"It's not what you look at that matters. It's what you see."
-Henry David Thoreau
Dear Thoreau,
Wow! How were you granted with such great strength?! The log was massive, weighing around 400 pounds (a class estimation).
There the lonely log stood, with power to remain on the ground. Its bark had pitch stuck in the middle of each aged crack. The pointy branches stuck out like crooked fingers, with comparison to someone picking up an aged object with a firm yet free grip.
There was a sense of necessity for shelter. Through the beam of chills that filled my face as I was trying to find a grip on the yellow mustard rope. I was not used to being out in nature, this was a change for me. I was always sheltered with walls and wooden floors when I entered through the stone door into the Pingree entrance.
Out in the woods, I felt an environment full of freedom and experiment. Even though I was chilly, and the fog came out of my breath when I opened my mouth, it was worth a try to allow the log some warmth on its bare skin.
From,
A friend of nature, Adrineh
Sunday, December 16, 2012
"The Lonely Tree"
Trees:
They come in different shapes and sizes,
And smell like chestnuts when sun rises.
Swaying trees come and go,
By getting chopped by the ones who know.
Green Green,
So fresh and clean,
Neon trees are never mean.
Peace fills the air that surround the branches.
In no need of attention.
The size and shape never matters but,
The beauty cares with loving tender.
The veins of the branches that are planted in the soil,
Show the tunnel of roots to a secret passage way,
That is unable to discover in one day.
Tree tree come back to me,
So long, I will see you when I'm free,
Looking for a calm and sincere place to be.
They come in different shapes and sizes,And smell like chestnuts when sun rises.
Swaying trees come and go,
By getting chopped by the ones who know.
Green Green,
So fresh and clean,
Neon trees are never mean.
Peace fills the air that surround the branches.
In no need of attention.
The size and shape never matters but,
The beauty cares with loving tender.
The veins of the branches that are planted in the soil,
Show the tunnel of roots to a secret passage way,
That is unable to discover in one day.
Tree tree come back to me,
So long, I will see you when I'm free,
Looking for a calm and sincere place to be.
Do The Math Journal Entry
Do The Math
Bill McKibben is a lot taller in person.
But what should I expect from the man who is trying to take down the oil industry, the wealthiest and most powerful industry in the world?
Of course he is not alone in this incredibly difficult task. Members of his Do The Math movement, including mothers, fathers, students, teachers, scientists, business people, and maybe your next door neighbor, have had quite a few accomplishments, such as shutting down the Salem Power Plant, and participating in protests against tar sands and the oil industry. These people and their united efforts have given me hope that we can actually accomplish our goals.
When I got home, I tried to convince my dad that we should divest from oil companies like Exxon. He didn’t agree. He would spit out one statistic and I’d spit back another, he of course was not amused in the slightest by the whole thing, but I, on the other hand, could barely hold back a smile. I really wanted to have the whole “Not under my roof!” argument and I would have gladly slept outside for sake of the Do The Math movement. I think that this rebellious side to the movement will definitely help it gain followers.
It’s not that my dad is not a fan of oil companies; I know for a fact that he was one of the few who had climate change on his mind when he went to polls. He believes that companies like Exxon are the only companies with enough money to develop alternative energy sources. It’s just too bad that the CEOs and CFOs at Exxon don’t seem to be that interested averting their preoccupation with oil or giving up their $100,000 per day salary. During the presentation, my mind drifted off for a brief moment, missing the analogy with beer completely, to a scenario where the CEO of Exxon had came anonymously to the Do The Math presentation. If only people could just sit down and listen, really listen, maybe Bill McKibben could have changed his mind and changed the course of history in one night. It’s a little far fetched, but if Bill McKibben can inspire people from all over the world, who’s to say he wouldn’t be able to do the same to one stubborn person?
I know that this movement is just taking off, but I can’t help but fear that, like the environmental movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s which happened in the midst of the Vietnam War, this will be but a fad or a fleeting moment in history drowned out by war in the Middle East. I hope that people come to realize how important an issue climate change is. It is so much bigger than the economy and most other issues our nation is preoccupied with.
Bill McKibben is a lot taller in person.
But what should I expect from the man who is trying to take down the oil industry, the wealthiest and most powerful industry in the world?
Of course he is not alone in this incredibly difficult task. Members of his Do The Math movement, including mothers, fathers, students, teachers, scientists, business people, and maybe your next door neighbor, have had quite a few accomplishments, such as shutting down the Salem Power Plant, and participating in protests against tar sands and the oil industry. These people and their united efforts have given me hope that we can actually accomplish our goals.
When I got home, I tried to convince my dad that we should divest from oil companies like Exxon. He didn’t agree. He would spit out one statistic and I’d spit back another, he of course was not amused in the slightest by the whole thing, but I, on the other hand, could barely hold back a smile. I really wanted to have the whole “Not under my roof!” argument and I would have gladly slept outside for sake of the Do The Math movement. I think that this rebellious side to the movement will definitely help it gain followers.
It’s not that my dad is not a fan of oil companies; I know for a fact that he was one of the few who had climate change on his mind when he went to polls. He believes that companies like Exxon are the only companies with enough money to develop alternative energy sources. It’s just too bad that the CEOs and CFOs at Exxon don’t seem to be that interested averting their preoccupation with oil or giving up their $100,000 per day salary. During the presentation, my mind drifted off for a brief moment, missing the analogy with beer completely, to a scenario where the CEO of Exxon had came anonymously to the Do The Math presentation. If only people could just sit down and listen, really listen, maybe Bill McKibben could have changed his mind and changed the course of history in one night. It’s a little far fetched, but if Bill McKibben can inspire people from all over the world, who’s to say he wouldn’t be able to do the same to one stubborn person?
I know that this movement is just taking off, but I can’t help but fear that, like the environmental movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s which happened in the midst of the Vietnam War, this will be but a fad or a fleeting moment in history drowned out by war in the Middle East. I hope that people come to realize how important an issue climate change is. It is so much bigger than the economy and most other issues our nation is preoccupied with.
Journal Entry
Journal
As we build Thoreau’s house with our hands a few primitive tools, we are building a house for Pingree Stickers. It is a symbol of our permanent love and appreciation for the woods, fresh air, and slightly unconventional learning. We’re motivated by the students and faculty’s (Ms. Steinert in particular) engagement in Thoreau’s message.
Thoreau loved nature and cared deeply about preserving it. His house on Walden pond and houses like it reflect the virtue of the minds which built them. It doesn’t matter if the blueprints call for a square box, the hard work that goes into such habitations ultimately shine through. This explains why the mentality of modern generations, whom Berry would say mostly consists of “Boomers”, is reflected in the ugliness of our mass produced, architecturally boring buildings. The U.S., being a relatively young country, is actually home to a lot of “bigger-the-better”, unsustainable architecture. We have acquired the vulgar mind that Forster refers to in Howard’s End, one that is “thrilled by bigness.”
It’s hard to see this in a beautiful town like South Hamilton, MA, but no more than a twenty minute drive and you’ll run into a massive “space-heater” building that brings into question the environmental consciousness of the architect and the rich man who hired him.
As we build Thoreau’s house with our hands a few primitive tools, we are building a house for Pingree Stickers. It is a symbol of our permanent love and appreciation for the woods, fresh air, and slightly unconventional learning. We’re motivated by the students and faculty’s (Ms. Steinert in particular) engagement in Thoreau’s message.
Thoreau loved nature and cared deeply about preserving it. His house on Walden pond and houses like it reflect the virtue of the minds which built them. It doesn’t matter if the blueprints call for a square box, the hard work that goes into such habitations ultimately shine through. This explains why the mentality of modern generations, whom Berry would say mostly consists of “Boomers”, is reflected in the ugliness of our mass produced, architecturally boring buildings. The U.S., being a relatively young country, is actually home to a lot of “bigger-the-better”, unsustainable architecture. We have acquired the vulgar mind that Forster refers to in Howard’s End, one that is “thrilled by bigness.”
It’s hard to see this in a beautiful town like South Hamilton, MA, but no more than a twenty minute drive and you’ll run into a massive “space-heater” building that brings into question the environmental consciousness of the architect and the rich man who hired him.
A journal entry:
Today, we carried the second part of the tree out of the woods. It weighed probably around
800 pounds, twice the weight of the first part that we carried out. With fourteen of us, it still
felt impossible to lift. We soon realized that the back was heavier and harder to carry than the front of the log, so we tried out different strategies to make it easier on ourselves. For a little while, we picked it up and carried it for probably about fifteen feet, and then took a break. But that did not work very well. We were all tired, and we all thought that our fingers were going to fall off. After a little while, we figured out that if we rotate positions, moving the log would get easier. Also, subbing in and out for the tired people worked well too. One of the most important parts of carrying this tree out of the forest has been the building of teamwork. As a class, I think that we are learning more and more about each other, our strengths and weaknesses as individuals and as a whole, and how we can work as one functioning ‘machine’ to get things done efficiently. One of the great things about our class, I feel, is that we work together easily, and understand one another. We are humorous, fun, determined, and excited, and I love that. But I also feel like when you feel like your fingers and arms are going to give in, our class is really encouraging. Everyone has to be willing and encouraging in order to keep a positive attitude. And as we all know, hard work is not nearly as hard when you are working with a group of people that has an uplifting spirit. Not only are we learning a lot about how to build a house, but we are also learning about each other which is a really valuable part of class dynamic, which is often lost in the classroom setting.
Today, we carried the second part of the tree out of the woods. It weighed probably around
800 pounds, twice the weight of the first part that we carried out. With fourteen of us, it still
felt impossible to lift. We soon realized that the back was heavier and harder to carry than the front of the log, so we tried out different strategies to make it easier on ourselves. For a little while, we picked it up and carried it for probably about fifteen feet, and then took a break. But that did not work very well. We were all tired, and we all thought that our fingers were going to fall off. After a little while, we figured out that if we rotate positions, moving the log would get easier. Also, subbing in and out for the tired people worked well too. One of the most important parts of carrying this tree out of the forest has been the building of teamwork. As a class, I think that we are learning more and more about each other, our strengths and weaknesses as individuals and as a whole, and how we can work as one functioning ‘machine’ to get things done efficiently. One of the great things about our class, I feel, is that we work together easily, and understand one another. We are humorous, fun, determined, and excited, and I love that. But I also feel like when you feel like your fingers and arms are going to give in, our class is really encouraging. Everyone has to be willing and encouraging in order to keep a positive attitude. And as we all know, hard work is not nearly as hard when you are working with a group of people that has an uplifting spirit. Not only are we learning a lot about how to build a house, but we are also learning about each other which is a really valuable part of class dynamic, which is often lost in the classroom setting.
Humility and Modesty Journal Entry
"At the hewing site, we work together in a way that fosters success through trial and error. If we fail to draw a straight line using chalk, we accept the failure. Instead of being discouraged by failure, however, we are motivated to perfect the line. We use intuitive, collaborative thinking to work around minor challenges. Our class is filled with people who are willing to learn from their mistakes, whether it is adjusting a grip around a broad ax or conducting precise measurements. Through inquiry and the desire to learn, humility forms. Through humility, we quietly listen to our teacher, an educator who enjoys hewing in his free time. Mr. Esty’s experiences can help us better understand Thoreau’s connection to nature as we seek to create our own experiences. We obediently listen to instructions and follow Mr. Esty’s lead. Through humility and modesty, we have acquired basic skills that enable us to work in a manner than welcomes failure and encourages unconventional thinking, which also enhances our creativity."
Journal Entry About Hewing
This is a part of a journal entry that I had written about working at the hewing site.
"Through the daily work we perform in the woods or at the hewing site, many of us have developed a sense of empathy towards workers that used to work without machinery. Performing this labor has given me a deeper understanding of the struggles associated with this labor and the dangers that workers were exposed to. Men carrying large axes around you and striking the wood the wrong way can make you very susceptible to physical harm. This laborious job required several hours of work a day at a relatively low wage. People were working in unsafe conditions and performing strenuous activity throughout the day but received salaries that could barely support one person.
Although this work is somewhat relaxing and peaceful for me, the amount of pain associated with performing this job every day is unimaginable. By experiencing this type of work, I have obtained sympathy for those who severely struggled to perform this labor. It requires complete attentiveness and being situationally aware of my surroundings. I am slowly becoming more appreciative of the work that people do without judging its level of difficulty. Although a job may seem easy from afar, actually doing the work may not always be as easy as the skilled employees make it seem. I shy away from judging people based on the type of work they do because the level of difficulty involved will remain unknown unless I experience it myself."
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