Mark Dion

I thought this was a great idea for a sculpture that illustrates the complexities of nature that many people take for granted. The artist said they tried to highlight all of the factors necessary for this fallen tree to sustain life that occur naturally in nature, and how much work and technology it took to try and replicate these (irrigation, ventilation, sunlight color.) I have been aware that when a tree falls, other forms of life will move in and inhabit that space, but I never actually thought about how this part of a tree's life is vital to its ecosystem. This sculpture was a very imaginative way of injecting an element of nature into a city environment. I wonder how many people actually realize when they see this tree that would seem out of place, that the city in which they inhabit is the one that is naturally out of place, and that trees like these were removed to make way for the urban environment.

Scott Calhoun

I thought Scott Calhoun's narrative about his experience to photograph the California Poppies was very well written, and I found myself able to visualize what he was describing because of his great use of words. During one section, he seemed to give personality to the poppies because of his descriptions of how he was interacting with them; he wrote "With their petals closed up, the poppies appeared both shy and defiant, but I enjoyed seeing them with the hatches battened down." I only hope that my blogs about my field trips are able to be as well written as his was about his trip. I really enjoy going to the desert as well, I enjoy both camping and hiking in them. I have not been able to see flower fields like this on my trips, I think it would be great if one day I could happen upon a comparable sight in which to photograph.