During my last visit today (5/13/2021), I went to my phenology spot with one of my friends. Today was a beautiful 65 degrees and breezy. The sky was cloudless and a gorgeous shade of blue. While I was there, I notice most of the understory and overstory had leafed out and bloomed. I also could tell that the pollen count for the day and especially near the country club gate was very high (good thing I took some Claritin!!!!) I was able to spot some focal species such as a very large Eastern Chipmunk (it stood still long enough for me to capture it in a picture). The Burlington Country Club also had planted an array of colorful tulips around their sign which I thought were very pretty.
In response to the two probing questions I will answer each individually.
In what ways do nature and culture intertwine at your place?
I think that nature and culture come to an intersection at golf courses. Don’t get me wrong, I think that golf courses have huge carbon foot prints due to their water consumption and maintenance, but I think that the tree lines around the course offer nice pockets of nature in a recreational space (there is the culture of recreation in the form of golf in a green area). Beyond this connection, golf courses are technically green spaces but since they are so private I think they can not be considered as public/community green spaces.
Do you consider yourself a part of your place? Why or why not? If
so, how?
I personally feel that I have an intimate connection with my place, that is to say I feel that I am a part of my phenology spot. I have visited it and documented it for several months which has caused me to form an attachment to my spot and its nature. Visiting my spot and noting its phenological changes has made me feel like I am a guardian of sorts to this small natural area near campus. Though I do not own or have any control over my spot, I feel like I can come back and still be familiar with all its features!
