My Phenology location is one defined by lush shrubs, moist, green grass, towering pines, sunset colored leaves, and marsh reeds. “The Spot” exudes an aura like none other. When you arrive at The Spot, your vibes are immediately chilled. Worries and stresses of college seemingly fade away for awhile and are replaced with cheeriness and love. However, when one is at The Spot, it is impossible not to admire the sheer amount of lush plant growth surrounding you. Considering The Spot is only a 3 minute walk from my dorm room, the escape it provides is second to none. Returning to The Spot at sunset reveals a beautiful sunset among the plants that is hard to find elsewhere. The best days are those that end at The Spot with all the boys watching the sun turn the sky into artwork. However, in order to enjoy these sights, one must know how to navigate to this mysterious area. Beginning in front of WDW on Redstone Campus, walk right as if you were going towards Simpson dining hall, but go straight. Go straight until you reach a T-intersection, then cross it and proceed onto the grass path next to the parking lot. Continue straight and follow the curve as it wraps upwards towards Redstone Lofts. As you approach the top of the bend, stop, turn around, and admire the view. Congratulations, you are at The Spot. If you notice a sudden feeling of wholeness, you know that you are in the right spot.

It is important to remember, that when at The Spot, it is your duty to keep it clean and natural. If you bring anything, no matter of what nature it may be, at least do not litter the area. It is multi-use and we all must remember that at all times. The rule “Leave No Trace” is one that is simple enough and respectable enough for us all to observe. Locations like The Spot are increasingly rare as is because many have been destroyed through the same method.

After going over my observations thus far, I foresee a good future for The Spot. In all my visits to the area, minimal if any trash was spotted. The character, above all, is the reason I encourage everyone to check this great area out.

As seasons changed and developed, I noticed several biological changes at The Spot. On the deciduous trees, most leaves had fallen off. The trees with the red fruits lost all of their fern shaped leaves, but kept the fruiting body on top. Tall grasses began to take a more yellow color, rather than a rich green. Due to the lack of leaves, visibility of the surrounding area when at The Spot has increased. Furthermore, I noticed that the soil is consistently damper in late October compared to The Spot’s soil during late summer. Wildlife does not seem to have changed. Perhaps there are less squirrels and chipmunks than there were at the beginning.