Centennial Brook 11/3/24
While sitting for 15 minutes, it was easy to notice a lot of changes since the last visit to my spot. There was significantly more leaf litter, the temperature was much colder, and there was overall less greenery. The water level was also higher than before, so I couldn’t get to the exact spot I had been in last time. The Norway Maples were a bright yellow/light green, but the many Red/White Oaks had lost nearly all of their leaves. I also noticed that while there were lightly less ferns in the area, many of them still remained even though I had expected them to have been gone by now due to the cold and even snow. The barberry and buckthorn were also still looking as lively as before, though the buckthorn no longer had berries.
Overall my experience was very calming. I had gone into the woods feeling kind of rushed, and I was unable to sit still for the first few minutes of sitting quietly. After a bit, though, I tried paying closer attention to the smaller sounds rather than only on what I could see. While the noise from the airport dampened any noise at some points, I was also able to hear a few birds and squirrels chirping, the brook running, and some trees rustling which made me feel much more relaxed. It was a great experience to also draw out what I could see and make sense of my surroundings by seeing where everything is in relation to each other.
