Day 2 Blog

Upon entering, I was greeted by a flock of ducks eating their lunch. Due to the multiple lakes in this park, it is a haven for many ducks. 

After this warm greeting, I headed towards the lake on the south side of the park. Similar to plants, humans naturally gravitate towards water. I thought back to the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes who were forced to relocate away from their water source. We are alike with nature in the sense that we simply need water to keep on going. 

Along the lakeside path stood this beautiful willow tree. Using the app, PlantNet, I identified this tree as a Salic alba, also known as a white willow. They originate from Asian and Europe, and were brought over to North America by colonizers. Often located by water, these trees have a history of bringing about a reflective and melancholy mood. This set the tone for my walk in the park to reflect on my past weeks in Denver. 

For the majority of the path along the lake, was this plant known as Sweet-flag. Also captured in this photo is the algae that fills the water. Both of these plants make it the perfect location for fish to swim around. Many people fishing were also walking along this path to find the perfect spot to throw their fishing lines in. 

While I was looking into the water, I found this bottle of soda floating in the lake. Unfortunately, I did not bring any gloves or trash bags to pick it up. A wave of sadness overcame me thinking that some people disregard nature and do not care if they are causing hurt to this beautiful Earth we have the privledge of residing in. 

My walk continued, and I became intrigued by these bright red berries, I identified this tree as a Chinese crab apple tree. During the spring, these fruits bloom into flowers. Despite this blog only being for fall quarter, I already plan on returning in the spring to see these trees blossom. 

My journey continued, and I came back to the garden I visited during my first trip. Standing tall amongst all the other flowers was this Sunflower, and I thought back to Hogan's "Walking." She referred to Sunflowers as being a diverse society filled with bees and other insects relying on this Sunflower for their life source. I paid attention to the bees flying from flower to flower to collect pollen. I was able to admire this Sunflower in a whole new way. There are lives, even if it's too small for us to see, constantly happening all around us. 

With the Sun beating down hard on me, I bagan to rethink my choice of wearing a long-sleeve shirt. The cicadas around me were sining in unison as if creating a soundtrack for me as my journey in the park was coming to an end. On my way out, I stopped next to this tree I recognized from my first trip. The leaves had slowly begun to turn yellow. With the Autumn equinox approaching, I look forward to see the many changes that will occur throughout the park. Similar to nature, humans also go through seasons. Often times I find myself feeling homesick and other times I'm grateful for the adventures ahead of me in a new city. Change can often be scary, but it can also be so rewarding. Nature reminds us to embrace this change, and to greet the new season with open arms.