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11.10.08
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Nature nurses, art awakens
One of my courses this semester is BGYC52: Ecology Field Course. We had a weekend field study north of Toronto at the UofT-owned Koffler Scientific Reserve, Jokers Hill in York Region from the 26th to 28th of September.
The Longworth Trap for small mammals.
Eureka! The inspiration behind the Velcro, this is the Burdock.
We returned to our fly-infested lodging and decided to clean up the place. Took apart the windows and behold, the pile of flies in the side ridges.
Brand new day, early morning wakeup to check on study site #1. Found a dead Sorex (shrew).
Found a dead Blarina (short-tailed shrew). They stink and bite (the undead ones).
Microtus (meadow vole). Cutest of all our captures.
The class of 7 students with Professor Boonstra and our TA Lana, drove up, pooled money for breakfasts and lunches, had one dinner of Chinese takeout after sitting in the restaurant and realizing it was way more expensive than ordering to-go, and a group of us even made a bonfire in drizzle and roasted marshmallows! It was so peaceful and a breath of fresh air - I almost didn't want to leave! The whole trip made me sure of my choice to pursue the career of a Conservation Biologist; field work is definitely what I want to do as an ecologist.
I finally decided to check out Nuit Blanche, an annual overnight arts fest from the dusk of 4th to dawn of 5th October. There were some really cool exhibits, but we didn't get to see many as it was spread across downtown Toronto and we got exhausted from walking and freezing.
Scramble intersection at Yonge-Dundas. Look at the crowd!
"Into the Blue" in Eaton Centre.
"Sitting Ducks" dwindled as people waded into the water to pluck those rubber duckies.
"Conversation #2" at Bay-Wellesley turned out to be my favourite exhibit.
Unglued stacked books, colour coordinated as well!
"Meeky: The World's Strangest Little Boy" had a lineup so we didn't get to see how strange he was.
"Waterfall" at University-College was a quilt made up of recyclable plastic.
Toronto felt so different with the late-night crowds. We took a cab to a subway station and we passed the Meeky exhibit at 4ish-am and there still was a lineup. The lengths people will go for art!
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Stones taught me to fly
Love taught me to lie
Life taught me to die
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