Tyler Starr
15 November 2008 from 1535-1550
Location: The small Quad on the western side of campus, surrounded by dorm buildings, of the University of Puget Sound
Weather: Mostly sunny, no wind, 53 ̊ F
15 November 2008
Tyler Starr: 11/15 pm, University of Puget Sound
Tyler Starr: 11/15 am, University of Puget Sound's Quad
Tyler Starr 15 November 2008 from 1130-1145
Location: The main Quad of the University of Puget Sound
Weather: Sunny, no wind, 55 ̊ F
13 November 2008: Possum
Rose Dickson
13 November 2008
2246 – 2305 hours
Willamette Riverbank in Riverfront Park, Salem, OR, USA
41 degrees, partly cloudy
I’ve noticed over the last few months that sitting around all day at class makes it hard for me to feel tired at night. So, my friend Thomas and I decided to go for an adventure. I told him about Hannah and my walk to Riverfront Park the other day and we decided to go, since he had never been before. On our walk, we saw so many different animals! It is so strange how many more animals come out when all the crowds of people are in bed. As we were approaching Riverfront Park we both heard a scurry in front of us and to my shock it was a possum! Yuck. Those are probably the grossest animals on the face of this earth. We both quickly ran away and as we were going to go look out over the river we saw another one! Why do these animals decide only to come out at night? Are they like cats and have night vision? Well luckily I’ve never seen one of these on Willamette campus before, and I hope I never do!
photo courtesy: http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/recipes/possum.jpg
11 November 2008: HUGE raccoon
Rose Dickson
11 November 2008
2234 – 2250 hours
Facing the Millstream, on the bridge near the library on Willamette University campus, Salem, OR, USA
57 degrees, overcast
Walking back to my dorm from a long night of homework, my eyes looked out onto the shallow Mill stream. To my surprise there was a HUGE raccoon wading in the water. This raccoon, unlike the others I’ve seen around campus, was all alone and looked like he had a long journey ahead of him, if he was planning on walking all the way down the stream. As I watched him, I was wondering where he was planning on getting out to return to land because the edges of the stream seemed too high for the animal to crawl over. To my surprise however, the raccoon jumped onto the highest part of the ledge and pulled himself over. This was shocking to me because he looked like a big fat ball and I couldn’t figure out how he got the leg power to maneuver himself like that. Not only did he jump up and grab on to the land with his claws, but also pulled himself safely onto land. It looks like raccoons are stronger than I would have guessed, I hope I don’t run into this guy again alone at night!
photo courtesy: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/Procyon_lotor_2.jpg/199px-Procyon_lotor_2.jpg
12 November 2008: Hannah's Birthday
Rose Dickson
12 November 2008
2345 – 0000 hours
Facing the Millstream, with my back about 30 yards from The Bistro on Willamette University campus, Salem, OR, USA
55 degrees, overcast
After noticing the high water level of the Willamette River at Riverfront Park in an earlier blog post, I realized that the Mill Stream is also back to its regular water level. This is perfect for my friend’s birthday, because at Willamette there is a tradition of throwing people in the stream on their birthday. The rocky ledge of the Mill Stream makes it hard for us to dip her all the way in, but we decide up to her neck is good enough. When we took her out I noticed how much colder I was from being splashed a little from the stream and instantly the chilly weather became almost unbearably cold. I remember back in August and September lazily dipping my feet in the water between classes and I can’t even imagine how cold that would be now. I’m definitely not looking forward to feeling how cold the water will be on my birthday, all the way in December.
12 November 2008: Willamette River High Water Level
Rose Dickson
12 November 2008
1609 – 1637 hours
Willamette Riverbank in Riverfront Park, Salem, OR, USA
60 degrees, rain
Today was my friend Hannah’s 19th birthday and above anything else she wanted to go on a long walk. Any other day this would have sounded like a fantastic idea, but today it was pouring down rain and all I could think about was curling up and watching a movie on my warm cozy bed. Well, birthday girl got her way and we walked all the way down and around Riverfront Park. As we started walking my body finally warmed up to the idea and I realized today how much fun it is to walk in the rain. Letting loose, dropping the hood and accepting there is no chance of staying dry. When we got to Riverfront, I told Hannah I knew this really great rocky spot down by the river, to my surprise however, the spot I had been talking of was completely filled with water. I remember writing my first field journal about the Carolina Grasshopper, now that whole area I was observing in was completely covered with water. The rain that is now sliding down my wet hair is also contributing to the already full river. I wonder what will happen if water levels keep rising? Is there something we, as humans, can do, like we have with the Mill Stream, to prevent flooding? I will have to come back in the spring and visit my, momentarily untouchable, favorite spot.
14 November 2008
An eventful day
Date: 11-14
Location: Betwixt the Mill Stream and the Hatfield Library stairs/elevator
Time: 1544-1608
Weather: chilly at times, mostly sunny and clear, 56˚F
Besides climbing up my first tree today (with the aid of a chair, table, and a couple sets of hands), witnessing a woman climb down a tree after 3 days and then
continue a political rally about clear cutting, and then watching a peregrine falcon perched near the Gold Pioneer atop our state capital, nothing major happened today. I decided to spend some time planning where to set up my final project at. Partly inspired by the skeleton-like trees, my voice instructor’s demonstration of bad habits, and a YouTube episode of an anime clip, I thought about making a claw of something reaching for something to take back into the ground. At least something along the grounds of that. Here, in the alleyway area I found enough space for making the piece. An abundance of ferns grew alongside the stream, laden with rufous red spores. Two umbrella plants with foot long conical flowers were dying. Several snowberry bushes bore ¼” white fragrant-less flowers and pure white berries. In addition, several 3-foot high tufts of grass, emerging seedlings, fallen big leaf maple leaves, and broken branches littered the 10-foot wide causeway. Two people looked at me curiously through the glass wall of the library. Two mallards (drake and female) approached me while swimming upstream. It was curious to see their necks stretched out like a bicyclist aiming for the finish line (or maybe more like a ninja running at sonic speed). They finally climbed over the edge of bank and stood a yard in front of me expecting something no doubt. After finding that I was not there to feed them, they headed back to the water, slightly disgruntled. I found a scattering of hulled sunflower seeds at the bases of two sequoia trees where a multitude of juncos and black-capped chickadees fed on sporadically. Someone was very considerate of the birds and the cold winter that lay ahead of them.
Tyler Starr: 11/13 pm, Interesting Sightings Along the Mill Stream
Tyler Starr
13 November 2008 around 1630 and 2200
Location: The Mill Stream between Rogers and the library
Weather: 55 ̊ F and sun setting earlier, 40 ̊ F and dark later
General: I saw two interesting things in the same location today which I thought merited an observation, even though it wasn’t necessarily me sitting somewhere for 15 minutes. The first was when I was heading down to dinner. A Western Scrub Jay flew over my head, and landed on the very small tree next to Rogers and the Mill Stream, and I noticed that it had a peanut in its mouth. I have seen many Scrub Jays with peanuts in their mouths recently due to the experiment that Prof. Craig was discussing with us in class. However, this Scrub Jay then flew to the ground beneath the tree, and I could visibly see as it buried the peanut beneath a bush. This became even more interesting when I was reading the Collegian last night, and it discussed how Scrub Jays bury food to save for the future, a sign of higher intellectual capacity. The Scrub Jay was very bold as well; I walked along the path, maybe 6 feet away from it, and it did not even fly away, and I was able to get a very good look at its bright blue plumage, gray wings, and white markings. Later that night, as I was walking that very same path, I saw a large animal in the stream. My thoughts excitedly jumped to nutria, but I quickly realized it was a raccoon. It was walking around the stream, and it would stop in place and knead at the bottom for several seconds, and then walk around and find a new place to knead. I would guess that it was looking for food, although I have no idea what. Perhaps crayfish? Once again, I was able to get close to it without scaring it off. It seems that when animals are dealing with food, they are much bolder.
13 November 2008
A tree to stare at
Date: 11-13
Location: Between Lausanne and Goudy
Time: 945-1000
Weather: sunlight creeping out amongst the clouds, 54˚F
A few juncos have emerged today; the first crowd I saw congregated in the north area of the Hatfield Library, basking in the break of rainfall. Their small black heads and sepia bodies set them well apar
t from the similar 3-inch long black-capped chickadees that seemed to be their main competitors for food. Other small passerines, including cedar waxwings, were nibbling at the undersides of leaves in the upper 40 feet of tree between Goudy and Doney. The sunlight cast their bodies into shadow and washed out the colors. One of their preferred trees had a willow-like appearance with 2-inch long, serrated, ovate leaves. It bore small catkins, some dark chocolate brown, others a vibrant green. A heavy coat of moss decorated the trunk and its pale peeling bark. A sudden movement startled the birds from their feast, but they obstinately returned after a moment. Amongst the birds, a hummingbird sounded its creaky-door call, followed by a dance about the braches before disappearing once more into the foliage. There appeared to be a small clump of a nest in the upper 40 feet of tree. Perhaps that was why there was so much commotion in the area. After some moments, I finally decided it was past time to leave since people were starting to ask me whether what was so interesting about the tree.
Batty
H.Waller
Date: 13 November, 2008
Time: 1800
Location: Standing on the sky bridge
Weather: Dryer than the past few days, cold and clear, 45 degrees
I was going about my busy little routine today and suddenly it was 5:30 pm and I looked outside to see the darkness that has been creeping upon us ever earlier these days. Today was the first day it did not rain at all in a long time, so the night air was cold and crisp as it let itself right in through the too-thin fabric of my jacket. The sky was clear and the moon brilliantly shining white and illuminating objects in the contrasting night. I was watching the moon from the skybridge as a friend spoke to me on our way to dinner at 6:00, when suddenly a little brown, furry bat in the distance flew by right over the moon. It was as if a scene from a cliche horror film had been played out in front of my eyes. Only, I find bats fascinating, so rather than being creeped out, this event made my night. Upon doing a bit of research, I learned that bats that live in Oregon only eat insects, which explains why the two times I have seen them here this fall they have been flying high in the sky probably trying to catch some dinner!
Photo courtesy of Google Images
Tyler Starr: 11/13, Mill Stream
Tyler Starr
13 November 2008 from 1020-1035
Location: The Mill Stream in between Rogers and the library
Weather: 55 ̊ F, partly cloudy, no wind
12 November 2008
A Gull and a painting
Date: 11-12
Location: Quad
Time: 1225-1230
Weather: wet, 61˚F
Today’s light mist of rain had continued for the greater part of the day. Walking to Olin’s for my colloquium class, I was intrigued by a close encounter with a large Glaucous-winged Gull. I had seen a few flying over rooftops on campus, but none had landed that I had seen. It was wondrous sight with its majestic tapered wings, white head with light bars of brown, and a grey body. It
seemed as large as an American crow, maybe even larger. I was about 2 yards away from it as it strutted around from my camera. I watched as it took off, first gaining a short burst of momentum by positioning its body forward and its wings cocked. Smoothly, it launched itself into the air with a few strokes, curving into the slipstream of wind. Its silhouette against the overcast, grey sky was enhanced by the light transcending through the tips of its secondary flight feathers. It seemed interesting how there was a law created to protect the 
seagulls from harm, not because they were endangered, but because they were our garbage men! What a stunningly altruistic reason! Actually, they also serve as nature’s pest exterminators. Several passersby ignored the common sight but perhaps were more curious at my intense observation of it. One young man watched stoically as the gull took flight and then he continued on his way to his destination.Date: 11-12
Location: Between Walton and the Theatre
Time: 1545-1557
Weather: still wet (big surprise), 61˚F (wait...it was the same temperature?)
I didn’t think much would happen after meeting a gull today, but I kept my hopes up and headed toward the Quad. No one person or thing was playing on the lawn or scrounging for food. Apparently, no one wanted to get any wetter than they had to. In front of the Theatre department, northwest of its entrance defended by guardian beasts, I noticed a stunning display of color. A shrub had vibrant violet berries amidst the loss of its yellowing elliptical leaves. Water droplets caressed the round ¼ inch berries. In the vicinity, Nature seemed to h
ave artfully painted a scene for us. Few others would relish the contrast of purples from the berries with yellow foliage, the red burnt vegetation draw out the glossy green evergreens. Autumn was the last time for Nature to exhibit its artistic mastery of the land, before all of the leaves disappeared into the compost and skeletons of trees remained. The few eastern grey squirrels I found were readying their homes for the onslaught of a chilly winter. From all of the squirrel nests I found exposed at the treetops, they would need all the warmth they could get, unless they were actually sleeping in a cozy hole somewhere.
11 November 2008
Journey to the beginning
Date: 11-11
Location: North of the Mill Stream and the Botanical Gardens, on 12th Street’s parking lot
Time: 1330-1412
Weather: overcast, raining, 54˚F
Veteran’s Day was a steady torrent of rain and fierce gusts.
Puddles of water and soggy leaves accumulated along the fissured pavement. I decided to follow the Mill Stream upstream today instead of usually going downstream until it joined the Willamette River as I had done several times before in my colloquium. As I walked along the fenced in stream, I saw a downed orange and white barrier sunken in the shallow water. How long had it been there? Definitely not long enough for it to be completely voided of any green aqueous growth. It must have been tossed there in an act of vengeance from the parking lot since a 6-foot high chain fence prevented any accidental “bumps” from an automobile. Clematis twisted down from a tree that bore three green lanceolate leaves per cluster. The vine draped from a branch in an intricate design above the water. The bare vine appeared like nature’s rope swing, ready for someone to grab it and swing across the cloudy green water. I eventually walked past the grate that introduced the water from underneath 12th Street. Frustratingly, I could not continue once I reached the Mission Mill. I saw the stream flow underneath a small bridge and out of my sight. My journey had halted for now, but perhaps later, once I study the map a bit more intently, I will find the initial point of the stream and victory will be mine!!! Mwahahahahaha…
10 November 2008
Skeleton Trees
Date: 10 November 2008
Time: 1645
Weather: chilly, brisk, cloudy, 50 degrees
Location: In front of the Kaneko entrance
Today walking back to Kaneko I noticed two trees that just a short while ago were bare on one half and on the other were covered in golden yellow leaves, giving them a strange appearance. My friend remarked about how ugly they looked with the other half of their leaves scattered all around the sidewalk. Then today I suddenly noticed that they were both completely bare! It was so fast and abrupt that it took me by surprise. The two humongous trees now look like cold skeletons standing grey against the bleak sky behind them. Also all of the leaves on the ground are now gone, so I'm wondering if someone removed the rest of the leaves off of the trees to hurry along the process.
Lulling bird call
Date: 11-10
Location: South Lausanne side entrance, North of Goudy and the Mill Stream Time: 1531-1559
Weather: Raining, overcast skies, 51˚F
There was a lulling shriek/call that rises and smoothly descends to a lower note. It was a crisp, sharp call, yet the bird eluded my view. A blue western scrub jay passed overhead, its rounded wings illuminated above by the overcast sky. It soared down near the Mill Stream with a white object in its beak. After a moment of indecision, it flew to the opposing side of the stream, burying the treasure into the golden big-leaf-maple covered ground. I focused my a
ttentions from a bench near the Mill Stream that was situated directly south of
9 November 2008
1300- 1430
Natural Bridges and West cliff, Santa Cruz, California
Today I went two of my favorite beaches in Santa Cruz. West Cliff is not really a beach but a cliff (on the west side of Santa Cruz). But it is one of my favorite place to be. It is a ledge that goes for about four miles along the ocean, so the ocean literally crashes along the rocks of this ledge or cliff. There are different spots one can look out onto the ocean from this cliff. Some are fenced off, to prevent people from falling the thirty to forty feet to the rocks/ocean. But some less precarious places have been left unfenced and I love to sit on the ledges and look. There are also path that have been created and there ae always people walking or running along this area. There is usually an abundance of surfers in some key areas where the waves are good, but the rest of the time it is just ocean for as far out at ones’ eye can see. There are variations of kelp from the pacific oceans’ famous kelp forests that has floated to the surface of the ocean. There is also many sea gulls and an occasional pelican swooping overhead. Although this is all absolutely beautiful today it had its downfall of being incredibly windy! It was horrid and the wind never let up. Luckily when I went to Natural Bridges the wind was not as bad. Natural Bridges is a ‘true’ breach. I was so nice to be back I the beach I have missed it more than I had realized. When I was a child this beach had a natural rock bridge, hence the name, where the ocean had washed an arch between the sandstone like rock, that makes up West Cliff. While Santa Cruz may be sunny and warm the ocean water is nothing like that what so ever. I tried to wade into it and nearly froze. But it was still worth it, another neat thing about natural bridges is there is a solid rock ledge that has tide pools through it. Unfortunately today there was nothing really that interesting other than a few small hermit crabs in these tide pools. But the whole beach experience has been amazing and I can not wait to come back in the winter!
7-9 November 2008
In and Around Santa Cruz, California
This weekend I went to Santa Cruz where I grew up. It was so nice to be there. But the landscape and Californian ecosystem is so different than what I have been getting used to in Salem. To begin with it is still warm there and not only that it is sunny. However this does not hold true in the mornings, as usual it was foggy until about nine each morning. After the morning, the fog would lift and the day would become sunny. Although it has gotten much cooler than when I left in August it is still so much more summer esque than Oregon is. Also it is still green here. While the few deciduous trees are turning yellow, red or orange the rest of the trees are green. This is mainly due to the fact that most of trees here are oak or redwood. There are also a few different varieties of other pine trees. Were one would see the missing yellow of fall is in the wild grasses and fields. The lack of rain always leaves the shrubbery and first level of ecosystems dry. That is one thing I do not miss about California at all is how everything is that deathly yellow though the summer and fall.
6 November 2008
1600-1630
Underneath the star trees at Willamette University.
It was too rainy this week to climb trees. I not really sure how I feel about this state and all its rain. But today I decided to go sit under the star trees; I always forget how much I like them. They are so majestic and lovely. They just seem to be indefinite when you look straight at them and then there is the star above you when you look up. And the ground seems to be much dryer here as the trees catch a large amount or rain. To left of me there is a squirrel about twenty feet away that is darting about apparently searching for food while the rain has let up. I can also hear a bird calling but I have no idea which species this would be.
5 November 2008
2130
Walking on the Pathway before the chicken fountain in front of the library by the parking lot.
As I was walking from to Kaneko to the bistro the other night I stopped dead in my tracks when I noticed two small worm creatures writhing about in the walkway. I proceeded to move these worms out of the path and into the grass where ideally they will now still be. It is odd that the worms even came out of the ground in the first place although this is something I have witnessed before, I pretty sure it has to do with since it is raining they want to get out of the ground before it is flooded. But still this leaves them super vulnerable to not only getting squished but also getting eaten by a bird or other predator.
09 November 2008
Worms!!
Date: 9 November, 2008
Time: 1630
Weather: cold, raining hard, 51 degrees
Location: The sidewalk leading to Kaneko
Today it rained really hard while I was at the football game. Then when I walked back to kaneko I took extra notice of all the earthworms that had crawled up on to the sidewalk. This has always puzzled me, I don't understand why they tend to go to the concrete whenever it rains. Is it because it's warmer? They always seem to either get stepped on or not be able to get back into the earth and dry up in their place on the sidewalk. Maybe the mud gets too thick for the worms to navigate through, hence why they come to the surface.
weird weather
Time: 1350-1410
Date: 9 November 2008
Climate: Rainy, chilly, gray skies
Location: Walking from Willamette campus to Liberty St.
This morning was so beautiful, it was warm, sunny, and I wanted to just sit outside. I went inside and came out an hour later and the sky has turned completely gray. I do not understand how the weather changed so quickly. The ground was almost dry this morning and now it is wet sticky. As I walked towards town there were spurts of random down pours that left me soaking wet in about a minute. I do not understand why it would be so warm and nice in the morning and then change completely to a different climate. The sky is splotchy right now, with spots of blue showing through the clouds. The clouds are also moving really quickly across the sky which looks neat as well.
taking a walk
Time: 2010-2030
Date: 7 November 2008
Climate: lightly raining, not very cold, kind of warm
Location: walking on Mission St. towards liberty St.
I am walking towards Liberty St. on Mission St. and it is raining slightly. The sky is very dark and there are no stars. There is a thick layer of leaves all over the sidewalk making it very slippery and somewhat bouncy to walk on. The cars are going by really fast spraying water everywhere creating even more of a mist in the air. I walked past Bush Park and noticed some people walking back from there. I am not sure what they were doing but they are carrying a blanket looking very tired and subdued. Most of the houses on my right have all of the lights off, with maybe one or 2 rooms lit. The grass is very wet and between the sidewalks and the streets are big puddles of water the require one to jump over them to keep from getting your feet soaked.
Mill Stream
Time: 1612-1630
Date: 6 November 2008
Climate: very overcast, lightly raining
Location: Sitting with back to sparks looking at the Mill Stream with a little bridge to my left
As I sit here on a tree stump I notice a Maple tree that spreads over the bridge and lots of plants around me and I do not know what kind they are. There are some ferns that I see across from me. The Mill Stream has looked so bad lately because of the terribly low water level. It is starting to look very dirty and gross. There looks to be fungus and moss at the bottom that makes me not want to look at it. I wish they would allow water into it because it is not very pleasant to look at and it usually is. It makes me wonder if the ducks are unhappy with its current state. The ducks inhabit the stream especially at night and I wonder if the low water level affects them. The water is still moving rather quickly here but there is not much water to rush. It is usually moving much faster
Cool looking leaves
Time: 1030-1130
Date: 5 November 2008
Climate: lightly raining, overcast, chilly
Location: Wandering around the Willamette University campus and on the streets around it
I decided to take a walk around campus and on the surrounding streets. I stared out by just walking along the Mill Stream that is still low and starting to look pretty disgusting. I walked through the Botanical Garden, the Japanese Garden, under the Star Trees, across the Quad and just wandered around. Then I walked in a square starting on Bellevue, towards 12th Street. I turned left to walk down 12th street, under the sky bridge and past the fraternities. Then I turned left onto State St. but there is construction so walking was a little dangerous because there were lots of cars. I walked past the front of Willamette University and I love the flower arrangements in front of Cone Chapel and in front of the flagpole. I continued down State St. and turned left onto Winter St., which led me back to Bellevue. There are lots of leaves all over the ground and the road. I notice that there are still gold leaves all over the trees. It is shocking to me because it is so rainy and cold some days and also windy that I would expect them to all be gone by now. I love the Star looking leaves that are all over. They cover the ground and some sidewalks completely but I love looking at them. I love the different colors that they change to. Especially the ones where there is yellow and red. I don’t understand how leaves can change colors like these. There will be one color on the edges of the leaf and then a completely different color around the inside of each section. They are so pretty and I always see them and I want to pick them all up.
My maple leaf!!
Time: 1607-1700
Date: 3 November 2008
Climate: slightly raining, not too heavy right now but has been
Location: Walking on State St. towards Liberty St. from Willamette University campus
Walking down State St. towards Liberty St. there are few people right now. There are a few groups of people who look to be about 15 years old all huddled around benches and traffic light poles. They do not look like college students; they look more like local high school kids. They are usually in groups of about 4 or 5 when I see them around town, unless they are in huge groups and I’ve noticed that’s usually at night. As I keep walking I notice a HUGE big leaf Maple leaf. I got so excited because I remembered the contest for our class so I hid the leaf so I could get it on the way back from town. As I continued walking I notices 2 trees that were not very tall but the trunks were absolutely huge! They were also very strange looking. They were not very smooth, and did not look like trunks I had ever seen before. They had bulges all over them and they reminded me of those trees that had half one kind of tree and then another tree grown on top of it. But there wasn’t just one bulge, it was like one massive bulge. I stopped to get a closer look at the bark and it was very hard, and solid, and not like I could pull it off. While I was looking at the bark people were walking by staring at me like I am crazy. I don’t really mind though because I did look a bit crazy. When I was returning to campus I almost forgot to get my leaf but I did remember. It was right were I left it, which I was very happy about because it is huge and will be a good leaf for out contest.
9 October 2008
Location: Art Room
Time 430-500
Climate 75
Looking a painting, I can’t help noticing the hidden images in this picture. It’s a person is next to a tree. The tree has a smooth outer texture and seems to be in the jungle its in a tropical place. The hidden images I can se are a tree in the shape of a women’s body in the far back. On the right side of this girl there is a hand in the side of the tree as if it were coming out as if it were part of the tree. In the bottom of the tree where the roots come out there is feet as if they where the roots of the tree. In another painting the tree behind the girl is a tree but you can see an elephant in the background. If you were to look past the tree you see a dolphin in the back. Last a crocodile being tainted by a human that gets blended in. A monkey’s face carved in the trunk of this log she is laying on. Last a bird by her head and not so noticeable like the rest I almost missed it.
09 November 2008: Rain Drop
Rose Dickson
09 November 2008
1646 – 1700 hours
In front of Matthews Dormitory on Willamette University campus, Salem, OR, USA
53 degrees, overcast
A sparkle catches my eye and I am distracted from my walk to dinner to observe a shimmering rain drop, resting at the tip of a leaf. The drop has come from such a long way, I am in awe that is lays before me so gracefully, during this brief interruption in its journey to the earth’s surface. I look around to see thousands of similar drops on all the surrounding leaves. Without hesitation I shake the bush sending all the drips collectively to the ground, completing their long awaited finish line.
photo courtesy: http://www.free-slideshow.com/stock-photos/rain_drops/big-leaf-rain-drop.jpg
06 November 2008: Low Water Levels #2
Rose Dickson
06 November 2008
1423 – 1447 hours
In front of the UC, facing the Mill Stream on Willamette University campus, Salem, OR, USA
60 degrees, overcast
In an earlier blog post I wrote about the low water levels of the Mill Stream. As I look out on the stream today I notice the stream is no longer, it now looks like a trickling of raindrops in an open ditch. Dave Craig told our colloquium class that the low water levels is controlled by the city and is due to the construction going on near by. There are a few select individuals who have the ability to shut down the water flow of the stream for important circumstances. What gives humans the right to manipulate the natural process of the stream? One could argue that the stream is originally manmade so man’s ownership deems any manipulation acceptable. However, I would argue that when turning off the water flow, many processes besides water flow are affected. What happens to the animals and habitats that call this manmade structure their home? Do the animals and plants die in response to sudden transformation of their environment? Does man have the right to cause so much instability for so many life forms? One may argue again that the reason the stream is turned off is due to construction that they don’t want polluting the stream. However, I would argue it is not our job to change natural processes to fit the needs of humanity but instead we must change our lifestyle to adapt to natural process. We need to establish ourselves as a positive influence on our environment.
09 November 2008: Spider Guts
Rose Dickson
09 November 2008
1100 – 1122 hours
The corner of 12th St. and State St. on Willamette University campus, Salem, OR, USA
62 degrees, overcast
Walking to breakfast this brisk but beautiful morning, I make a similar mistake that I did in a past entry. Brushing my hand casually against the bushes on the corner of 12th and State, I felt a tickling on my palm. A tickling that was neither a branch nor a leaf. I subconsciously tightened my fingers in hopes to scratch the disturbance, however, to my shock the tickle was a spider that now lied dead in my hands. In nervous fright I attempted to brush off the smashed mess, but instead rubbed in the guts even further. Even though this unfortunate event was an accidental mistake, the ill-fated spider left a sad impression on my mind. Where is his family? Have I disturbed the peace of this quite little creature? What effects does this event have on the surrounding environment? I calm my distressed mind with the thought of a world in constant motion, death and life in infinite abundance. My manipulation on the environment is only a small influence on nature overall. A circle of change and creation.
08 November 2008: scattered leaves
Rose Dickson
08 November 2008
1223 – 1230 hours
Sidewalk along the Mill Stream, near the library on Willamette University campus, Salem, OR, USA
55 degrees, light rain
The rain on the multicolored leaves of autumn, create a glossy, painted look to the sidewalk. The fallen leaves are a tie-dyed red, orange and yellow. They are gracefully sprinkled across the pavement and torn by the many passersby. The rain melts the leaves like watercolor and the once drab sidewalk becomes a beautiful sight. As I walk over the leaves I am careful not to ruin the artwork of nature, not to tear or brush the beauty beneath my feet. As I walk on, however, I think back on our last colloquium class and our discussion of humans’ relationship to nature or the natural world. I want to see myself as part of nature, a small piece interacting and manipulating like any other factor. I am, whether I see it or not, contributing to this artwork just as much as the leaves or the sidewalk beneath it. How could humans be considered on a separate plain than nature? Humans are animals and animals are part of nature, where would the line be drawn? The leaves have fallen off their tree due to the change of season, and like the influence of weather the leaves have been broken and torn by the influence of man. Man is an influential factor on nature, just as all components create influence.
07 November 2008: Map
Rose Dickson
07 November 2008
1140 – 1232 hours
Willamette University campus, Salem, OR, USA
61 degrees, mostly cloudy
For our colloquium class on Friday the 7th, Tory and I decided to draw a map of campus in hopes that our direction would lead the class. We drew the campus from bird’s eye view, adding important landmarks to indicate placement. I noticed that many of the important parts of campus are not classrooms or dormitories, instead they are natural attractions like the mill stream, the botanical gardens, the quad and the star trees. These four are only a few examples of Willamette’s natural settings, and they are also the four places I enjoy the most. I am so thankful I go to a school where environment plays a large role in the landscape. I think many people can forget how important nature is when going about their busy everyday life. However, Willamette campus makes overlooking nature almost impossible to do. The accessibility of these four landmarks and others, shows the importance Willamette places on environment and reminds everyone of nature’s significance as soon as one steps outside.
H.Waller
Date: 7 November, 2008
Time: 1500
Location: The soccer field by the skybridge
Weather: misting, 55 degrees.
Today I was walking back to Kaneko from the main part of campus and I passed a family who were all huddled together watching a spot on the ground in the grass. Curious, I craned my neck to try and see what they were so intently looking at. I was delighted when I discovered it was a pudgy little yellow lab puppy!! I haven't seen nearly enough dogs around since I've been here, which makes me miss my own even more. The little critter was frisking around, his paws appearing 3 sizes too big for his little baby body. It is amazing how much joy a little animal can bring to people.
Image courtesy of Google Images.
8 October 2008
Location: Dorm Desk
Climate: 70
Time 3:30 to 400
Just received my new runners world magazine and I saw a page with a place that I could do a naturalist observation. This page show where the lagoon creature could or lives here the trees spread throughout the lagoon and a couple of plants growing out the lagoon monster. The trees reflect of the dark black water and so is the sky. The first tree has a brown outside texture with a fungi growing in the outside of the tree. On the other tree from top to bottom it seems to be covered as if it wear attacked by it. Branches hang out of the lagoon. The leafs in these trees are little and light on the tree, they are long tress and thin, but not redwoods. Behind the trees there are more trees that jus layout in the far there are more tress the lead to pretty much nothing I guess. The bottom of the page is dark and the top tends to lighten up and show the change in color with the jungle attributes its as if the land was mostly water.
Leo Castillo
7 October 2008
Location Room
Climate 54
Time 3:30-400
Sitting in my desk, working on some homework I can’t help the sound of rain hitting my eardrum. The ran is nothing new to me, where I live it rain most of the time like it dose here. It rain and it pours like it dose here and the clouds come and go and the sun comes out from hiding and the mood you in changes. Looking out my window and hearing the rain it will start out slow and then suddenly start to pick up the pace and it pours. You can see the people who are prepared for it and the ones who where unprepared and get socked in water. The window is filled with multiple dots of water molecules tat slowly vaporize. Today they rain has left but the cloud is still in the atmosphere and are moving slowly toward wherever they are going. At night the rain shines in the light, when it starts to sprinkle in the air. During 70 degree running in the rain feels great and warm in a way that if feel free. The roof of a building is covered in rain.
Leo Castillo
6 October 2008
4:00-430
Location: Trees outside Doney
Climate: 64
At the state of the school year the tress that reside outside the main entrance of my dorm have been through some natural changes as everything on campus. These threes were full of leafs at one time and now they are empty and the view from my window is more open then before. As you walk into the building you notice it seems more open and free space. The tree on the left coming from the east seem to have lost all it’s leafs and the one on the right still has the majority of it’s leafs. Everyday as I would walk to my dorm I would notice at the other end of the hall, the window. In this window there is a tree that seems to be two stories high and everyday I would see it’s bright leafs and now I look and its empty. The only thing you can see is the branches and the rain but I will com back in the spring with bright green leafs but for now you are just going to have to see the in the spring.
November 2-9
Date: 5 November 2008
Time: Various times through day (see in blog for specifics)
Location: Trips across the Skybridge
Weather: Overcast, high of 50, rain on and off
Post Election Exercise
The skybridge is one of those things that I have a love/hate relationship with. I love it not only because it keeps me safe from the busy 12th Street, but also because it provides me with a form of exercise. I hate it for that same, later reason. After timing my trips in one direction, I have estimated each trip across to be about 3 minutes in length. On this post election Wednesday, I have made 3 round trips, or 6 back and forth treks across the skybridge. This morning, westbound, I looked across to the park that is at the museum. I am pretty certain that I have spotted the reason as to why the Mill Stream’s flow has been minimized. There are small bulldozers that have moved large boulders onto the sides of the stream. The dirt on either bank has been disturbed and replaced by a green, I do not know, spray maybe?
Upon my return from this first trip, I am accompanied by Emma. Interrupting our conversation, a large black crow finds a perch on the beam at the top of the skybridge. It’s black feathers appear sort of glossy, but not shiny since there are not any very strong sun rays shining through the cloud cover. Inside the crow’s beak is his lunch, an enormous chunk of someone’s left over sandwich. Although it appears to me that the sandwich is a bit soggy, the crow does not care: he is just happy to have some nourishment. He did not stay in one spot for long though and I watched him fly to the east, over Mill Street.
The crow was my inspiration in documenting my trips across the skybridge for a day and so it made me take a closer look at things. There is not much life to be found here, and in fact, before I did this, I did not really think that there was any at all. The things closest to life found on the skybridge, I used to think, was the humans that walked across it every day and the fallen leaves that have not yet found their way to the ground. Upon closer inspection though, I have noticed small tufts of moss growing up from the sides. They are a vibrant green and do not grow tall, but are stronger in little balled up areas. Talk about an allusion to Wilson’s, “The Creation”.
Date: 6 November 2008
Time: 1730 Hours
Location: Smith, facing south side of the Quad
Weather: Warm wind, getting dark, misting rain
Shelter at Smith
I have waited to make my nature observation for today until after work. Upon getting ready for work, a glance out of my window would have suggested that it was rather cold outside because the wind was blowing the trees about so much. There was no rain though, and once I finally made it outside to go to work, I discovered that it was much warmer than I had thought it would be. Now though, I am off of work and there is a light mist spraying from the sky. In an effort to escape it, I have positioned myself underneath the roof of Smith on the porch that faces the south side of the Quad. It still is not very cold, and I do not feel the wind up on the porch where I am sitting. However, I do hear the wind. The trees that line the path on the north side of the quad all shake and their leaves rattle. Lining the same tree-lined path, lamps give off a soft, golden glow that seems to flicker as the tree branches pass back and forth in front of them. As I begin to pack up my stuff, I take in a deep breath. It really is very pleasant sitting under that roof at Smith; the world just seems to pass by.
Date: 7 November 2009
Time: 1245 Hours
Location: Begins in Olin, ends in Matthews
Weather: relatively warm out, overcast
Colloquium Sans Professor
This nature observation was inspired by the human nature that I found so interesting today. It is Friday and, for me at least, my last class of the day. Us students are all aware that there will be no professor in class today, but a majority of us are actually present. There are only two people who did not at least show up to the classroom at 12:40 and one of the two is out of town. I just found it so intriguing that, even though we all knew that the professor is gone, we all showed up to class. Anyway, so we are all sitting there and trying to decide what to do when Tory and Rose show up with a map in hand. The map consists of a rough outline of campus and there is a trail on it that we are to follow. The trail circles campus and passes some of the most note-worthy trees. The Star Trees are of course on it, as well as the large tree on the north side of Smullin Hall that has a bench underneath it; then the trail crosses the Mill Stream and hits the tree that is on the corner of Jackson Plaza and it ends up at a tree next to Goudy. With all intentions of following this map, those of us that are still present head outside. For the first few minutes though, we just sat on the cement barrier outside of the door. In the bushes next to Olin, a rather rotund squirrel hurried about. Thinking about it, a lot of the squirrels I have seen lately have been larger than normal and I suppose that that is probably because winter is coming soon. This guy should be well equipped.
When we all started moving again, we started talking about not following the map and we eventually ended up deciding that we should all watch Planet Earth, and that is what we did. As we walked east bound across the quad, I did my best to avoid the muddiest spots, but for the most part, the grass grew sparsely and did not do a great job of covering the dirt. Upon entering Matthews, we climbed 3 flights of stairs to get the movie and then went back down one flight to Rose’s room. Rainforests was our chosen episode and we all sat back in amazement as we watched the wonders of the tropical rainforest unfold before our eyes. Wouldn’t that be an amazing place to make some nature observations? ☺
Date: 8 November 2008
Time: 1725 Hours
Location: Martha Springer Botanical Gardens
Weather: Nearly dark but still warm, wet after rain
Writing in the Dark
So let me first just say that I was never aware until after this observation there was more to the Botanical Gardens than flowers in planters. I had never walked clear to the back of the gardens and it is on my to-do list to go back there during the day. This observation however, was made in the near dark. I was actually on my way to a different location, but when I passed the gardens, I looked up and saw the moon only vaguely disguised by clouds. A little below it in the sky were some large rain clouds that reflected the moonlight in the perfect spots. With the grassy path that led past the planters in the garden below this picturesque sky, I couldn’t help but stop here to make my observation. Besides, it could be sort of interesting. Things were hard to see with the sun setting, though I could still make them out a little bit. I found myself a spot on a planter that was not overflowing with life and I leaned in closer to the planter in front of me. Water drops on the leaves were reflecting the soft glow of the lamp that was a little ways away. In this planter was a flower, a yellow-orangish color according to the pictures on my camera. Its petals were narrow and almost an inch in length. The plant had many leaves and took up most of the planter, but I knew that this could not be the only plant in there because as I was leaning in closer I took in a deep breath. With this deep breath came the smell of peppermint: it was like a reminder of my childhood, playing in the front yard of our house in Boise and trying to see if the leaves of a peppermint plant tasted like a mint. In the east side of the planter grew a plant that was taller than the rest. It was very stemmy with leaves here and there that folded downward. At the top, it had bristles of what looked to be brown.
Date: 9 November 2009
Time: 1440 Hours
Location: Kaneko Sidewalk
Weather: Overcast, still fairly warm even though it just got done raining
Embarrassing Moments With A Slug
I do not know if I can handle many more of these nature observations. I mean, do not get me wrong, I enjoy doing them, but they are starting to take a toll on my social life. This is an account of one of those times, but it is not the only time something like this has happened. I do not know how many times I have stopped my friends while we are on our way somewhere by shouting, “Stop guys! I have to take a picture of this slug!” I guess it could be a way of trying to find out who my good friends are; those who wait for me while I complete this very important work are those that I should keep around. Anyway, for this observation, I am by myself. Once again, the rain has subsided for a little while, but I know that there is a very good likelihood of finding some sort of invertebrate on the sidewalk at this time. Alas, there is one. Upon seeing it, I notice that it is smaller than most of the ones that I have seen and I call out, “Little Slug!” I smile and kneel down next to it, just taking in some details of it. It is thin and just over an inch long. It is stretched out in an effort to make it across the sidewalk before becoming a meal. At the front of it, its antennae are slowly moving about. As I am kneeling down, I wonder what it might react to. Sound? Probably not. Can slugs see? I have no idea. I decided that I would see if it reacted to vibrations. With this decision, I begin to tap the ground next to it with my index finger. I then got the image of me right now from an outsiders point of view and knew how ridiculous I must look, but there was no one that I noticed around me. I continued to tap the ground and got no more reaction from the slug than a tip of its antennae in my direction. Not wanting to bug this slug (ha! It rhymes) anymore than I already have, I stand up and continue on my way, only to discover that I have not been by myself at all this entire time! One of the Willamette Watch guards had been sitting on a rock and I know that he must have seen the entire encounter. As I walk past I try not to laugh out loud to myself and he just looks away, trying to act like he had not just witnessed one of the most ridiculous things on his patrol.
Leo Castillo
5 October 2008
5:00-5:30
Location: Minto Park
Climate: 57
As I headed out for my 30 min run in the afternoon, I realized how early it got dark. Heading into my daily 30 min rout and crossing the busy traffic and the empty railroad and I could see the sun was setting in the horizon. Kept pushing and noticed sun slowly going down behind the trees. Looking at the river and seeing the reflection jus bounce of the water, my eyes where blind by the color it releases that bright yet dark colors. The dark blue sky and underneath a red dark color with a bright yellow round object in the middle. As I kept going I could see the sun behind the trees that stood there and not planning on moving and as I went by the sunlight just hit the corner of my eyes. Jumping around trying to avoid the mud puddles and hoping over water the layer in the middle of the trail. The rain seems to be in action and it goes on and off and seems to be a warm but not cold rain and the air feels fresh in my lungs as I exhale and inhale.
Tyler Starr: 11/9 pm, Lawn outside of BMC
Tyler Starr
9 November 2008 from 1545-1600
Location: The lawn enclosed by Belknap, Matthews, and Montag
Weather: 54 ̊ F, cloudy skies, off and on rain, no wind
General: I can see a variety of colors from where I am sitting. The oaks along Belknap still retain most of their green colors, while some leaves are beginning to turn yellow along the fringes. A group of bushes along the sidewalk displays a brilliant red color. A tree near the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity is a bright yellow. The leaves of another tree near SAE and Montag display a range of leaf colors from red to orange. At the same time, one tree has not a single leaf left on it. The ground is very wet and soggy from the day’s rain—fortunately, there is an Adirondack chair to sit on that is not as muddy as the ground. It is strange, but even though so many people live in the immediate proximity of the lawn I am sitting on, it feels very peaceful and quiet. I cannot see or hear any birds. The only sounds I hear come from the road. There is 1 squirrel that is out and about, but beyond that, most of the wildlife seems to have taken much of the day off due to the rain.
3 November 2008
3:30
The Quad, Willamette University, Salem, OR
As I sit beneath a tree I am amazed at all of the beautiful leaves that have accumulated on the ground. There are several different types of leaves, round, oval, palmate, red leaves, yellow leaves, orange leaves, and so many others. One leaf in particular catches my eye, it is not especially bright, nor is it in perfect condition but it is a beautiful leaf none the less. The step on this leaf seems abnormally long for the small size of the actual leaf. Streaks of yellow run up the veins of this leaf, extending all the way from the transition point off the bright red stem to the pointed lobes that have begun to curl up as the leaf dies. This leaf has not yet reached a state of crunchiness, but instead it is light and leathery to the touch. A few of the very tips of this leaf have turned dark brown and are very brittle to the touch and they seem to shatter as I run my fingers along the edge of the leaf. Here and there are light grey patches of color, these patches seem to dot the leaf almost like cow spots. One section of the leaf has a large hole that has been torn out of it, but the surrounding edges, though only millimeters are holding the leaf together strongly. In the upper section of this leaf the golden rod vein cuts through a section of dark maroon separating the two sides and each then fades to new colors. I flip the leaf over and by no means is it as colorful, but it is just as beautiful. Instead of yellow veins and a red surface, the veins are now red lying against a light tan background. The tips of this side are dark brown and fade slowly to meet the tan.
4 November 2008
12:07
Montag Center, Willamette University, Salem, OR
Today I went to do my laundry in Montag Center and as I was sitting there doing my homework I looked outside to see a very sad sight. One of the trees on the lawn above is leaning very far down and it looks as though this has been done by people trying to climb this week little tree. The tree itself is fairly small and has bright yellow leaves, though it is beginning to bald near the top. My friend Hannah came down and sat next to me and I pointed the tree out to her, she was quite upset about the situation. I grabbed my laundry and we went outside to scope out the situation. Immediately Hannah grabbed the tree by its trunk and began trying to pull it back into position, with me pushing from the other side…needless to say this did nothing what so ever, it was fun though. After a bit more work we decided that we would make a sling for the tree, a little bit of wire, some stakes and rubber tubing and we’d be good to go. Unfortunately we have not yet been able to make this sling, but it will be coming in the near future so this tree does not slide even further out of place.
5 November 2008
11:23
Jackson Plaza, Willamette University, Salem, OR
Lately the Mill Stream has been unusually low, it is so strange to look and instead of seeing the regular flowing water, there is nothing more a couple puddles. The rocks are now almost completely exposed leaving a bare rut through the middle of campus. It seems as though there are more leaves than water in the Mill Stream, and what little water there is carries these leaves a few feet before they are deposited on a bank of rocks. Also, the water that is left is a very murky, cloudy white color and as you walk between the library and auditorium it seems as though this murkiness is intensified. It’s sad to think that a couple days ago there was a healthy flowing stream and now there is little more than puddles, rocks and leaves.
7 November 2008
12:35
Matthews Dorm/Around Campus, Willamette University, Salem, OR
Yesterday Rose and I decided to make a tree treasure hunt map for colloquium today. So we drew up a map and had various locations where we would go to climb different trees. We handed the map over to Jane to interpret and we were on our way. For a while we followed the map, but then we decided to just do whatever came to mind, so for a little bit we sat and had a conversation out in front of Olin. After our discussion we decided to head back to Matthews to watch Planet Earth, which is an amazing show. After a quick debate we wound up watching the jungle episode. I have seen this episode by far the most out of any of the others, but each time I am still amazed by all of the different animals, especially the birds of paradise. It is unbelievable to think that these birds have adapted to be so outlandishly colored and decorated. In this episode they also show a type of fungus/nematode that takes control of its host and makes them do what they want. In this case an ant had been taken over by a parasite and the parasite controlled the ant to climb higher and higher up, which would put it in a prime location for birds to spot and hopefully eat. They showed several different instances of the molds sprouting straight out of the bodies of their hosts. I was amazed to see the time lapse portions where you could literally see the molds growing straight out of the bodies of different insects. After watching all of time lapse scenes it makes me want to just turn a switch on and watch nature grow and interact right before my eyes. It is ridiculous to be able to see this evolution so quickly.