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.

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. 

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.