Blog entry 3/11

I enjoyed my walk along Riverside. I usually only go to one spot, by my favorite tree. I noticed there was a fence was added around the tree. The tree also got a plaque a couple years ago. I used to climb that tree, the Witches elm. It is diseased. I noticed that a lot of the trees down riverside have a disease. As an environmentalist I’m concerned but as an artist I admire the unique beauty and character the trees have. I decided to keep walking left. I was drawn to the three pines. I initially saw a difference between the pines here compared to in Vermont. Vermont forests would have tall Eastern white pines where you would have to break your neck trying to find the canopy. The three pines I found were small. I could easily see the canopy. I sat down to write poetic thoughts that I’d pondered. A squirrel galloped along the few patches of snow. All the snow had melted, except on the hills. The squirrel shook its head in the leaves, scavenging for nuts. It would tend to go climb down the tree, get its food and climb back on the same branch and eat. At first I couldn’t hear any birds, I could only hear loud road sounds. Then after wandering around, I was attuned to their sounds. I followed the sounds with my eyes. Some birds flew into the pines. I found an American Robin that flew into a crabapple tree. When I went downhill I saw a hawk glide in the air. I also spent time identifying buds. There was a Hawthorn and Bitternut hickory. In the back, behind the path there was bamboo and there was grass as well as plants like Leopard. There were a lot of small shrubby woody plants. There were also mature, tall oaks. I wasn’t used to seeing the oaks taller than the pines. On the ground there were a lot of leaves scattered, mostly oak. At the top of the hill from my spot the ground was firm. Down the hill there was a lot of mud, probably from the melted snow. I’m wondering what the reason is that there is still snow on the top of the hill and not anywhere else.

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