Observations of Boren Park: A Sensory Experience - Journal Entry 1

It’s October 6th, 2015 at 4:23pm and I am walking through a wooded ravine at Boren Park which is just one of the many urban forest in Seattle.  As I look up through the canopy mosaic of color changing leaves I can see the skies are overcast with low hanging clouds.  I gaze down at my digital thermometer and notice that the temperature is 60 degrees.  A slight chill comes over me as an ethereal breeze moves through the woods causing a few yellow and red leaves from high in the trees to gently float to the forest floor.  There is no denying that our hot summer is just a memory and that we and the forest welcome the cooler temperatures of a Pacific Northwest autumn. 

As I continued my stroll along the park trail I felt a drop of water land on my head which heralded a tiny refreshing rain shower.  I stopped where I was and lifted my hoodie to shield me from the falling drops of cold rain.   This micro-sized rain shower seemed to be localized to my part of the forest and only lasted for a moment.  While standing in that spot I noticed I had stepped onto a hard surface.  It was a piece of concrete embedded in the middle trail at the center of the park.  It almost appears that this random solitary rock is meant to be some kind of guide post.  In some way that piece of manufactured stone spoke to me and said, “This is the spot”.  Having received inspiration from the concrete I decided to make it my observation platform for the duration of this assignment.   

Looking down at my feet I notice the dirt trail is narrow, windy and well worn.  Along the trail I can see signs of some human activity in the form forgotten expensive metal water bottle and plant flagging attached to some Oregon grape indicating that the area near the trail has undergone environmental restoration recently.  While standing very still a black finch decides to land on a branch of a nearby cedar tree.  I attempted to take the small bird’s picture but despite my concerted effort to move my camera into position slowly, it took flight before I could click the button.

As I visually scan my surroundings I take notice that although the deciduous trees are in the process of color change and some plants have turned brown and died there is still abundant greenery.  I see a snag being consumed by English ivy and aerial roots hang from the high branches of a tree descending all the way to the ground.  I hear the roar of an airplane overhead that manages to only briefly drown out the energetic songs of several birds nearby.  The air feels heavy and humid and reeks of the wonderful scent of decomposing wood. 

Tucked away in the northeast corner of Capitol Hill, Boren Park is more than an urban forest its little slice of paradise that is close to home.