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Archive for November, 2017

Thanksgiving Phenology

27 Nov

Mabel Osgood Wright Style:

Hustle and bustle, chilly and windy! Scrape the dirty water and brush the dancing cattails, scrape all the silty soil and shine until neat. Hustle and Bustle, chilly and windy! Scaling is scary don’t get blown off your feet! Visitors beware you may have a good scare with a hawk above you observing…

…The plants and local species were all moving quickly, some largely due to the strong winds. The lake was full of algae and was likely a result from a small scale factory neighboring the water. The sky was clear and made for some fear as you scaled down the steep cliff. As you climbed down you could slip from either the silty soil or the strong winds… On days like that it added a sense of danger and adventure to the spot, making it even more appealing to me. The presence of humans was extremely prominet and the trees had adapted to defend their land. At the base of each tree was strong biodiversity to make up for the poor soil. The cattails were dancing in the wind along with the cedars, hemlocks, and various invasive species. The dance of the wind was the way of the land.

Mary Holland Style, Comparison:

The locations in Connecticut and Vermont have many similarities on purely just a ecology level, but once you dive into specifics you start to see lots of division. The soil type of my Connecticut spot has much less minerals and biodiversity inhabiting it as it isn’t on water. It looks out onto a (unhealthy) lake while my Vermont spot has water running directly through it. Comparing the local species is quite difficult as there is very little in both, but the do both share habitats for squirrels. What other species Vermont did have are long gone for the winter, they cannot survive the cold that awaits them. Similar to the lost species in Vermont, Connecticut has snakes that inhabit the area during the summer that slip away during the winter since their warm blood cannot survive in that type of cold. Connecticut has many hawks fly above scouring the land. As winter approaches both spots prepare by losing their leaves on deciduous trees. There are far many more conifers in Connecticut. Since my Connecticut spot is on protected Native American land the trees are much larger as they haven’t had to face nearly as much deforestation. That said, the personalities of the trees are just the same and are preparing for winter in similar ways. The two environments adapt and brace for winter in their own fashions and personalities.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=19K4wTZN8Ascvm08KVkIhqetFCCZc22uP&ll=41.46374830000002%2C-71.94585319999999&z=17

 

 

 
 

November Developments

06 Nov

Since my previous October visit my site has undergone a number of changes. The leaves that had fallen previously are starting to decompose, the water levels are much lower than before, the wheat type species that dominates the neighboring field are starting to die, and there is a much more noticeable presence of birds and squirrels.

 

Front view of the peninsula. You can see the way the water wraps around the center land mass. This for me, was essential in forming a strong sense of place. I am able to tune in to the water as it naturally flows around me in a calm manner.

 

While sitting in my spot I am constantly fascinated by the water that flows through. These are some of my favorite photos I have taken of them in my time there.

The wild wheat species that neighbors the left-hand side of my spot are beginning to lose their seeds and in some cases, die.

I found this mushroom on a tree near my spot. I found it on many other trees in the area, and I expect at some point to be able to find them on some of the trees in my site. Pictured next to the mushroom is an updated map of the site including all of the changes I have observed since my last visit.

 

 

 
 
 
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