During the Winter it is common for most things to "die" or go into some sort of hibernation. It may be thought of as a sad time or possibly even a happy time depending on the reason. In my case it is a sad time. I am not sad because it is cold outside or because the flowers in my backyard no longer bloom. I am sad because this observation with this tree is over. I could sit here and tell you that since this assignment is over I will keep up on posting my blogs on a regular basis but in all honesty I have no time especially with it being basketball season. But even though I am saying this I still want to take time out of my busy life to observe nature and have time to appreciate it.
I got to thinking and I have really been wondering; do trees have feelings? This came to mind when I was observing the tree for the last time and felt some sort of sadness as I put my pencil down. I also wondered this when I saw people rip off the pines from the tree. I thought to myself if this tree had any sort of feeling or amy type of recognition as to what was going on. It may seem as though it is a stupid question but I was really curios and I figured if I was curious others must be as well. I decide to do some research on my thoughts. "In fact, he found, plants can react "in the moment" to events taking place thousands of miles away. And not only are they psychic, they also are prophetic, anticipating negative and positive events, including weather." ("Do Plants...") It is obvious that plants/trees have something. It may not be feelings but they are aware of things that happen around them and even things that are going on inside of them. It made me realize that everything has some type of feeling and that the next time we carelessly do something to think how it will be affected. "Plants might not have minds, but the researchers weren't entirely misdirected in wondering just how deep plants' abilities run."(Nassar) I find this to be a valuable lesson that I will take with me from here on out. I will make sure to share what I have learned to my friends and family so they will realize that their actions affect everything around them.
Throughout this blog assignment I have learned a lot. I have learned how trees grow and how I should take care in how I treat nature as well as truly appreciate the ability to be able to view this nature so easily. I am sad that I wont be spending much time in my day to be with nature free from distractions. But it really opened my eyes on everything I was missing and how important it all is.
Works Cited
"Do Plants Have Feelings?" Viewzone.com. Web. 14 Dec. 2014. <http://www.viewzone.com/plants.html>.
Nassar, Latiff. "Do Plants Have Feelings?" TheWeek.com. Web. 14 Dec. 2014. <http://theweek.com/article/index/239813/do-plants-have-feelings>.
Sunday, December 14, 2014
Sunday, December 7, 2014
The History Behind the Tree
An important part of childhood is being adventurous, playing outside, getting bruises and cuts and just having fun. Personally I loved being outside and experiencing nature firsthand. One of my favorite things to do was climb trees. I can name countless times when I would come inside with my legs and arms all scrape up from climbing all of the trees in my backyard. I still go in my backyard and see those same trees and I see them growing and remember what they looked like when I was at a certain age and it really surprises me to see how much trees really do change and grow over the years.
This tree that I have been observing at Wooster High School has grown and changed with me so far throughout the years in high school. Even though I never paid it much attention or even really gave it a second thought it was always there and at times I was aware of it. I got to thinking of how much it had grown since I had first seen it, walking to my first football game distracted by everything that was going on yet still seeing it in the back ground.
Thinking about these times in the past also got me thinking; how do trees grow? I decided to look this up being that it would probably make sense if I had this on my blog. Longleaf pine is the longest lived of the southern pine species. Throughout most of its range,individual longleaf pines can reach 250 years in age. To reach that point of old age that pine tree must go through stages. (Life Stages) I realized that this tree is in the "Sapling Stage" this stage would be considered like the teen and twenties. When the longleaf reaches about 6 to 10 feet in height, lateral branches begin to emerge and signal the sapling stage. Diameter increases and bark thickens but the tree continues to grow in height. The tree remains in this stage for several years.(Life Stages)
I found the growth of this tree to be quite interesting and alike to those of someone my age. How it says they thicken and continue to grow is a exact replica of what is currently going on in most teenage lives at the moment. It is very interesting to have learned this and to have shared it with my blog followers.
"Life Stages of the Long Leaf Pine." Longleafalliance.org. Web. 7 Dec. 2014. <http://www.longleafalliance.org/longleaf-pine/life-stages/life-stages-of-the-longleaf-pine>.
This tree that I have been observing at Wooster High School has grown and changed with me so far throughout the years in high school. Even though I never paid it much attention or even really gave it a second thought it was always there and at times I was aware of it. I got to thinking of how much it had grown since I had first seen it, walking to my first football game distracted by everything that was going on yet still seeing it in the back ground.
Thinking about these times in the past also got me thinking; how do trees grow? I decided to look this up being that it would probably make sense if I had this on my blog. Longleaf pine is the longest lived of the southern pine species. Throughout most of its range,individual longleaf pines can reach 250 years in age. To reach that point of old age that pine tree must go through stages. (Life Stages) I realized that this tree is in the "Sapling Stage" this stage would be considered like the teen and twenties. When the longleaf reaches about 6 to 10 feet in height, lateral branches begin to emerge and signal the sapling stage. Diameter increases and bark thickens but the tree continues to grow in height. The tree remains in this stage for several years.(Life Stages)
I found the growth of this tree to be quite interesting and alike to those of someone my age. How it says they thicken and continue to grow is a exact replica of what is currently going on in most teenage lives at the moment. It is very interesting to have learned this and to have shared it with my blog followers.
"Life Stages of the Long Leaf Pine." Longleafalliance.org. Web. 7 Dec. 2014. <http://www.longleafalliance.org/longleaf-pine/life-stages/life-stages-of-the-longleaf-pine>.
After the Sorm
A storm can mean many different things to different people. To some it comes as comfort; to others it may cause fear. When you ask most people they prefer to be inside watching from outside so they know that they are in comfort and they want to feel protected but then there are others that prefer to be under the rain and in the middle of all the chaos. When you are under a tree it is like a fine balance between staying inside and being out in the rain. You feel a sense of protection but you also feel like you are out in the middle of the storm. When I was out under the tree I felt just like I was outdoors but I also felt like I was in the center if the storm because I was seeing it in front of me and I was feeling the rain.
After a storm can have two different looks to it. It can either be really muddy and all messy but on the other hand it can be beautiful and enlightening. On this particular day (11/21/14) it was a very beautiful finish to the storm.(Field Notes 12/21/14) The grass looked healthy and green like the core of a lime. hill of the trees looked perky and happy. But this tree, the tree Ive been observing looked the happiest of all. Its pines were all covered in dew that had just the right amount of water to where it would reflect the suns rays and sparkle. The pines were like an army green color, unlike how they usually are and they were full of life and beauty.
I try to imagine an analogy between what storm is like to trees and how I could compare to humans. I only have one thing that I constantly think of. A storm is like love. The first one or few you experience can leave you happy and feeling good and everything is well. It will be beautiful when it is happening and it will create beauty in the darkest places. But then there can be ones where it seems to ruin everything and create a mess it may even look as though nothing would ever get better or ever be back to normal again.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Autumn
autumn. n the third season of the year, when crops and fruits are gathered and leaves fall, in the northern hemisphere from September to November and in the southern hemisphere from March to May.
It was like everything had changed over night. I came to school and there were a significant amount of pinecones on the ground scattered in many different ways. The pines on the tree weren't as vivid as they usually are, it was as if the tree was dying from the inside out. Then finally to top it off the ground and the trunk of the tree were covered in sap. The realization had hit me that autumn was definitely here and it was here to stay. (Field Notes 10-2-14) I have always liked autumn for one reason and that has been for the trees and it was interesting to see a pine tree during fall. Of course a pine tree changes but I have always overlooked them and have looked at the trees that change into colors like orange,red and yellow. The pine tree had a certain unique beauty to it, it was like a beautiful death was occurring. Like the tree was shedding off the old and welcoming the new.
Most people when asked don't really recall what a pinetree looks like in the fall. I find this to be because people pay attention to the things that stick out to them the most and pine trees are more of a background kind of camouflaged tree. When they do start to change they may not be considered the prettiest tree because their pines turn sort of a brownish color we often see.
It was like everything had changed over night. I came to school and there were a significant amount of pinecones on the ground scattered in many different ways. The pines on the tree weren't as vivid as they usually are, it was as if the tree was dying from the inside out. Then finally to top it off the ground and the trunk of the tree were covered in sap. The realization had hit me that autumn was definitely here and it was here to stay. (Field Notes 10-2-14) I have always liked autumn for one reason and that has been for the trees and it was interesting to see a pine tree during fall. Of course a pine tree changes but I have always overlooked them and have looked at the trees that change into colors like orange,red and yellow. The pine tree had a certain unique beauty to it, it was like a beautiful death was occurring. Like the tree was shedding off the old and welcoming the new.
Most people when asked don't really recall what a pinetree looks like in the fall. I find this to be because people pay attention to the things that stick out to them the most and pine trees are more of a background kind of camouflaged tree. When they do start to change they may not be considered the prettiest tree because their pines turn sort of a brownish color we often see.
This is an example of a pine tree that is beginning to go through the changes of fall and everything that it has to offer. As you can see most of the pines are beginning to change into sort of a brownish yellowish color. This definitely isn't the most attracting color and to be honest the brown makes me think of death, because the tree is in a way dying. But this is apart of nature and it is very beautiful.
This picture was taken from:
http://forestry.usu.edu/images/uploads/MikeTrees/Health022fall,needle,drop,Ogden11-3-06.jpg
The Little Things
I watch as a single bird flies in and out of the dead branches that cover the inner layer of the tree and quietly think to myself how oblivious people must be to the life forms that live within this tree. (Field Notes 9-21-14) If someone were to ask me if I thought anything was living in the branches I would have said that I highly doubt it and not given it a second thought at all. This made me realize how no one seems to pay attention to the little things. I don't necessarily mean the exact color or design of something I mean the big things that in todays world would be considered something small. For example, asI said before, I had honestly paid no attention to the tree that I am observing before I was assigned this project. But now that I am observing I know that most of its pinecones are placed at the top, and how if you go under it and look up you see a bunch of dead branches that stack up like a puzzle, I also notice how when the wind blows only the side north says still while the rest of the tree violently shakes. If I had been under the tree a few weeks ago when I wasn't doing this observation I wouldn't have given it any time of day.
I got to thinking, we are so lucky to be able to have opportunity to have nature and to be able to enjoy it and even write about it. Most people in other countries may not have the opportunity to write about nature or even have time to view it up close. And in other countries they may not even have nature because of the conditions they are in, whatever they may be. It is sad how so many of us take the big and little things for granite and don't live in the moment. I am guilty of not paying attention to many things and I know most of my peers could say the same thing. But it only gets harder as we get older to fond time to appreciate the little things and pure beauty of nature.
This made me realize that it's the little things that matter most in life. Its not the pictures of trees on Instagram or Twitter that will keep you connected with nature its the little things of the actual nature that mean the most and have the most value to them. "Enjoy the little things for someday you'll look back and realize they were the big things"-Kurt Vonnegut.
I got to thinking, we are so lucky to be able to have opportunity to have nature and to be able to enjoy it and even write about it. Most people in other countries may not have the opportunity to write about nature or even have time to view it up close. And in other countries they may not even have nature because of the conditions they are in, whatever they may be. It is sad how so many of us take the big and little things for granite and don't live in the moment. I am guilty of not paying attention to many things and I know most of my peers could say the same thing. But it only gets harder as we get older to fond time to appreciate the little things and pure beauty of nature.
This made me realize that it's the little things that matter most in life. Its not the pictures of trees on Instagram or Twitter that will keep you connected with nature its the little things of the actual nature that mean the most and have the most value to them. "Enjoy the little things for someday you'll look back and realize they were the big things"-Kurt Vonnegut.
About my Blog
“The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.”
-John Muir
I am doing this blog for a nature project assignment in my AP English class. I will be observing a tree that is located outside of my high school. Through these observations I hope to be able to take in nature with no technology or any social interruptions. I am looking forward to what will come from my observations and hope to start realizing all the beauty that nature holds.
More about what I will be observing:
I will be observing a pine tree that seems to be about ten or eleven years old. It is about twelve feet high, full of life and sheds a lot of pinecones. It is near the senior parking lot at my school(Wooster High School), so it often gets "abused" I guess you could say by careless teenagers. It only gets water when it rains and sometimes when the school maintenance comes around to trim it up it will get a drink. To be completely honest before doing this assignment I had never given the tree a second thought. I am now very glad to be able to experience all if its changes throughout the seasons and watch it grow.
-John Muir
I am doing this blog for a nature project assignment in my AP English class. I will be observing a tree that is located outside of my high school. Through these observations I hope to be able to take in nature with no technology or any social interruptions. I am looking forward to what will come from my observations and hope to start realizing all the beauty that nature holds.
More about what I will be observing:
I will be observing a pine tree that seems to be about ten or eleven years old. It is about twelve feet high, full of life and sheds a lot of pinecones. It is near the senior parking lot at my school(Wooster High School), so it often gets "abused" I guess you could say by careless teenagers. It only gets water when it rains and sometimes when the school maintenance comes around to trim it up it will get a drink. To be completely honest before doing this assignment I had never given the tree a second thought. I am now very glad to be able to experience all if its changes throughout the seasons and watch it grow.
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