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9/19 Visit
9/19 Visit
On Friday afternoon, I went to Observatory Park with Aaron. After having been at First Ascent last weekend, this was my first time getting to see it for myself. The park is very open but the trees off to the edges are more densely placed. The observatory structure in the middle initially struck me as seemingly out of place next to the large field and tennis courts. However, after having been there for a little while, I realized it to be unique and provide a focal point to the space. The red contrasts the trees and other greenery around, making the observatory pop out at you.
For my first time at the park, I stood off to the side in the shade. I began by not looking at anything in particular but found my attention to wander around the park. I first noticed the freshly mowed grass. With chunks of cut grass piling up, I could feel it crunch under my feet as I walked. I stepped softly in order to keep it from making its way into my shoes. I then found myself swatting a bug away from my face which brought my attention up to the blue sky where it flew. There were two dragonflies dancing above me so I stood and watched their playful interaction. The soon flew off together and I again let my focus wander about my surrounding.
My attention was then brought to the foot of the tree that was shading me where I saw a squirrel. It sat on its back feet on the trunk of the tree, eating an acorn. I watched it for a bit as it held the large acorn in its front hands and gnawed at the shell. I realized there was another squirrel doing the same thing on the trunk of the tree just to my left. Above them were more squirrels, jumping across branches of the trees. Every once in a while, I could hear them get louder and shake a tree branch more dramatically. I wondered if this was in an aggressive or playful manner.
Lastly, a singular tree towards the southwest corner of the park caught my attention because I noticed it was already beginning to turn yellow. I know the other trees around it will soon follow suit, turning to their fall coats of colorful warm tones. This tree is an oak, along with the majority of the other trees surrounding it. Their distinctive feature comes from their acorns, which generally fall during the period of late September to late December. Acorns have tough shells and are eaten by many animals including deer, chipmunks, mice, crows, woodpeckers, and squirrels - as I earlier saw. Oaks are durable trees and adapt to various climates, including that of Denver with low-moisture soils and extreme temperatures of cold and heat.
During my first visit to Observatory Park, I walked around some but mostly spend my time standing in the shade and getting a feel for my surroundings. The area was relatively quiet with few cars on the neighborhood streets. Dogs ran through with their owners, chasing frisbees and enjoying the sun. Lastly, I watched tennis players on the courts, inspiring me to want to play as well during my next visit.
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