Today our assignment was to create a map, but it was also to find a sit spot. As a kid who grew up with an E.C.O. (Educating Children Outdoors) program at my elementary school sit spots are something that I’ve been doing for a very long time and are very precious to me. I’ve had sit spots that I’ve continued going for years. I believe that the act of sitting and noticing is a really good spiritual one. Sit spots were the first time that I was really introduced to phenology as well.
Speaking of phenology, one of the very first things that I noticed when I went to my sight was how much further along the leaves were. Last time everything was still incredibly green, and this time many of the trees were changed or bare. I didn’t see any animals or hear any birds but I don’t know whether this can be attributed to the fact that it’s getting colder or just that I went at a later time of day, because I didn’t want to venture out on a rainy Sunday.
Considering the rain, the river was significantly higher than last time, but it has been consistently higher every time I’ve visited. I’m worried that my spot will have to move back as we get later and later into the season. I am curious though, whether water level is something that is a phenological event even though it is not organic. The water level usually raises in the fall and spring, and lowers in the summer. This almost certainly affects the life living on the riverbanks and makes me wonder what other inorganic processes follow a season based timeline.