identify them and figure out which came from what tree but i was unsuccessful.  There are a lot of different leaves on the ground, varying a bit in shape and size.  The ground is covered with acorns, pine cones, and fallen leaves that are all a dull brown.  They are all dead on the ground but the trees around me still seem healthy.  This part of the mill stream seems very rustic but when you walk towards the law buildings, it looks more and more taken care of, and logistically planned and thought out.  I like this area more because it really feels like nature as opposed to the non native plants and flowers that are put to brighten the area.  

http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KSLE/2008/10/10/DailyHistory.html?req_city=NA&req_state=NA&req_statename=NA

Japanese Garden- 10-9-08

Time: 1353-1417

Date: 9 October 2008

Climate: chilly, 52 degrees, warmer in the sun

Location: Japanese Garden between Olin Science building and the Art Building

I am sitting in the Japanese Garden studying for a philosophy test when i realized how different the garden looks already compared to just a few weeks ago.  Before the garden was full of vibrant colors and rich green plants.  Already the plants are beginning to wilt and not look as lively.  I cannot pick a specific plant to have changed the most but as a whole the garden is not as alive.  It may be due to the surroundings of the garden but it really feels different from before.  I see nobody walking around which was the same as it was before but this time it is almost a dreary feel as opposed to a serene one.  I love the summer and early fall but now the weather is beginning to become depressing.  The rain does make everything brighter when it is sunny but for a majority of the time, there isn't sun.  Today it is nice, and not too cold, but it will get much colder, very soon.  I like the cold, but the wet cold that makes it nearly impossible to get warm is not fun.  It sends a chill through your body all day that you can't get rid of.  While i am sitting here i realize how much the weather can effect one place.  I used to love sitting here, and came for a relaxing place to study and yet i am so distracted by the completely different feel that this garden now has.  

October 6-12

Observer Name: Kaitlyn Rice
Date: 7 October 2008
Time: 1030 hours
Weather: Partly cloudy, chilllllly
Location: At the Mill Stream where it meets Winter Street
Tuesday Morning at the Mill Stream
I always debate with myself about what I should do on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. I do not have any classes on these days and do not have to be at work until either 2 or 2:30 in the afternoon. Do I sleep in and waste half of my day? Or do I actually do something with my life and get out of bed and complete some work? This morning I definitely decided that it would be best to get out of bed. By the time that I got around, I was at my destination by about 10:30. Not too bad. I like this spot because it sort of is contradictory in a physical sense. The stream meets Winter Street in a perpendicular fashion and the two just do not mix well. Anyway, leaning over the green rail, I begin my observation of the area around me while cars pass behind my back. Leaves cover the ground completely. The only things coming out of it are a type of plant with a waxy leaf shaped almost like a bird’s feather. The branches twist up and out of the earth to be about 3 feet tall. The other plant that grows up out of the earth and the leaves is the tree that the leaves fell from. It does not seem to be too old, compared to some of the other trees on campus. Its bark is a gray color and has some moss growing on it randomly in spots. The branches stretch in all directions, over me and over the Mill Stream.

Date: 9 October 2008
Time: 1300 Hours
Weather: cool breeze and the sun is shining through a partly cloudy sky
Location: Below my room on Kaneko grounds
A Closer Follow-up


This is round two of observing the Kaneko ground around me. Last week, I made an observation from my balcony of the ground below it. Today, I have gone downstairs to observe these plants up close. Before I even got to the plants that I observed last week though, I stepped out of the door and was automatically distracted. As I was walking towards the plants, just before them, I saw a spider web and started to write about it. Strung between the branches of a tree and the tops of a bush of flowers, I wondered why the spider chose this spot as its home. It seems that it is not the most secure of places and I would expect it to be more in the corner of the building or something. Then again, I suppose that more food would fly through this way than into the corner of Kaneko. There was no spider in the web and it made me wonder again about where they go when they are not in their homes. It is not really something that I seriously want to consider. Anyway, my eyes went from the top of the web to where it was connected in the tree, up the branch, and onto something quite curious. Was it a berry? I could not say how many times I had walked past these trees and never noticed any sort of berry on them. They were almost the size of a ping-pong ball—slightly smaller. They were a strawberry red and hung from about a 3 inch stem. The peculiar thing about them is that there are tiny thorn-like objects sticking out randomly around the object. I was afraid to touch it, but figured the thorns were not too large. As I did touch it, I was not harmed (not too badly ☺) and I squeezed it together to see if it was hard. It was not and felt as though there was some sort of meaty-inside to it. How cool!

Date: 10 October 2008
Time: 0930 Hours
Weather: Overcast, cool
Location: Very west end of the Mill Stream on Grad School campus
The End of the Mill Stream

Jane and I have traveled to the very end of the Mill Stream where it meets a less than desirable end. After traveling down a cement canal, it plunges down about a 4 foot waterfall and back into a more natural setting. The bank on the south slopes steeply down and is covered with a layer of ivy. On the north side, the side that I am sitting on, the bank slopes more gently down and is instead covered in grass. There are also tons of acorns all around me from the trees that span overhead. Jane is sitting at the edge of the road where it goes over the stream. Below her is a grate that is there to stop anything that does not belong in Pringle Creek from entering. There is a white, plastic bag that is stuck in it. Looking up the stream, back to the east, I look back at the waterfall. It really is very pretty, even if it is man-made. In the corner closest to the south side of the bank though, I notice a green, plastic pop bottle. It sort of bobs around in the quiet corner and then forward into the rapids where it is pushed back into the corner again. I wonder what it would take for the bottle to be removed. Could it eventually make its way out, or would it take human intervention to stop it from its dead-end journey?

Date: 11 October 2008
Time: 1149 Hours
Weather: Sunny but crisp outside
Location: Objects found at the end of the Kaneko bridge, but am now sitting on the west side of the Kaneko apartments


It’s Time for your Close-up!
For my observation today, I grabbed two different pinecones. They were different in both size and development. It is a gorgeous day outside with not a cloud in site and a cool crisp in the air (perfect football weather!). I wanted to observe, instead of an entire place, just one object and note some details about this object. My first pinecone is the larger one. It is fanned open in that classic depiction of a pinecone and everything about it is completely symmetrical. The tops of each separate part are a light brown color, but there is a hint of the green that the pinecone used to be. Just below where the light brown ends, there is a band of a more reddish-brown color. It is very thin and where it ends, the rest of the part is a dark brown, almost a black. Looking at the cone, I find trapped inside a pine needle and a white fuzzy thing. For the most part, when holding the cone, I find that it is smooth to the touch.
My next pinecone is smaller in size and is not developed enough to have spanned out like the other one. Because it is not open, I cannot see the different colors inside of it and it appears to be the one, light brown color. The cone is not as easy to hold and I would not squeeze it as it is pointy to touch. Despite the fact that this pinecone is smaller, it still seems to be slightly heavier than the open cone.

Date: 11 October 2008
Time: 1640 Hours
Weather: Sunny, actually maybe warm? Slightly ☺
Location: Walking along Bellevue Street
Quick Observations
I was walking back from the football game and was taking in some of the trees that lined Bellevue Street. They were young, especially compared to other trees on campus. My biggest question was why the moss grew on them so randomly. What makes a place a good place for moss to grow?

Tyler Starr: 10/11 pm, The Botanical Gardens

Tyler Starr

11 October 2008 from 1615-1630

Location: The Martha Springer Botanical Gardens

Weather: 57 ̊ F, 5-10 mph winds, sunny, clear skies

General: As I walked into the Gardens, I noticed a squirrel that looked less than full-grown. It was on top of a stump, and when I tried to come nearer, it scurried off into the bushes. Apparently, it was a little more knowledgeable of the present dangers than the baby squirrels we saw as a class on Friday. It looked quite a bit bigger too, but not as big as an adult squirrel. As I walked further into the Gardens, I noticed that there were many birds out today. I hadn’t noticed such a diversity of birds before. I sat on a bench by the fountain so as not to disturb the birds. I was not able to identify any birds apart from one mallard duck sitting in the stream (it seems as though most of left for their migration) and two chickadees chirping from a conifer by the stream. One bird that I was able to get a good glimpse of had a white or gray body, with a black chest and head, about the size of a chickadee. I was not able to find a match in the Field Guide though. I also saw what may have been a bushtit or similar bird hopping along the grass and in the bushes (see picture). I could see other birds in nearly every single tree I looked at, but for most of them, I could not get close enough to observe any identifying characteristics.

Tyler Starr: 10/11 am, the Quad, and a dead squirrel...

Tyler Starr

11 October 2008 from 1120-1135

Location: The North side of the Quad

Weather: 50 ̊ F, 5 mph wind, mostly sunny

General: There is not too much activity around the Quad. Usually I’ll see crows or maybe a scrub jay, but today I only saw a few squirrels. Two were foraging along the western edge of the Quad near Doney, and I spotted another one off the northwest corner. I noticed that one of the horse-chestnut trees appears to be struggling a little bit. One of its large limbs that probably used to extend over the Quad was chopped off, which is probably the cause of its troubles. Many of its leaves, especially near the top of the tree, are already gone. This is strange, because there is still plenty of sun that it could probably still be capitalizing on, as are the other horse-chestnuts around the Quad. Since there wasn’t very much activity, I decided to walk to where we saw the baby squirrels yesterday. There were quite a few full-grown squirrels, but I did not spot any of the younger ones. I walked over by the kiln where we saw them going into the building, and I came upon a rotting squirrel carcass (see picture). Most of its meat was already gone, and its tail was the only part that didn’t appear to have been affected. The carcass was under a tree, so I wonder if it fell as Dave said actually happens fairly often with squirrels. I hope it wasn’t the parent of one of the baby squirrels.

Gray Jay and the elusive hummer

Observer: Estella Yee
Date: 10-10
Location: Pathway West of Waller, East of Collins
Time: 1635-1700
Weather: 52˚F, crisp air (ready to shatter)

A western scrub jay suddenly caught my attention, hiding deviously amongst the fuchsia bushes along Waller’s west entrance. It was pecking at something hard, the sound from the impact reverberating each time. It swiftly pivoted north, shrieked once and hopped deeper into the shrubs. Slightly perplexed, near Collins, I found a bench to rest at only to hear a whistling not unlike a hummingbird. a brown one hovered about the fuchsia plants, sucking the nectar out of the magenta blossoms. It seemed mostly brown and probably 3 inches long. A chirping nearby drew me back to Waller where after a lengthy moment, I located not a bird as I had originally hoped, but a rather large green grasshopper camouflaged on a leaf. Out of the corner of my eye, a queer white bird perched on top of a blue spruce. It had a dark back, white underside, and a gray stripe slashed across its eyes. Its rounded wings looked similar to a pheasant’s. According to whatbird.com, it was either a gray jay or a northern shrike. It appeared to be approximately 1-foot in length. Finally back at Collins, I heard that the buzzing sound continued to occur so I was determined to locate the origin. I knew it was at the topmost areas of the tree I was staring up at. The tree itself appeared exotic in that the dark brown bark had small round pieces, knobs and wells every so often, and light coating of moss. The drooping ovate leaves were a lime green, many tinted with yellows and reds. It bore several small crimson elliptical berries, ½-inch long. Ironically, as soon as I left, the caller zipped away to the south. It was a hummingbird.

Bird bridge

Observer: Estella Yee
Date: 10-09
Location: South Bridge leading to Botanical Gardens
Time: 0940-0959
Weather: 45˚F, overcast with a few drops of rain occasionally

An energetic melody rang through the air but there didn’t seem to be any birds visible. Leaves fell through the air like rain, colorful, ceaseless, and persistent. Chickadees, no cedar waxwings jumped to and fro on a birch tree. The tree had white bark, with horizontal lines at every 5-inch interval. An eastern gray squirrel jumped up onto a branch, startling the birds onto a nearby birch, yet they returned after a while. The birds had brown wings, tails tipped with yellow, and golden breasts. A white stripe ran down their dark faces. They seemed to fly about in a circle then returned to perch onto the tree. Were they mating? A few nibbled on the undersides of some leaves, so they may have been eating at the tiny aphids that started to rain down onto my journal as a result of my standing under the tree. As they prepared to transition from flying to perching, they seemed to flap furiously in midair, hovering, and then dropped gently onto the branch. It’s amazing how they can change directions so quickly in midair. People continued to walk pass me, some staring curiously at me staring up the tree. It’s peculiar how they ignored the flutter of creatures above them, yet they had more interest in other human beings. Even a long queue of children passed noisily without a glance upward. Each time a particularly large group passed, the birds would alight in alarm, yet they continued to return, always a reminder of Nature’s intransience.

Concrete Plants

H.R. Waller
Date: 9 October, 2008
Time: 1258
Weather: some sun, mostly cloudy, a little cold.
Location: On the river by the boathouse.

Yesterday as I was rowing with the crew team we went out past a big tall bridge whose pillars were made of concrete, 3 of them emerging from the water like large powerful giant's legs. As we went by one of the pillars, I noticed something rather peculiar about them. There were a few cracks along the otherwise smooth concrete, a trait to be expected on something so old and under so much pressure. However, the thing I thought was strange was that though these cracks were probably 10 to 15 feet above the water, there was some plant life growing out of them! It wasn't simply moss, which was also present further down nearer to the water, but instead the vegetation had long appendiges whose leaves were a dark green with purpleish veins. The leaves were probably around 5 inches long each, and there were several on them on each plant, all seeming to branch out from the same, central point. I wonder how these plants (most likely some type of weed) could grow from a concrete pillar where there are no nutrients of any type. Firs of all how did the seeds get there, and second how could they survive??

Tyler Starr: 10/08, Japanese Gardens

Tyler Starr

8 October 2008 from 1810-1825

Location: The Japanese Gardens between Collins and Olin

Weather: 58 ̊ F, clear skies, no wind

General: I noticed that the garden has a great diversity of plant life that demonstrates plant evolution. The simplest of the land plants are the mosses, part of the bryophyte division. They were among the first plants to colonize the land. Various mosses cover the ground, most of the rocks, and part of the trees in the garden. Mosses still depend on water for reproduction, and do not have vascular tissue and so cannot grow tall. The next division of plants is the pterophytes, which are represented in these gardens by ferns. There is a particular type of fern bush with fronds that are between 1 and 2 feet long. The pterophytes developed ways to grow taller, such as vascular and support tissues, but were still very dependent on water for reproduction. The next division is the cone-bearing plants, or the gymnosperms. There is one conifer tree, and several cone-bearing bush-like plants. One particularly interesting gymnosperm shrub looks like a fallen branch, but it actually is growing down from a support branch on top (see picture). The last division of plants is the angiosperms, which are highly represented in the gardens. The angiosperms are the flowering and fruiting plants. There are about 5 trees, and various flowering shrubs and grasses. The ground is littered with their fruits, including the horse-chestnut fruit, along with small “helicopters.”

Canada Geese and concrete plants

H.R. Waller
Date: 8 October, 2008
Time: 1800
Location: On the river by the WU Crew Boathouse
Weather: Chilly air, sunny, 57 degrees

Today at crew practice we were rowing closer to the east bank than normal and when I got to take a break while the stern four did their drills, I began to look around on the land near us. I observed a gaggle of little black and white heads peering out at our boat curiously. It seemed as though the 10 or so Canada Geese loitering on the bank had dropped everything to watch us. I then remembered the Great Blue Heron I saw on the water yesterday, and drew a striking juxtapostition. The geese are very social birds, huddling in packs together, while the heron was tho only one I could see. Also when we came too close to the Heron's realm he flew away nervously and didn't return until we were gone. However, the geese stood and watched us as if they did not feel threatened by our presence in the least. It would be interesting to know what makes these two bird species behave so differently socially and what effects this behavior has upon their lifestyle habits.

Great Blue Heron.

H.R. Waller
Date: 7 October, 2008
Time: 1730
Location: Near the WU Crew boathouse on the river
Weather: Fair, a bit overcast, 62 degrees.

Today my boat had a brand new coxswain, and so she got a bit confused as we were leaving the boathouse to go out and practice on the river. She ended up steering us way too far to the left and we nearly hit the bank on that side. Luckily we stopped just in time, but we did rustle some of the plant life as we hit many of the branches of a large, central tree on the bank. And as we did this, out came a large Great Blue Heron to see what all the fuss was about. He obviously did not appreciate our disturbing his lair. He swooped out authoritatively and after assessing the situation, he decided to take a few laps until we had vacated. I watched him fly around as we worked our way out of our quandary. The Heron made lots of broad circles above the water, only once flying above 5 feet from the water. He was obviously killing time, waiting for us to leave. As he flew, I could see the rusty blue color on the outside, and the underside of his wings were a beige color that turned to brown at the tips. Once the heron was sure we were gone, I watched as he made his way back home.

Looks like a bottle of...squirrel?

Observer: Estella Yee
Date: 10-07
Location: West of Olin’s
Time: 1405-1430
Weather: Overcast, brief moments of sunlight, 60˚F

After setting the squirrel trap half an hour earlier with a piece of peanut butter encrusted walnut and several smaller peanut tidbits, I went back to the side of the building only to notice…no squirrels fighting their way out. A bit dejected, I returned to find that someone did manage to attract an eastern grey squirrel into their cage. It was gnawing the bars furiously, but seemed to calm down after Dave enveloped the cage with his coat. Placing a cone of fabric with a strip of Velcro down the center, the squirrel tumbled into the sack with its nose snugly fitting into the tip of the cone. We analyzed the squirrel, which seemed mostly tail at first, and sexed it through observing its genitals. The foot was measured to assess its growth. It had many small bumps along the bottoms of the feet; the pads assisted in climbing and provided protection from the abrasion of the environment. I later held the clothed, bottle-shaped squirrel to discover a soft warm bundle, similar holding a cat, which surprised me since I had expected the squirrel to be tense after being trapped and handled. Instead, I found a steady heartbeat and a slightly opened mouth displaying narrow yellowed incisors. It must have calmed down after realizing it was unable to move and escape. Perhaps it was breathing harder due to its enclosure. It was later tagged with a metal “earring” but I had left at that point.

Silent as a mouse

Observer: Estella Yee

Date: 10-06
Location: Springer's Botanical Gardens
Time: 1605-1620
Weather: Overcast, still no rain, 60˚F

The smell of nectar wafted toward me again as I perused the area southwest of the waterfall. This time though, I lingered near the Spanish lavender, and then my senses led me down to a clump of groundcover with dried flowers. Only one was still fresh, pink and shaped as a trumpet. Approximately 2-foot tall, the plant bore ovate dark, serrated leaves. I wondered if it could be a species of honeysuckle? Deeper (east) into the garden, I located hardy cyclamen, which had stakes with purple flower forms decorating the area. The purple plastic and white center mirrored daisies, but I was unsure as to their purpose. Black-eye daisies pulled my attention away from the oddities, and there I noticed a small little rodent playing in the undergrowth. It seemed to be about 3 inches long, small round ears and had a dark, fur-covered tail. Its coat was a light brown with a white underbelly, fine and short. As I stepped forward to take a closer look, my darned keys rattled and the creature bolted away. It was none other than a deer mouse. Odd, since most mice were nocturnal. Must be the weather and gathering clouds. I wondered if it had enough vitals for lasting through the winter? Momentarily, two flocks of geese flew overhead in their familiar v formation, one group smaller than the other. A hummingbird then zoomed nearly directly over my head in a hurry to some place. I noticed that several little flags were erected in the garden, each sporting the exact same message: “EWING-Irrigation products.” The fuzzy purple stalks of flowers were all leaning toward the north toward something with large leaves, a banana tree perhaps. Swallows flew north at 1620. Must be time to migrate.

A Cry in the Distance

Observer: Estella Yee
Date: 10-06
Location: Northwest of Waller Hall
Time: 1116-1131
Weather: Overcast, no rain yet, 57˚F

A sharp penetrating cry halted me in my tracks. I scanned the area in front of Eaton only to discover a western scrub jay jumping onto the rails and issuing a cry, but not the same I heard only moments before. The cry sounded repeatedly and seemed to alternate between the scrub jay’s call and its own. Where did it originate? I looked up to find horse chestnut trees dancing in the gentle zephyr yet no creature appeared. Was it creature or bird? I passing professor noticed my perplexities and offered an answer that it was calling to warn others of possible danger in the area. “A bird?” “No, a squirrel.” So that was why it sounded so much like the barking I heard on several occasions; I just did not relate the two sounds. I didn’t think the danger came from man, for I would have heard it on a daily basis. There were no hawks flying in the upper atmosphere. Still perplexed, I decided to watch the dead tree (it was actually dying, according to Professor Dave) for more hummingbirds that I had noticed earlier this morning courting with quick, high-pitched chirps. Instead, I found a shrub about 10-foot tall with ovate dark green leaves. They were arranged radially around cluster of small buds about ¼ inches long. The unopened buds smelled fragrant and sweet, yet several flowers that had bloomed earlier were hanging dead and dried, trumpet shaped. The bark was auburn, slightly peeling and streaked with silver. The leaves turned red and pink, creating a beautiful contrast with the dark verdant green. Behind the shrub was a block of marble or granite that denoted the founding of Willamette.

H.R. Waller
Date: 6 October, 2008
Time: 1248
Location: Across the sidewalk from the science buildings (on the south side)
Weather: Still mostly cloudy, but dry, 60 degrees.

As I was shuffling along to class an unusual flash of color caught my eye. Accustomed to the repetitious oranges and yellows mixed with the fading green on the trees, this sudden burst of blue was an atypical observation that my eyes picked up on immediately. As I did a double take to further observe this abnormality, I realized that it was a Western Scrub Jay like the one I had seen before in Colloquium class. The brilliant blue avifauna darted around on the railing attatched to the building right across from Olin and Collins where a leafy tree was shading the whole area and providing an escape for the bird as he looked up into the branches and flew up into them. He then looked upwards again and once again flew higher. I wonder what birds are looking for when they do this? It was strange for me to see such a bright bird here in the open like this, because back home the only strange colored birds hide out in forests and are very shy, bu thtis one had no problem being around people and being seen.

Picture courtesy of Google Images.

September 30, 2008

1400

My balcony in Keneko Commons looking toward main campus.

I am quite ill and do not go outside. Nature observations are now hard because of this. It is all quite unfortunate. I am now sitting in my dorm room, which is in Keneko. So there are sliding glass doors, which lead from my room to a balcony. From my 4^th floor room I am able to look mainly towards the Sky Bridge and tops of trees. What I find most interesting are the gloomy rain clouds above. For the time of day that it is the clouds and sky is relatively the same color.  So the difference between the clouds and sky is quite minimal, it is incredibly bizarre. I can also see trees from my vintage point. Well not all of the trees mainly the top. It is interesting how each week the trees have so vastly changed towards the red colors of true fall. Another thing that is interesting to watch the flow of people going over the sky bridge. There seem to be a steady flow of people but there are it seems that there is a rush of people in the pre and post class period. I have a tempeture so I believe I am going to go sleep now. 

Nievous

October 1, 2008

1530

My room on my desk to be exact.

I’m still sick and don’t really go outside. So I am doing a nature observation on my plant, which I have named Nievous. This plant I purchased at Fred Meyer about a month ago. Surprising I have kept it alive which is sort of an accomplishment for me, I not good at caring for living things so I am quite excited for myself. The plant is in a red jar and it is about nine inches high. It also has fourteen leaves is narrow stemmed. What attracted me to this plant was its unique color composition. It has a light forest green color as the base of its leaves and on that there are many light green yellow spots. These spots cover all the leaves and overwhelm the plant’s base color. I wonder if this plant will get much bigger but I assume that I may not be able too because of the pot size. I also should probably try to find what kind of conditions the plant likes because I never know weather or to leave it inside or outside. However I just noticed that it is really dry and I should probably water Nievous. I also have a small bamboo, also from Fred Meyer. It is not named because it is not that cool. I do believe that it is a nice addition to my room and I like it. 

Where is the Millstream??

October 5, 2008

1730

The Millstream on a grassy area between the UC and the millstream.

The Millstream is ridiculously low today! I do not understand man must run the millstream. There is no other explanation for this odd phenomenon how else could the millstream drop at least a foot in less than a day. I now want to know if the school is the people in control of this.  If not I want to know who is in control of the stream height and what their rhyme and reason for changing the height is. Now that it is this low the stream just look plain ridiculous. It is less than a foot deep and the large rocks just stick out awkwardly. Even some of the smaller rocks are visible. This shallow of a mill run even looks like is makes the ducks bothered. Today they looked really sad perched on top of the now colossal rocks.  They now have now water that they can really paddle about. It is also my friend’s birthday and we could not push her in since it was so shallow, I am sure she feels jiped. I wonder what ramifications this shallow of water has on the larger fish that travel through the stream. Whether they are not able to pass through or die due to shallow water conditions of being more vulnerable to predators in this water level. 

 

October 4, 2008

1100

At the bottom in the middle of the star trees.

Today I went to the star trees. For two reasons first I needed a new place to do a nature observation at a new place that is not at the millstream. I also decided to go because the star trees are a type of red wood (they are called Giant sequoias). Anyway I was feeling super home sick and there are many similar looking redwood trees in northern California where I am from so it was comforting for me to see these trees. As I sit under these trees I am astounded by their height. It’s surprising that they have become so tall in such a restively short time. I am interested to see how much they will grow in the future. 

Creeping plants

H.R. Waller
Date: 6 October, 2008
Time: 1043
Location: off the sidewalk between Rogers and Smith
Weather: partly cloudy, no rain, 63 degrees

As I was walking back form class this morning I happened to notice a little gently sloping hill on the west side of the sidewalk running between Smith and Rogers. It was filled with a plethora of vegetation that from a distance all looks the same as if a green throw blanket was draped across the hill with a random tree and a few taller plants peeping out. But at closer examination, it is observed that the hill is covered in mainly one type of plant. It is a little leafy thing that looks like it may be some type of invasive weed, except that it doesn't really subtract from the aesthetics of the area, but rather it fills up the space making it look somehow more coherent. The plant's leaves are a deep green color that fade to black on the ends, and they are in little clusters of five. Its leaves are oblong shaped and the length of my thumb, but a little wider. The plant is filling up the entire hillside and even beginning to creep up on to the trunk of the lone tree that makes this spot its home.

The Bistro

October 5, 2008

2015

In the Willamette University Bistro.

            I am trying a new kind of observation where I observe humans because the other day in class we decided that humans are a very important part of nature too. So… I am sitting here in in the bistro there are about 17 people give or take 2. There are people standing waiting in line for coffee, while others mingle and quietly talk with friends. There are also many people like myself doing work for their classes on either their laptops or reading. The Bistro workers constantly emerge from their kitchen to collect dirty dishes of other various tasks. 

Bees and flowers.

H.R. Waller
Date: 5 October, 2008
Time: 1500
Location: On the north side of the Millstream, next to Smith
Weather: drizzling, 58 degrees

There is a patch of flowers that look jut like daisies, except they are yellow. They are on the bank of the Millstream, clustered together in a big group. Upon consulting Audubon's field guide, I suspected that thy were perhaps Northern Mule's Ears, but the book says that those bloom in May and June, so I'm not sure if that could be correct. When I got up to examine the flowers more closely, I noticed that there was a bee sitting on one of them working away busily to sustain its colony. When I looked through the book to try and identify it, I decided that it looks more like a Drone Fly than a wasp or bumble bee. It is in the fly family, though I am not sure why since it feeds on nectar and pollen like most bees do. It looked like its legs and undercarriage were dusted with pollen, though it was difficult to get a close enough look with the little worker buzzing around all over the place.

5 October 2008: Willamette River

Rose Dickson

5 October 2008

1736 – 1800 hours

Waterfront, Portland, OR, USA

56 degrees, rain

Walking along the Portland Waterfront I realize the difference between Willamette and Portland as compared with the Willamette River and the Mill stream. both bodies of water are beautiful and serve an incredible purpose, but as I watch the river I realize how vast it truly is. The stream on campus is very safe and I can, not necessarily accurately, imagine the journey that it follows downstream. The river, however, is so vast that I cannot even begin to imagine where it leads to. The history excites me as I wonder who, like myself, have wondered these same questions. The river to represents the unknown, an unimaginable amout of individuals flowing, not always calmly, to create a unified body. The Mill stream, which is also very intriguing to me, represents this on a smaller scale. A group of individuals all heading the same direction ready to open and flow together on a larger scale. They become ready to flow into the Willamette River.

5 October 2008: Puddle

Rose Dickson

5 October 2008

0923 – 0940 hours

Walking downtown 23^rd and Thurman, Portland, OR, USA

58 degrees, rain

Walking down the streets of Portland I become accustomed once again to the real world. I am visiting home this weekend from Willamette University and it feels so nice to step outside the bubble that is so often surrounding me at Willamette. As I walk through the streets I notice the definite change in landscape. No longer is the Mill stream flowing near the sidewalk. Instead my view is of grays and blacks.  Buildings encompass my view and the height of them even pollutes my vision of the sky. Walking down the street I feel my feet begin to dampen. I realize that one aspect of nature humans cannot control is weather. No matter how many skyscrapers, sidewalks or parking lots you can find in a city, the air temperature and moisture can never be pre-determined or altered. My moccasins have now become completely soaked as I unconsciously splash through every puddle that is now taking over the cityscape. Like a mirror the puddle acts as a reflector, making all the surroundings appear more open and larger. Something strange that I realize is that the reflections of these puddles represent a connection between nature and society. What is seen inside the puddle when looking closely is natural rain water and some dirt or worms caught inside. However, when looking into a puddle at first glance you may catch sight of an executive office or a storefront. A reflection not of itself but of its surroundings. Even though puddles are not lasting, they provide a reminder that humans are not always in control. A wet toe can be proof that nature will always have its affect on us. 

photo courtesy:http://www.danheller.com/images/UnitedStates/NewYork/Misc/puddle-reflect.jpg

3 October 2008
1:20
Mill Stream Bridge, Willamette University, Salem, OR

As I walk along the mill stream bridge there are several trees in front of me, it has just rained and each leaf is holding a small gem of water at the ends of its tips. The water glistens though there is no sun. Each little drop is so clear and pure. The magnification of this tiny little droplet of water is amazing and though it is so simple it is such a beautiful sight.

1 October 2008
5:10
Eastside Lawn, Willamette University, Salem, OR
As I walk across the grass from Matthews to the lawn the grass is soft and smooth against my feet, in places the ground caves down into almost a natural bowl. In these bowls water has collected and the mud seeps up between my toes, it is a strange feeling. Directly in front of where I am sitting is Montag Center, people walk in and out constantly, some with laundry, some with homework. In the corner of the lawn there is a tree that has been cinched off from the natural world. This tree is not a particularly large tree, but it has been surrounded by a triangle of sidewalk cutting it off from any other plants. The ground around this tree is littered with woodchips and fallen leaves, sparse clumps of grass, and a few twigs. Where some trees branch smoothly off into an arching shape this tree seems to turn abruptly from trunk to branches with no smooth transition. The clumps of wild grass around this tree seem so unnatural, they are plotted in each of the three corners where the sidewalk come together, they look so sad and wilted, almost like a graying head of hair.

3 October 2008
3:45
Jackson Plaza, Willamette University, Salem, OR
I am sitting underneath the tree at the corner of Jackson Plaza where the mill stream meets the cement wall just a little ways down from the bridge next to Smith Auditorium. The grass is wet after a short shower and I am glad that my jacket is long to protect me from the streams of water running off each blade of grass. I look out the mill stream and can almost see the murky bottom peeping through the shallow stream. I have noticed that each weekend the mill stream becomes much shallower than it is during the week. During the weekend the mill stream seems to trickle through the rocks lining the bottom, but during the week the stream blazes through without trouble. I lean back against the tree and look out at the center of campus beneath the tree’s safety. I look up and see a tangle of branches criss-crossing here and there, winding together like knots. The bark is rough and moss seems to be creeping up near the base of the tree. I start to wonder what the roots below me look like, they are trapped on one side by the cement wall that cases the mill stream and all around is sidewalk and brick. These barriers are limiting the trees growing area, just like the tree near the Eastside Lawn.

Jackson Plaza

4 October 2008
12:32
Jackson Plaza, Willamette University, Salem, OR
The weather is cool and the sun looks as though it is fighting the clouds to push through. I am sitting on the brick wall in Jackson Plaza and the stone is cool and damp. Usually when I have taken observations from Jackson Plaza I have mainly focused on the mill stream, but today I am taking my observation from another direction, with my back to the stream I can now view the goings on of the main portion of the Plaza. Two men are walking towards the plaza and one is juggling two oranges with one hand, with each toss he increases the height of the oranges. Suddenly two people come running through the plaza making bird noises to imitate crows. I turn my gaze back to the juggler only to find him balancing on one of the pillars juggling not only two oranges, but now two oranges and a water bottle. The water bottle falls and he quickly jumps down to retrieve his third utensil. This area of campus seems to be the heart of Willamette.

Collin's Observations Week 4

C.Jones
29 September 2008
Millstream
1432

It is very hot outside and the clouds above me are both light and pale. Humidity seems to be gathering. What little shade there is is being provided by a broad shaped tree to my left. The stream is flowing at a fast pace and seems to eddy out down the stream. Looking down at the grass, I can see it bustling with bugs, something I wouldn't notice unless I stared at it for a few seconds. The bark on the tree providing shade seems to jump out at me. It is marked by many lines and crevices, creating interesting shapes. How the grass manages to look so green in this heat is beyond me. I can see the sun peeping through pine needles. I notice a piece of spider web gleam to my left. The river looks a bit calmer.

http://www.avidimages.com/preview/2006/11/18/tree_bark__corce_darbre_avidimages_1212_prev.jpg

C.Jones
30 September 2008
Millstream
1432

The sky is overcast and gives the river a dark appearance. The bubbling of the stream is interrupted by the snap of a branch and twigs falling from a nearby tree to my left. I look high up into the canopy of the tree and discover the disturbance is two grey squirrels. They look like gymnasts as I watch them hop from branch to branch and follow one squirrels manuevers all the way to the ground. The other squirrel is still at the top of the tree, maybe looking for a way down or guarding something. A sharp twet breaks the silence 30 or so feet to my right. My guess is it is some sort of an alarm call, maybe due to the activities of the squirrels. It grows more distant now, it seems to have taken a new position. Rain drops now begin to fall. Maybe it was a weather alert. The stream flows faster in this part of the stream as it trickles down. Leaves begin to fall off the trees as raindrops come into contact with them. The bird is still chirping behind me and I see the squirrel moving towards the bird's previous location. This place is full of nature.

C.Jones
2 October 2008
Millstream
1412

It is windy and slightly cold outside. As I sit at ground level, the water flows fast, but gently by me. Yellow leaves fall all around from the trees and some join the flow of the river. There is a wall of rocks and a plant covering them ahead of me. I can see the rock bed underneath the water as the wind blows. The sky is grey and cloudy, there are no shadows today. I see a lone flower sticking oddly out about 30 feet ahead of me. I can see the star trees swaying in the gusts of the wind in the distance. I see lots of green foilage when I look up. The millstream continues to flow at a steady pace. There are less ripples on the water now.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/219/509320808_373e81bca4.jpg?v=0

C. Jones
5 October 2008
Millstream
1308

The air is chilly and golden leaves litter the ground. The river flows quietly downstream and five ducks, three mallards and two hens, sit quietly in the middle of the current. A crow calls from overhead, but the ducks do not move. Two more ducks, one mallard and one hen, drift downstream boobing their heads underwater as if fishing. One of the hens ruffles her feathers out of agitation and begins to peck at her back. The river is very low, I can see the bottom and the rocks that disrupt the flow are prevalent with their ripples. One of the mallards ruffles his feathers in an intimidating fashion, I think he may be the leader of the group.

http://www.jasonhahn.com/gallery/albums/jul2007/wooduck_lland_050407_050_copy.jpg

C.Jones
5 October 2008
Millstream
1911

I just saw a group of ducks sitting calmly in the water. As I begin to observe them, they flew off in two groups with perfect unison. This part of the stream is very quiet, plants are bunched up and the water does not flow here. The surrounding lights flicker across the water as it begins to rain. The stream is still very shallow. I just saw what looked to be four mallards fly overhead, perhaps they are lookig for a place to rest tonight. The rocks in the stream look like beached ships stuck on a sandbar. The stream still flows quietly.

29 September 2008
4:37
Sidewalk across from Hatfield Library, Willamette University, Salem, OR
As I walk along the sidewalk I notice the fallen leaves. These leaves are bright yellows and deep rich reds and oranges; they dot the speckled gray sidewalk like a water painting. Every now and then there is a shadow of a leaf as though someone has simply pressed a leaf in ink and stamped it onto the cool wet cement. These imprints become increasingly right before the sidewalk turns into the parking lot, it is a very gradual transition from real leaves to imprints as you walk along this sidewalk. I walk a little bit further and see two bright blue birds flying after each other closely to the ground, almost scraping it as they fly dangerously close to the gravel. These birds continuously rise and fall almost in a parabolic manner. Squirrel darts out from beneath a bush and playfully entices the birds, he runs around and the birds seem to follow still flying in their swooping manner. I watch this scene for a minute or two and then continue on walking beneath the swaying branches of several different trees. The wind shakes several leaves loose and they come spiraling down from their lofty homes.

4 October 2008: Mossy Rock

Rose Dickson

4 October 2008

1421 – 1450 hours

Facing the Bistro, next to the mill stream on Willamette University Campus, Salem, OR, USA

58 degrees, cloudy

Sitting by the Mill stream I let my feet sink into the water. My toes slip along the slimy rocks below and I wonder what creates their texture. Beneath my legs I feel a tickling of fuzz. To investigate I lift my legs and examine the rocks I was using as support. These rocks, like the ones below my feet, are also covered in a blanket of texture. This texture, however, encompasses only half the rock. The texture is mossy to the touch- it is embedded between the cracks of the different rocks but also hug the outer circumference. The moss is like a blanket to the stone. When did it grow here? This is the first time I noticed this external covering, is it a warm coat for the winter? Do rocks, like humans, need an extra layer, as the weather get cooler? I abandon this thought and begin to question its existence the whole time I’ve taken residence at Willamette. How could I have let this significant part of Willamette University campus go unnoticed for so long? The more we study different naturalists in Colloquium class the more I become aware of the relevance in each detail of nature.  Nature is a whole, not a collection of individuals. I want to enlarge my view nature. A vast expanse, working together in a cyclical pattern. 

Photo Courtesy: http://www.ozarkmountainimages.com/ForestFloor/MossyRock1024.jpg

Changes

Leo Castillo
5 October 2008
Location: Running
Weather: 56*
Woke up this morning and headed for sparks to meet with the guys to go for a long run. Left the building and headed to Minto Park for a run and we saw some wild goose just hanging around the pond and latter on we see small brown bunnies they looked like squirrels but with out the tail. Later on a little mist of rain came and went, also as we headed to a near by trail and last weekend their wear no leafs on the trail. Now the are all over.

Sep. 29-Oct. 5

Observer: Kaitlyn Rice
Date: 30 September 2008
Time: 1350 hours
Location: By the Mill Stream
Weather: Warm, but overcast
Not Another Mill Stream Journal Entry
In an effort to kill some time before I had to work on Tuesday, I decided to find a spot to make a nature observation. The problem that I am having now though is that I do not know where to go that is semi-original. For this entry, I ended up next to the Mill Stream, but with my back to it and, instead, I observed some of the flowers up close. Above me, birds can be heard chirping. It is a high-pitched sound that brings back memories of my cockatiel, Scooter.
The flowers that are on the bushes in front of me are red and like bells in their shape. Inside of the flowers, the pistols can be found, long and slender. Everything about the flower seems to be perfectly symmetrical. The flowers all grow in bunches at the tops of the stems of the plant. Where the flowers grow from, the stem turns from green to a redish-purple color. On a couple of stems, there are buds. As I examine them closer, they remind me of a Dr. Seuss character: there is it’s pointy collar that is placed around its egg-shaped head that has one curly hair growing out from the top. The leaves of the plant spread from the top to the bottom of the branch. Each leaf is very slender and long. To my right, the same plant grows, except the flowers of this one are purple instead of pink. The bushes themselves are shaded by a young tree and the little bit of sun that makes it through the clouds must also, to be seen by me, shine through the tree branches. Behind me, I hear a commotion in the Mill Stream. I turn around to notice that a group of about 15 ducks have swam up the stream. What made all of the ruckus is a male duck that is chasing a female away and it makes me wonder why? Then I think about how funny and interesting it would be to be a duck.

Date: 1 October 2008
Time: 1726 hours
Location: On the sidewalk between the Chicken Fountain and the library
Weather: Again, it is warm, but overcast
First Signs of Fall
On this Wednesday evening, I was walking to dinner at Goudy and was not really thinking about anything in particular. When I passed the hedges just after the Chicken Fountain, something on the ground caught my eye. It was nothing spectacular upon first glance—only a leaf that had fallen off of the tree towering above. However, I picked it up and examined it. It had red on it and this is what first attracted me to it. There was nothing especially interesting about its size for it only spanned the width of my palm. I was still intrigued by this leaf. It was one of those moments where you decide to take some time and “smell the roses”, or appreciate the small things. I took this leaf with me to dinner and still have it with me in my room. Its stem is brown and hard now. I know now though that at one point, this leaf had grown from a tiny bud and its stem had been green, strong, and flexible, the link for the leaf to the tree. This stem grows up into the leaf and spreads into three main different directions—the veins for the leaf. Those three veins then split into many smaller ones and so on and so forth. The color is the best part about the leaf though. It is green around the “veins”, but then, it turns into a red color, with splotches of yellow, where it would have eventually turned into a brown.

Date: 3 October 2008
Time: 1430 hours
Location: Sky above Idaho
Weather: Partly cloudy, warm
Bird’s Eye View
Well, my flight was not too long, which is always a good thing. I am always scared to fly unless the weather is perfect, but I survived and now that we are over Idaho, the sky is starting to clear up. I know that we are over Idaho because I know this part of the state all too well. Right now, we are flying over Emmett, a town that I used to live in about 3 years ago. I looked down to find Interstate 84 to first realize we were getting close. Then I saw Squaw Butte, a Butte that is the symbol for the town of Emmett. Just to clarify, I made sure that I could find the town’s high school. It is always obvious because the school is constructed of two large, white domes. Once spotted in the middle of the valley, I knew that we would only be in the air for a few more minutes. The two women sitting behind me comment on how brown everything is. I suppose that I am used to it, but now that I compare it to Oregon, the foothills are all very brown. Bogus Mountain comes to view out of my window and, because it is covered in Pine trees, it appears a dark green/blue. The city of Boise is nestled below it and all that I can see is tons of neighborhoods and treetops. There is a high school, but we pass over it too quickly for me to figure out which one it is. Over the top of Eagle Road, it is all coming back to me. I feel like I never even left.

Date: 4 October 2008
Time: 1125 Hours
Location: Idaho Horse Park, Nampa, Idaho
Weather: It is sunny but chilly now, but won’t be for long
My Friend Peter
For this weekend, I have returned home to Idaho, mainly because it is the weekend of the Region 6 Dressage Championships. It is the biggest horse show of the season and I have come to cheer on my barn. Unfortunately, it is located this year in Nampa, Idaho, where they have a nice barn, but it is not the most desirable location. It is usually windy out here, though today it has been on and off thunderstorms—even better. Anyway, I was walking out to the outdoor arenas, on top of the grassy hill where the grass has been flattened by a combination of the rain and the golf carts driving back and forth on it. I came to a stop at a spot behind a short, cement wall. Examining the spot before I sat down on it, I noticed a small bug. At first, I thought that it might be a young ladybug and I, in my insect knowledge, decided that because of the way that it was circling around like it owned the wall, figured it was a male insect and I called him Peter. What made me think that Peter was a young ladybug was because he was a yellow-gold color. He also had several small, black spots on his exoskeleton. Upon closer inspection though, I eliminated the idea that Peter was any type of a ladybug. His body was too square in shape. I enjoyed watching him. Peter was not like some other insects that can be intimidating to see. Those with horns, or large, round, black bodies can often be frightening for me to get too close to. Peter had no apparent destination in mind, as he mostly just circled around. I think that he sensed me though because he flew away after not too long. I hope that he found a good place to hide out because as I turned around, I noticed the enormous, black clouds that were making their way to pour down their fury upon those of us, and anyone else, who was outside.

Date: 5 October 2008
Time: 0915 hours
Location: My front lawn, Eagle, Idaho
Weather: Partly cloudy, cool, about 40 degrees



I Don’t Remember Leaving It Like This
Whenever I was driving back home from the airport, one of the first things that I noticed was that most all of the trees at home were already turning their fall colors and some were even losing their leaves. I was surprised by this because I do not remember having the trees turn this quickly. Perhaps it is that pesky global warming. Anyway, on Sunday morning, I stepped out onto my porch and took in some of the details of the large tree in our front lawn. When I first pulled up on Friday evening, I commented on how I might have to do some raking while I was home. My father was quick to inform me that he had just mown the lawn 2 days ago and the leaves had not been there then. Who knew that that many leaves could fall off of a tree so quickly? At 9 in the morning in a large neighborhood, there is not much wildlife out and about. However, from around the corner of the garage slinks the neighbor’s cat, watching me closely and quick to pass me. I guess he had been pet and adored over one too many times. From the tree there is a rustling sound and I look up in the branches to see if it is another type of animal. Instead though, it is another leaf making its way down to the ground. My eyes ran over the flowerbed in front of the porch and I noticed that the large, bush-shaped flower had gone through quite the change since I had been gone. Its flowers that had once been a vibrant pink were now a pale purple, almost brown color. Now, however, it is time to go. Farewell yard! Next time I see you, maybe you will be covered in snow.