What a day...for poems.

This week's phenology assignment couldn't have surfaced on a more appropriate day for me personally.

I awoke in a jolly mood, despite the rain, which I happen to like a lot for some reason. But while in my first class, before visiting my place, I found out a friend I knew from home passed away this morning. He was only 19 years old. I've found myself wallowing in the reality of human mortality all day. Going to my spot helped- it gave me some time to think to myself and to reflect on the unpredictability of life. My place on the boardwalk helped me conceptualize the loss of life through the lens of nature, which was and is really beneficial. It makes you realize that all living things die- it is inevitable. And although the hard times are hard, that just makes the good times all the more special. I ended up writing a haiku about how my place made me feel today while thinking about the loss of my friend. The events of today also made me think about my life and how blessed I am. I thought about my memories with friends and family, the things I've gotten to do in my life, and the things I'll get to do in the future if I'm lucky enough.

This week's poetry assignment was really therapeutic for me, and I really enjoyed it. It let me connect with my place on a newer, and even deeper, level.

I have to ask: How can one place make a person feel so many emotions?! And recall so many memories?! It is amazing. Here are a couple haikus I wrote, plus ten words that jump to mind when I ponder my place...


Does it end?


The lake seems serene. 
Touched by rain drops, and not tears. 
Is that how he feels?

For the first time


A veil of sunshine
Warms me from the inside out
Here, in my new home. 

• Solitary
• Indelible
• Warm
• Expansive
• Connected
• Awe-Inspiring
• Bustling
• Alive
• Accesible
• Ever-Changing

Leafing through the Layers

Using the Burlington.kmz file to check out the layers of my place via Google Earth, I noted a few things:

~Firstly, the parcels option showed me how the area around my place is divided, and it is much like I expected! The property begins in the middle of the rotary area near where the pier and boardwalk starts. The Boardwalk property extends along the bike path, which I also expected, however not quite as far as the parcels image depicted. I was interested to see that the Boardwalk property also included the little sandy area at the start of the boardwalk where you can enter the lake and dip your feet! I suppose this makes sense though, considering it can be thought of as land and not necessarily part of the lake itself.

~Secondly, the contour option showed me where the land at my spot dips and shapes in different ways. The park area has land that is contoured, but the boardwalk is obviously level and flat considering it was designed and constructed. Going to my spot you can tell that the park land is a bit uneven in spots, so the contours of the land are visible in many ways, although the park area that is part of my overall place is pretty level relatively speaking. However, because I am inexperienced with the Google Earth application we used, I'm not exactly sure what the contour lines indicate, other than that they are measured in feet. I hope to learn more about this app for future reference though!

~The results of the remainder of the application options were pretty redundant. The census block data came up nonexistent for my place because it is public property and no one lives there (at least as their permanent address!). The hydrology of my place showed up as Lake Champlain, which was entirely predictable. There are no other water sources nearby. The historic map option was completely off!! The lines drawn by the historic map did not line up with the contemporary map in any way shape or form. They appeared to indicate a street was where Lake Champlain was, which I highly doubt.

Tuesday at the Boardwalk....

Visiting the boardwalk last Tuesday, April 12th was a great experience. 

It was the first day this year that individuals were out and about on the boardwalk, enjoying it as it was intended to be enjoyed. Alyssa and I experienced our spot together for the first time today. We walked up and down the boardwalk, but took extra time to sit and reflect on one of the benches at the lookout point. The sun was high in the sky, and one of the first things I noticed upon getting to my spot was that there was a rather large crew of sailboats in the lake today! It was so awesome to finally see the lake come alive in this way. There were also more people down by the waterfront today than I have seen yet this year. It was encouraging and heart warming to say the least! My event map is not the most artistic, but I tried to convey the things I saw and perceived while down at my spot...

Just Visiting

I have to say that visiting other people's spots provided an interesting frame of reference. I'm so used to going to my spot, looking at the space from my perspective, and noticing the things I value most and pick up on the easiest. So needless to say, going to other people's spots and trying to conceptualize them from their points of view was a nice lesson in cognizance.

Visiting Allyson's spot on Redstone campus was very interesting. Her spot, like mine, is in a somewhat populated area that is very much developed. Keeping this is mind, focusing on the natural and man-made components of the space kept me busy. Here I was amid the plant life, while also clearly seeing dorms and students walking around. The ground was mushy and patchy. I found a definite solace in this place even though I consider it to be somewhat in the middle of everything- campus, a community, a city, etc. I liked the balance of seeing people function in their daily lives while also feeling soft earth beneath my feet and bushes and plants around me. Reflecting on Allyson's take of her place, I feel like she must also value the sort of equilibrium that is present here.

Visiting Erica's spot at Oakledge Park was so much fun! I love the treehouse here. I almost claimed this spot as my own when contemplating a spot to choose for this project, but decided not to after considering the waterfront's implication on my life here in Burlington and at UVM. Even so, I do love Oakledge Park. I feel like the environment here is so versatile. Looking around, I almost don't know what to take in first. The ground, like everything else, is wet. But what can you do, rain is a frequent occurrence here in Burlington. I explored the tree house a bit, but tried not to stay too long because I could honestly spend my days living in that tree house if it were legal. But even the open space to run and play appealed to me. It is a shame that I came here on a rainy day, although most days this and last week have been gross weather, because I would have enjoyed the sunshine and the opportunity to explore the space at the park. Next time, I plan on visiting again on a dry day. But reflecting on Erica's attraction to this place, I feel like she must value the fact that this spot has so many places to explore and that you can easily see humans and identify with their adventure or be alone and simply be a part of your own. Those are things that I value about this place at least.

When I visited my spot down by the boardwalk, I of course appreciated the lack of snow that I saw! However, in Lake Champlain closer to the shore and boardwalk there were still large chunks of snow and ice floating in the water. Beyond the boardwalk that floats on the water, the lake was alive with movement and to my extreme happiness, no ice! The water had a lot of movement today, which I am assuming was a result of the rainfall and odd weather. The sky in general had a haze to it and kinda had me feeling in a fog (probably also because I was feeling extra contemplative today as well).

I tried to think about my place here from the perspective of Alyssa, who shares my same spot by the boardwalk. The parts of this spot I value most are it's obviously beautiful views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains, the physical layout of the boardwalk, the sitting rocks that line the boardwalk, and its altogether location and setting within the Burlington city landscape. I wonder if Alyssa values these same attributes, or what exactly she finds most appealing about this place. I think about my attachment to the boardwalk and what it symbolizes for me and the life I've built at UVM. Namely, how my first memories of Burlington took place here and how so many strong memories are subsequently tied to this very location. This assignment has really helped put my relationship with the boardwalk into perspective, as well as the relationships of my peers to their places. Living well in place, indeed!!

The first weekend of school, we came to the boardwalk & Waterfront Park.
Little did I know just how great of an impact these people and this place would have on my life....

Seeing is Believing....

This week's phenology assignment was harder than I anticipated....I guess I never realized just how important my sense of sight was in my appreciation and understanding of my place.


The boardwalk is gorgeous- a feast for the eyes if you will. You have beautiful, blue Lake Champlain set to the literally breathtaking backdrop of the Adirondack Mountains, all set within the City of Burlington, which I find aesthetically appealing in itself. Sense of sight is beyond important to my perception of my place, so having to depend on my other senses for this assignment was definitely interesting.

Firstly, today is March 29th. Spring has begun and April is but just a day of two away. WHY in the world is it still snowing?! I asked myself this question as I looked out my bedroom window and nearly cried, knowing I would have to go bear the cold outdoors. With this being said, the temperature was something I clearly noted this fine morning as I walked the boardwalk. I was frigid! I guess my body just can't handle the constant fluctuation in temperature that seems to be happening daily and I was overwhelmed by the snowflakes falling overhead. The snow wasn't coming down in mass quantities, but even the little amount that was falling was too much for me.

I had a hard time tasting my place, as there isn't too much matter I would enjoy putting in my mouth down by the boardwalk. I did tilt my head back in the air to catch a snowflake or two in my mouth, but that was short lived as a result of my chilliness. As far as sounds as concerned, I heard a few bird chirps and maybe a few people down by the boardwalk, but I'm sure the weather was discouraging to most living things today.

Experiencing different textures at the boardwalk was probably one of the easier tasks of the day. Rough tree bark, wet railings at the overlook point, moist ground in the park area behind the boardwalk, and the perpetual cool, bumpy feeling the sitting rocks offer were all fun to experience. Doing this reminded me how much fun it is to touch stuff- I feel like I sometimes forget and get lost in this 'look, but don't touch mentality'. Next time I come back to my place, I'm going to make it point to touch as many things as possible!

The smells at my place were also interesting to focus on, because although I would say I have a good sense of smell, it mostly gets put to work at the times I am either smelling something very distinct, or am close in physical proximity to a person or thing. Dampness of soil was a smell I was able to pick up on, especially on the grassy park area behind the boardwalk. Also when I leaned close enough, I was able to notice the decaying elderberries from last season had a slight smell. Next time I visit, when it isn't snowing and making me crestfallen, I'm also going to focus on picking up on more smells. 

Changes, Changes Everywhere!

This week while visiting my spot down by the boardwalk I noticed many changes in the environment! It looked completely different than when I visited last- before spring break!

*Walking around, the first thing I observed was that the snow had almost completely melted in all areas surrounding my place, even though it snowed a little bit yesterday! There were just a few patches of snow left scattered around on the sides of the boardwalk and the grassy park area behind it. For the first time this season, I was able to sit and swing on the benches that overlook Lake Champlain, as well as walk freely on the overlook point that projects out further over the lake from the boardwalk. Also, you could even walk along the rocks that line the boardwalk! I was really happy to see all these signs that the snow was steadily disappearing!

*As far as Lake Champlain is concerned, the intact ice that was previously covering the lake in a solid sheet was now very much broken! The ice flow was clearly breaking down and shifting with the change of the seasons. However, I did notice that none of the ice sheets were moving presently and that the water of Lake Champlain was placid and peaceful. Looking down at the parts of the lake where water was visible, the water had minimal movement, except for a few very small wavelike motions in some areas. For some reason, the lighthouse that sits to the right of Burlington's view of the lake seemed bigger and closer to me today, I have no idea why!

*Walking on the grassy park area that sits behind the boardwalk, my feet wore heavily on the saturated soil. My footsteps squished into the grass like no other! I did not enjoy that aspect of my walk by the boardwalk for the simple fact that my shoes got a tad wet, but it definitely showed me where the snowmelt was going! Also while down at my spot, it was flurrying snow, thus making the environment as well as myself even wetter.

*While walking along the grass I couldn't help but notice that there was a lot of scat around this area. A lot of it clearly came from pet dogs that the locals bring down to the waterfront on walks, but a large portion of it seemed to be rabbit scat- there were droppings of it all over the grassy park area. In one part of the grassy area however, I found a track that was left in the remaining snow that appeared to be a deer hoof! I looked at it as close as I could get, and it had every indication of actually being a deer print. It had a horseshoe type shape, with raised snow at the heel of the print. Seeing this made me question whether or not I could possibly also be seeing deer scat, seeing as that of rabbit and deer look similar. It could be plausible that both deer and rabbit come down to this park area at night from the woody areas near the bike path. I'm definitely going to keep my eyes out for both species....

*Once I perked up my ears a little bit, I also began to notice how many birds I heard chirping down by the waterfront. There was a plethora of birdcalls to be heard, none of which I was able to easily identify. I heard a very cheery chirp though and it put my in a happy, springtime mood! I also saw birds in my area that I had not seen there before- like pigeons! I saw several pigeons, many gulls flying all over the lake and the city, and even one sparrow! I was excited to see about five birds with orange bellies and brown backs, all with orange beaks. They were flying between the trees that are planted along the waterfront, however I didn't see any nests in those trees. I thought these birds might be orioles, because those are the only birds I knew of with orange bellies. But when I got home and looked up birds with the same traits I observed, I found out that they were in fact American Robins. After more research, I found out that American Robins are known for their early arrival at the end of winter, so it made perfect sense that they are at my spot so early in the spring season! Also these birds are known for their song, which coincided with the fact that I was hearing such pleasant birdcalls!

*Lastly, I noticed tree species starting to bud! The elderberry trees that reside in my area were definitely getting new buds on their branches, although the old berries were still very present both on the ground surrounding the trees and on the branches themselves. There also also green moss coming back to life on these trees, which is something I had not noticed was there before.... Even more exciting than seeing buds on these trees was noticing flower buds coming out of the ground!! This was probably one of my favorite observations of the day! What appeared to be daffodil plants, that were previously covered completely in snow, sat in rows along the boardwalk. These plants were flattened by the snow that had sat there prior, and lots of the individual plant matter that was there was browned, but I noticed buds coming out of several plants. These buds were hard to miss, seeing as they were bright green! I cannot wait to see how fast these flowers grow and what they will look like when they bloom in full force.

I could not be more excited for spring to come at this point! There is so much more to be discovered and explored at my spot! 

"I'm a bird watcher.... my, my, my!"

This spring break I traveled to my home sweet home in New Britain, Connecticut. New Britain was my original 'place' that I cited in class as the place I feel intensely connected to. To see my map of my New Britain and the places I like to go there, see my link below....

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&t=h&msa=0&msid=213992490482446241525.00049aa1f16f0053b3c7b&z=15

When I was home, I did not notice too many birds! This is somewhat normal, because the weather is still too cold for many species to frequent my yard and the other areas I go around town during this time of March. In spring, the amount of birds in the area definitely picks up. However, while I was there I did see a few species I recognized....

---In my yard I saw American tree sparrows on several occasions. These birds are tiny, and have a sort of brown spotty coloring. My dad told me these birds are usually around during the cold months and like to sit in the many trees we have in our back and side yards.

These bird is one of my favorites because we have a ceramic sparrow tree ornament that sits on our Christmas tree and looks identical to the real bird! Seeing this bird brings me good feelings and memories of my family.

---I also noticed American crows in my backyard almost daily. They seem to really like the many trees we have in our backyard as well, and I always see them in groups- usually between 2 and 5. They make such an obnoxious cawing noise, but I appreciate them for what they are (just not in the morning hours!).  These birds are around a lot, and I've seen them in many places around town in addition to my yard.

---In the shopping centers and more towards the inner city, I see seagulls everywhere! New Britain is not particularly close to the shore by any means so I've always been puzzled by their constant presence in these areas. I think of them as scavengers, sort of like the rats of the sky. If you can't tell, I'm not the biggest fan of seagulls. None the less, they have a constant presence in these areas of my town. Although, thankfully, not in my backyard!

---Driving on the highways and while driving to my friend's houses across town, I spotted a red-tailed hawk on several occasions. I see these hawks pretty frequently when I'm home in Connecticut. It is always fun to be driving on the highway and see one of these birds, especially because it reminds me of the great thrill my little brother got when he was younger and would identify one of these birds.

---Unfortunately, I didn't see my actual favorite bird while home- the northern cardinal!

I love cardinals for their beautiful color and coifed hair do! Or feather-do rather. Seeing these birds in my yard is always a treat, because although I get to see them in my yard occasionally, I never know when one might pop up! It is one bird even my mother, the bird hater, likes to see! I was disappointed to not have seen any cardinals while I was home- and even more disappointed to learn from my mother that she has not seen any in a while. I wonder why that may be.....


I really enjoyed reading Early Spring over my vacation. It opened up my eyes to the day-to-day changes in nature resulting from global warming. I especially enjoyed the chapters on birds and butterflies! The former had prevalence in my mind as I scouted my home for bird species this break, and I will keep it in mind as I scout my place in Burlington for the bird species that frequent it.