Aullwood Audubon

Day 4

Today was a very exciting day for me because we were going to Aullwood Audubon. I had heard a lot of amazing things about this nature center. I was very excited to go there. Before going there, we reflected on a question, "what is a community?" All the groups came up with very unique and interesting responses. We talked about equality in the community and how if one organism in the community is missing almost everyone would be affected. To prove this, we did an activity where we all were given a note-card of an organism in the community. Then we were asked to stand in a circle. One person was given a string roll and asked to throw it at one person who would affect them and so on. This was the end result:

The "string" activity 

Then we went to Alluwood Audubon. I really liked the whole experience of going into the woods and doing the water study. In the water study, we were at a lake looking for a invertebrate. We were also given binoculars to look closely at birds. I got to see the Indigo Bunting. It was very bright blue in color and I though it was very beautiful. We got to look and carry a turtle and a snake. It was very scary at first to get the snake but after I held it in my hand, I realized it wasn't as bad. We then went to the farm where we played with baby goats, pigs, and rabbits. They were all very cute and that was my favorite part of the day. We then had lunch and came back. We were then asked to write a meditation script. The one I wrote was: 

Imagine you standing under a tall sycamore tree. You close your eyes and try to take in all the sounds around you. The blue jay making various types of sounds, the insects flying over your head, the bees buzzing in your ears. As you look further, you see a creek. The clear water in the creek crashing gently against the glacial rocks almost sounding like the beach. Following the creek, you see a pond in which there are a bunch of fish, turtles under the low lying branches of the trees.

The boardwalk on which you are standing is wet from the rain that had recently left the whole trail wet and soft. You go on following the trail. You see a beautifully bright blue colored Indigo Bunting. Its bright wings standing out from the rest of its green environment. You also see some prairie grass, almost as tall as your knees brushing softly against your knees. You keep walking and see the sycamore tree you had originally started from.

You open your eyes and see the sun piercing through the trees. The sounds still around you. You feel equal to everything around you. As you take a deep breath, the smell of the wet dirt fills your whole body leaving you refreshed and ready for the rest of the day. 

playing with the baby goats!(: