Unfortunately, for the last week of the phenology blog, I am not in Burlington, and am instead at home on Martha’s Vineyard. Last time I saw my spot at home was right before I left in January. The ground was hard, the trees were bare, and decaying leaves and matter covered the forest floor. The area I focused on is a section of forest that backs onto a pond. Coming back now, the leaves are lush and full, and signs of new life are evident through this, flowers, buds, and even a goose and her goslings! The low laying vegetation had also grown in, and the trail was more trodden down, I’m guessing because more people have been using the path with the warmer weather and influx of people for the summer season. Low laying vegetation included ferns and moss. I also saw water willows and honeysuckles, which are an invasive species here. The name of the overall area I went to is called Sheriff’s Meadow, which includes an area designated as a salt marsh ecosystem.
I think, when considering my place in Burlington and on island, that culture is intertwined through deepening the connection of self and nature. In Western culture, this connection is harder to come by on a societal scale, typically we see nature monetized and as a resource. I think going to Burlington, and growing up on Martha’s Vineyard, I have seen how others treat nature, through recreation, knowledge, spirituality, and just by being. In this sense, I have seen how nature is being integrated into Western culture by the practices of others. I think the coming together of cultures is how culture is intertwining with nature here in Burlington and Martha’s Vineyard.
On Martha’s Vineyard, I have thought of myself as a part of my place for as long as I can remember. I know that area like the back of my hand, and try my best to treat the area with respect and gratitude. I feel a connection to this place since I feel it is my home, just as the house I grew up in is my home. I learned from the nature, how to climb trees, how to swim, how to avoid angry swans. Nature was my teacher, just as my parents were, just as school was. Now I find the same thing happening in Burlington. I am learning more and more about myself and the nature around me and how this relationship will effect me, I do not know yet, but I am excited to see. Going from the ocean to the mountains, I feel I am already learning a lot about different ways of interacting with nature. I have learned how to climb, how to trudge through snow, how to embrace being at the top of a summit after a long hike. I am learning new things from nature wherever I go. And from that aspect, I feel that I am apart of nature, through integrating the learning lessons of nature into my own life, while solidifying my appreciation and respect for nature.