During the peaceful 15 minutes by the brook, I could smell the pines to my right as I sat on the damp ground. I felt the crunchy leaves and pine needles that lay over the forest floor. As I heard the wind blow through the trees, colorful leaves would fall into the stream which was running at a faster speed than normal as it has been rainy over the weekend. Birds and planes both flew over creating an odd symphony of sounds. Chipmunks would scale the trees creating scattering noises across the rather quiet forest. Overall, this experience was extremely relaxing and drew my attention to the small details of the area, especially the noises that can be easily drowned out if you do not remain silent to listen. The first thing I noticed when I arrived in the area was the change in leaves from the last time I visited. The sugar maples had bright yellow and red leaves while the white oak had leaves of yellow. The underbrush on the other side of the river was also changing, turning brown and barren. I have yet to see any evidence of wildlife in this area other than the live chipmunks climbing the trees.
