What Makes this Place “Special?”
In the spring of my junior year, COVID was still running rampant, leaving my friends and I with limited options if we wanted to spend time together. That is, stores and restaurants were often closed, and our parents were adamant that we adhere to the social distancing guidelines so as not to get each other sick. With these stipulations in mind, I took it upon myself to find a local park for us to visit. I’ve mentioned in previous posts that I never had the same connection to the outdoors in my hometown that I now have here in Vermont. I never used to dedicate enough time to exploring the natural areas around me, but when COVID hit, I found nature to be a cathartic escape from the isolation that my house seemed to foster. I distinctly remember convincing my friends to drive to this park one weekend, and neither of them wanted to leave the car because they said “There are bugs down there.” Determined as I was, I left them in the car and went to the shoreline by myself to explore. In early May, the trees and shrubs were full of life, and the sun rays beaming off of the creek tempted me to go for a swim. While my friends sat in the car, I took a seat by the water, and took the time to just be there, in the moment, with no distractions, and no real agenda. To me, this spot is special because it is one of few places in my hometown where I now feel connected to my surroundings. I had felt a connection to nature in other areas, and in my heart, but very rarely in my own community before.
Burlington vs. Harrisburg Ecology
While tree identification is made increasingly difficult as they lose their leaves during these colder months in both Burlington and Harrisburg alike, I can still recognize that while the American Beech is a staple at my Rock Point sit spot, here in Pennsylvania, White Oak takes its place. Because a greater population of trees traces the creek’s edge, the ground here is covered in leaf litter, whereas Rock Point’s shoreline is composed primarily of stones. Additionally, while the lake’s edge gradually meets the rocky beach, here at the creek, the drop off between land and water is sudden with a steeper edge, and marked by clear evidence of human interference as a boat ramp paves a path to the water. I haven’t decided yet if I prefer the quiet and steady flow of the creek to the crashing of waves from Lake Champlain, but I can say for certain that the Pennsylvania mountains pale in comparison to Vermont’s.