Journal 2: Learning to field sketch

Location: Ravenna Park
Time: 4:00 pm
Date: October 21
Temperature: 52 F

The first thing I notice upon arriving at my site is silence. While I sat during my first visit, everything around me was alive. The wind caused the cedar trees above me to bristle and birds chirped ceaselessly. I wondered if the extreme weather conditions earlier in the day played a part in the sudden peace. I began to look towards the ferns I first documented last week. The one in the river, which appears to be a Lady Fern, seems to have grown out more and is now hunched over. It also seems to have lost some of its colors. Inhaling the air around the fern, it smells almost sweet and damp.
Distancing myself from the fern, I can smell the collection of wood that surrounds me and am engulfed by the crisp air resulting from the recent rain. I notice that there have been few changes to the tree directly above me from my last visit. I now know that, because the tree appears to be a Western Redcedar, it is in the genus of coniferous trees. I feel the leaves, which have a surprisingly soft texture and run my hand down the bark, which is a bit tougher than I expected.
The ground around me has continued to fill with loose pine and fallen branches. Sitting down on the ground, I dig into the floor and am able to find a few worms that have risen close to the surface. I notice how moist the dirt is today. The overall appearance of my site has no changed much. I think that, because the trees surrounding my selected location are coniferous, the area at large will remain similar. However, as you zone into the individual plants, the site will drastically change as the weather becomes cooler and rain more frequent.
I would also like to expand on some of the thoughts I addressed in my last journal entry. Nature is so often exploited by humans. I have loved the concept of getting to thoroughly explore an area of nature and document my experience through writing, pictures, and drawing however I have already begun to identify that true-peace may not be possible. My selected location is near the beaten path at Ravenna park and there have been several instances when I will be deep in focus, listening for birds or observing a plant, and am distracted by voices from the populated trail. This corresponds with my notion that many areas have become spoiled by humans. Despite Ravenna Park being an exceptional oasis from the urban areas that make up Seattle, it still is very touched and the presence of humans is constant. The feeling of escape is only temporary. Soon you walk back onto the path and past several others trying to accomplish the same mission.

Publicado el octubre 22, 2020 03:59 TARDE por katlykins katlykins

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