Trees are JUST Trees
Disclaimer: I have no idea how this got to be so EAT, PRAY, LOVE, but I'm sorry. I don't even really go outside. The facilitators can redirect the conversation any way
they see fit tomorrow so that we avoid some of the nonsense in here.
Last week, Dr. Stogdill proclaimed that “trees are just trees!” (He then quickly clarified his
meaning, but I will take the quote out of context anyway.) We’ve established in the last couple of
weeks that trees are anything but trees; they are sheltering, purifying, beautifying, etc. We’ve read
about the palm tree whose reputation foregoes its foreignness and relative environmental uselessness.
We’ve allowed it to characterize our families’ emigration stories, our tourist attractions, and our
childhood streets. Oak Trees have defined southern Pasadena in a similar, microcosmic way, articulating
an always-elegant and deeply entrenched history. Whatever you want to say about those who are “one
with nature” or who hug trees, regardless if you are an Indoor Cat, you have a metaphorical connection
with plants.
they see fit tomorrow so that we avoid some of the nonsense in here.
Last week, Dr. Stogdill proclaimed that “trees are just trees!” (He then quickly clarified his
meaning, but I will take the quote out of context anyway.) We’ve established in the last couple of
weeks that trees are anything but trees; they are sheltering, purifying, beautifying, etc. We’ve read
about the palm tree whose reputation foregoes its foreignness and relative environmental uselessness.
We’ve allowed it to characterize our families’ emigration stories, our tourist attractions, and our
childhood streets. Oak Trees have defined southern Pasadena in a similar, microcosmic way, articulating
an always-elegant and deeply entrenched history. Whatever you want to say about those who are “one
with nature” or who hug trees, regardless if you are an Indoor Cat, you have a metaphorical connection
with plants.
Plant medicine has been studied and used as long as people have felt pain and discomfort. We use
chamomile and lavender to calm down, garlic can lower blood pressure, turmeric is eaten to reduce
inflammation. When we’re in love, we gift red roses. Orchids stand for femininity. Daisies make great
housewarming gifts. Pink carnations signify a mother’s love. It's convenient for us to appreciate nature
when it's trimmed and in a vase.
I have a family friend who lost a newborn two days after her birth. The baby was named Lily, and the
mom’s favorite flower is the marigold, the Flower of Death. This budding, the budding of Lily and of a
marigold, is deadly and made more painful by its beauty. Your family tree pulled you from its ancestral
roots. There is death in life as we exchange resources and DNA.
People, my grandmas, plant flowers that attract bugs and stink when they wither because they like the
way they look. Is this materialistic or is it the opposite? Do they appreciate nature for what it is or suck
the life from it?
chamomile and lavender to calm down, garlic can lower blood pressure, turmeric is eaten to reduce
inflammation. When we’re in love, we gift red roses. Orchids stand for femininity. Daisies make great
housewarming gifts. Pink carnations signify a mother’s love. It's convenient for us to appreciate nature
when it's trimmed and in a vase.
I have a family friend who lost a newborn two days after her birth. The baby was named Lily, and the
mom’s favorite flower is the marigold, the Flower of Death. This budding, the budding of Lily and of a
marigold, is deadly and made more painful by its beauty. Your family tree pulled you from its ancestral
roots. There is death in life as we exchange resources and DNA.
People, my grandmas, plant flowers that attract bugs and stink when they wither because they like the
way they look. Is this materialistic or is it the opposite? Do they appreciate nature for what it is or suck
the life from it?
Do you prefer beautiful plants (i.e. blooming flowers, lighter greens)?
Is all nature beautiful?
How much un-manicured nature do you interact with?
Could it be important that we prefer growth over degeneration, Spring over Winter?
Do you prefer Spring over Winter?
How does a tree or another plant take on the human body or mind?
Must a tree take on the human form or mind to be meaningful?
In regards to materialistic or opposite, I think it depends on what we value to be economically favorable. Are we viewing materialistic in terms of aesthetics or is it based off of practicality and usage? Beautiful plants to one may be different to another. In my opinion, I prefer blooming flowers and bright colors but only in the decorative sense. For example, if I were to be looking for various apple trees, I wouldn’t choose the seed for the tree based on aesthetics; instead, I would choose the seed that produced the kind of apple I wanted. I don’t think all nature is beautiful. My first thought arrives at predator versus prey, which is a natural cycle of life but not a pretty one. Thinking about un-manicured nature, I realize that there is not a lot of nature that I am exposed to that isn’t touched by man. Living in Los Angeles, there isn’t a whole lot of natural greenery. Even in the parks, each tree or plant is strategically placed to fulfill some type of purpose. I don’t know if it's important that we necessarily prefer spring over winter, but I think it’s better if we prefer growth over degeneration. Right now, climate change is a leading problem that is being researched and discussed, and the lack of plants/greenery is contributing to this problem. Personally, I prefer Spring over Winter just because the environment seems a lot friendlier and less cold. A tree or another plant taking on the human body or mind reminds me of an experiment I’ve seen performed. Two identical plants are side by side; one plant receives compliments while the other is “bullied.” The plant that is bullied withers and struggles while the other plant is thriving and growing faster. I don’t think a tree must take on the human form or mind to be meaningful. Whether or not we acknowledge the taking on the human form or mind is insignificant because the tree will run its own course and play its part in the circle of life.
ReplyDeleteMy family and I have several orchids and cacti in our house. I personally appreciate these plants and flowers because they are beautiful and bring my family and I a lot of joy. I feel like these plants make our house more homey and cozy. These plants simply look happy and relaxed. I have never come across a plant that I’ve thought is ugly. I’m sure, sometime in my lifetime, I will come across an “ugly” plant, but I truly think that each plant has its own uniqueness and beauty to offer. I especially enjoy the presence of succulents and tropical plants. To be honest, I don’t really interact with un-manicured nature much. The only nature I really interact with is at my house, at school, and occasionally at the golf course. All of the nature in these places have been pretty much manicured. Although, there is a portion of my backyard that hasn’t really been touched by humans in a while. I prefer the Spring over Winter because I enjoy nature most when it is blooming and vibrant. I feel this way because vibrant plants make me feel happy, while dead plants make me feel sad.
ReplyDeleteHaving spent all of my life in greater urban Pasadena, I have consistently found myself longing for hikes and excursions into the urban/wild-land interfaces of West Pasadena, Hollywood, North Glendale, and Altadena. In these places I am able to relax for the simple reason that all of the external stimulus acting on me is natural, peaceful, and consistent. Simply existing and breathing among the un-manicured vegetation reminds me of the fact that we, all organisms, are connected to each other in some way, shape, or form. This reminder helps ground me and places perspective around whatever I may be thinking or going through. In other words, it helps me remember that the trivial things going on in my life really don't matter much in the grand scheme of things. The idea of a tree or plant taking on the human body or mind fascinates me. The more we talk about these connections in class, the easier it becomes to see them in everyday life.
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ReplyDeleteI’m fascinated by this idea of selective appreciation of nature that Lucy talks about in her blog post. Building off of a line from Lucy’s post that intrigued me, “It's convenient for us to appreciate nature
ReplyDeletewhen it's trimmed and in a vase,“ I think that humans tend to be fans of nature when nature is controlled, on our own terms, and anything but intimidating. Disclaimer: this response is going to be incredibly stream-of-consciousness so brace yourself. Anyways, now I’m thinking about how “glamping” (which I’m 99.999% sure is a combination of “glamorous” and “camping” into one word) is the epitome of faux-appreciation for nature. I don’t think I’ve ever truly glamped, but based off of what I have seen/what I know, glampers feel as though they’re “roughing it,” experiencing the outdoors, and appreciating nature, but in reality, they’re sleeping under a fuzzy blanket in an RV with a tray of nachos baking in the oven. Of course, there are the exceptions (the conscious clampers — “Let’s go glamping because camping is disgusting”). I’m being tongue-in-cheek of course, but I really do believe that glamping is highly representative of the general disconnect between humans and Mother Nature. What’s facilitating that disconnect? The RV. The TV screen. The iPhone. The sink. The toilet. The list goes on. To “be” in nature is to reject the constructs of “cleanliness,” “beauty,” and “purity.” Being in nature is getting mud on your hands, dirt between your toes, and peeing behind a tree. Why can’t these things be beautiful? It’s interesting because when I take part in this “being in nature” experience (primarily on Poly Outdoor Ed trips, as of late), I feel like my actions are primitive — that society has advanced so far relative to the things I’m doing (collecting kindling for a fire, drying my socks on nearby rocks, etc.). However, now that I’m thinking about this, this idea of societal “advancement” and “making progress,” it really doesn’t feel like progress.
To be honest, I’m not 100% sure if that is materialistic or not, but I have this ~sense~ that I think it is not completely materialistic. I think it is good that people are planting plants because we need more of that. Something that has come to mind recently, though, is flowers as a gift. When I was really little, I used to think flowers were practically useless because you couldn’t do anything with them besides admire their appearance or smell. However, over the past few years, my opinion on this has changed, and I now think flowers are a lovely gift because they are beautiful, thoughtful, and have real meaning. I wonder if my change in opinion is because I don’t consider flowers as directly materialistic or if I like the idea of a meaning behind each type of flower. I prefer beautiful plants because of their bright colors and meaning. I think there are different definitions of beauty and different opinions on what one person considers to be beautiful. I think all nature is beautiful, at least in it’s function. Of course there are some bugs that annoy me, but their job is something that is important to our world. I get annoyed if tree sap gets on my hands, but the tree sap is vital to the tree’s life. I think the most amount of un-manicured nature I interact with is on outdoor education trips. Poly’s plants are manicured, the plants at my house are manicured, and practically all of the plants in the city seem to be manicured. On the outdoor education trips is when I can really be surrounded by natural nature (although, some plants in national parks can be manicured too for upkeep). I like winter because I like the rain and the cold, but I do think growth is extremely important. Spring is beautiful because of all the blooming flowers, growing plants, and returning leaves. Plant growth is critical nowadays due to the ever growing threat of climate change. I don’t really have an answer for how plants take on the human body or mind, but I don’t think that trees must take on the human form to be meaningful.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn’t say I have a preference when it comes to plants because most of the time I’m focused on other business. However, when I do take time to appreciate nature I often delve into how complicated life is and all of the beauty it has to offer.
ReplyDeleteIn my personal opinion, I don’t believe that all nature is beautiful. Although I have a great appreciation for nature, there’s no question that it has its downsides and ugliness.
It depends on your definition of unmanicured, but I would say I interact with unmanicured nature probably an average of once a month.
I prefer Spring over winter solely because of the warmer temperatures. Now that I think about it, I’ve never really noticed a change in the flora I interact with (even though they clear go through changes).
A tree doesn't have to take on the human form or mind to be meaningful
Personally, I do prefer beautiful plants. I love blooming flowers, green trees, moss, and glistening water. I have never been a big fan of deserts because of the lack of colors and dryness. On the contrary, I love arctic biomes even though they lack colors. As you might be able to tell, my opinions on what type of nature is beautiful are very complex and contradictory. Not all of nature is beautiful. For example, I do not think tarantulas are beautiful. Yes, they are part of nature, but I find tarantulas incredibly disturbing and uncomfortable to look at. Animal feces is part of nature. Do I think it is beautiful? Obviously not. Not all nature is beautiful. I am someone who likes spring and winter equally. I really love winter because of the weather, the holiday festivities, and the coziness of it all. I love spring because of the bright colors, the effervescent plants, and the youthfulness of nature. I do not think that humans and trees are alike, but that does not mean that trees do not matter. For example, I have no similarities to llamas. Does that mean that llamas are not important? No. I have very little similarities to Miley Cyrus. Does that mean that she is not important? No way! She’s incredibly important to so many people. Just because we are not similar to something does not justify us treating them as lesser than.
ReplyDeleteWhile, I may not put it as poetically as others have; I love the earth. I think all nature is beautiful but sometimes the manicured landscaping and stylized floral arrangements frighten me with their fragility and impermanence. I much prefer the stability and reliability of deeply rooted trees and overgrown fields. More often than not, I am interacting with tamed nature as a result of where I live and spend most of my time. However, when I am allowed to get away, it is to wild places I gravitate.
ReplyDeleteRegarding growth and degeneration and their cycles with the seasons, I think I find my best self in the middle ground. I love the cool, green, fresh growth that comes with Spring and the crisp change of fall. However, the reading we did in class last week resonated with me because it is the sun that pushes me indoors and out of the light. I can’t handle the extreme heat and intense light. I feel my skin burning and I race towards the shade; once again pulling me into the shadow of large, imposing trees.
In response to trees taking on the human body and mind, I think it is the other way around. I think that it is only by nature inhabiting us that we are able to give the impression that we inhabit it. Inherently, and through human nature, we impose ourselves onto the things which we feel so heavily within ourselves. A tree does not take us on, instead we take on the tree, and thus, it breathes its life into us and then we can begin to comprehend what it means.
While I do really enjoy the relaxing feeling that comes from the openness and simplicity of bare land and rocks, I do prefer beautiful plants. Green trees, waterfalls, and plants with unusual and striking colors are more pleasing to me, as they stand out more in comparison with what I see on a daily basis. I would say I only see unmanicured nature when I hike, but is a hike unmanicured nature? The trail is formed and the plants can be trimmed and sculpted. However, the view you get from hikes can be a view of truly unmanicured nature. I think I prefer Winter over Spring but only because Angelinos experience an incredibly mild form of weather change (mild enough to enjoy the cold). Also, since I'm not in the presence of much unmanicured nature, I feel like I never truly get to appreciate all the blossoming and blooming that occurs during Spring.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think that I prefer looking at blooming flowers and lighter greens (i.e. "beautiful nature), but I also think that all nature in beautiful. In Pasadena and the greater LA are there isn't that much un-manicured nature to interact with. Thus, I do not interact that much "natural nature." I think the closest I come to interacting with un-manicured nature is on hikes or outdoor ed trips. Yet, there are trails made by man on hikes and every place we have been on outdoor ed trips have ben manicured by man. I think I prefer winter over spring because I live in socal. The winters that I enjoy aren't actually winters. I don't enjoy the spring that much because my allergies are horrible in the spring. If I am being honest, I have no idea how a plant or tree can take on the human body or mind (I don't think I understand this question).
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite parts about living in Los Angeles is the fact that we have beautiful, clear weather almost year round. I love spending time outside when the sun is out, and normally other parts of nature are blooming during these times as well. Because of my affinity to most things bright and colorful, I’d have to say I prefer Spring over Winter and colorful plants and flowers over darker ones. I think beauty is subjective, so I guess all nature could be beautiful? Although I tend to prefer lighter, brighter, and more traditionally ‘beautiful’ tones in nature, I also spent a lot of time in the desert during my time in Israel, which gave me an appreciation for a different kind of beauty. I think the time I spent, the people with whom I spent it, and the context of my time in the desert definitely influenced my newfound appreciation for the desert and its power; I think this process could be applied to other people as well. Lived experience definitely influences the ways that different people view nature and its relative beauty. I might think certain trees and flowers are beautiful because of environmental factors/having grown up in an “urban forest” like Poly. I think there is meaning to the fact that traditionally beautiful nature tends to be blooming and growing rather than degenerating (although both are parts of plant lives). It makes sense for us, as humans, to prefer a growing tree over a dying one. However, humans’ preference for growth and flowering does mean that we often overlook the beauty of deserts and other environments like them.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure all nature has to be qualified as beautiful. I think that nature's functions and actions are spectacular and incredible and beautiful in a way, but on a purely objective, surface level, it's fair to say that some nature just isn't that pretty (granted, beauty IS in the eye of the beholder. As I'm writing this response, I'm looking at two plants I keep in my room. They're two little trees / shrubs, one of them taller and robust with thick collections of large, fanning leaves, and the other it's shorter, skinnier, sparser sibling. It's leaves are small and browning, and it's not as objectively "beautiful" as it's neighbor, but it has a special place in my heart because I've assigned it an underdog personality and I just want to see nature thrive, even in as unnatural of a place as my own bedroom.
ReplyDeleteI prefer winter to spring, but it's because I prefer a California winter. Today, in a moment of seeking some time alone, I left school early to visit my favorite park, Hahamonga watershed park, which I have talked extensively about in the past, so I'll keep my park anecdotes to a minimum. What I noticed is that the park is so much more lush and natural-looking (whatever that means to me) and "overgrown" in this "winter" - I only ever experience summer in the park, when the grass, leaves, and bushes have dried up and died. It's interesting that spring is correlated with growth when, in the case of this park, spring really marks the beginning of the greenery's death.
Personally, I do enjoy beautiful plants and places in nature. Locations such as the Huntington gardens or the arboretum tend to be my favorite places due to this, especially during spring. Spring is a time for life and growth in the animal/plant kingdom and I enjoy this time because I can see even more life than usual. Also, I believe that nature in itself is in fact beautiful yet not all aspects of nature are. For example, while I do not think the bee is a beautiful creature, I think their role of pollinating flowers makes nature more beautiful. So while I do think that some plants are animals are ugly, nature as a whole is beautiful and it is a shame that we are running out of natural places on this Earth.
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