In Southeast Pennsylvania in the mid 19th century a farmer wakes up with the sun and heads to work in the fields. He looks out over the rolling fields of corn and takes a deep breath of the cool fall air; harvest season is here so he prepares for the long days of work. Today, as dawn breaks, there may be a few early morning park-goers. They may hear the early morning sounds of the first birds of the day as they walk through the new agricultural fields to the patch of woods that has now overgrown the farm that once stood here.
In Burlington, Vermont, my place used to be under the water. The most human activity that it most likely received was from people fishing off of the shore of the lake. But, there clearly was a mass of land placed here and the vegetation quickly took hold. Today, there is a much closer bond that has formed between people and the new land. Similarly to my home place, there are most likely walkers who greet the area early in the morning. But, the vegetation that people and their pets may see here differs from the types seen in Pennsylvania.