Sadly, I am going home in a couple days. While it will be nice to be back, I’m going to miss UVM a lot, especially my friends, including the trees. After visiting my phenology spot for the past few months, through many different weather events and temperatures, it feels like home. I’m definitely going to miss it, and all the changes that will continue to occur while spring turns to summer. I will be back at the end of August, and I plan on visiting Centennial right at the very beginning. I’m definitely planning on coming back to my phenology spot throughout the rest of my time at UVM, its such a nice spot to just exist and observe the natural world that is surrounding us. Nothing will be closer to hearing the trees speak than sitting among them peacefully, giving them an audience.
The Garlic Mustard that I noticed last time has popped up everywhere, and if you continue along the stream there is a section where the ground is completely covered and the path winds through knee-high mustard plants.
While I was looking at the deer skeleton, I noticed that the second leg with the hoof was also there, but it blended in with the branches which is why I missed it last time. Since the original time that I saw the bones, they have bleached and lost a lot of the moss that was present. It is still resting among the branches as it was the previous visit, silent and still. By the time I come back in late summer, it will most likely be gone, although only time will tell.
