Fieldcraft

I almost forgot to post our schedule for tomorrow:

Meet at LLL at 2:30. We'll be identifying some grasses and sketching for identification. Bring your binoculars and art kit/journal, but leave your field guides at home.

If you have a Crazy creek, you might feel more comfortable if you bring that, too.

Cheers!

Notice to all students

Sorry all--I plan to play hooky today from 2-3 so I can take advantage of this bee-u-tee-full weather for a bike ride. However, if you really need to see me then, I'll be happy to meet with you--just let me know in advance and I'll stick around.

Fieldcraft: Prairie Chicken Festival Trip

Good news, all! The Honors College has agreed to pay the registration fee for the prairie chicken festival. Meals are part of th registration so your only cost will be for gas and any camping equipment you need to rent.

Fieldcraft homework update

Hi all--

I went and ran with the rabbits this morning over at the polo field. I only saw three jacks and very little sign, so Ive decided to modify the homework assignment.

There are jacks at the polo field, some near the hospital in the "park" by the commuter lot on the west side, and at other places around town as well. Pick a place you can find jackrabbits. Sketch a jackrabbit or two, sketch the sign (including scat), make a map, make notes.

Here's something additional to think about: there is a company called "green maps" that has local residents make maps of places in their community that might be important to people who care about the environment. At first glance, it might seem as if there wouldn't be much to map in LBB, but in reality, the list of what could go on such a map is almost endless: places to see wildlife, where to buy organically grown coffee or eggs from free-range chickens, good bicycle paths/routes, recycling centers, where you meet in a parking lot to buy grass-fed sustainable beef from Erin's uncle...

What would you put on such a map?

Fieldcraft: Update on Day-trip; homework for next week

Here is a link to info about the Prairie Chicken Festival: link

I know the woman who is in charge of it, so it may be possible that we could get a group deal for registration, but I'm not promising anything. I may also be able to get the Honors College to pay for part of it, but I'm not promising that, either. I'll try to find out on both these possibilities and let you know as soon as I know something myself.

If we went as a group, we could probably camp together and save some money.

My gosh, I love these birds! What a show!

So, trip one: March 29th Buffalo Wildlife refuge
Trip Two: April 11-13 Prairie Chicken Festival.

Both will be fun times...Choose one or the other or both.

Homework: go to the TTU polo/cricket fields and find some jackrabbit tracks. Sketch and make notes.

P.S. Great story tonight on CNN about the current administration's effort to eradicate prairie dogs to protect "endangered ranchers" (the administration's language, not mine). The story was on Broken Government. It was part of some linked stories alleging that the Bush administration's political appointee/heads of government agencies are suppressing reports by environmental scientists that are in direct conflict with business interests. I checked to see if there is a transcript, but it isn't posted yet. Since the topic of prairie dogs came up in class today, I thought it was timely and a good thing to pass along. Not much there about the natural history of the prairie dog except to point out that they are a keystone species, and without them the endangered black-footed ferret won't survive.

Notice to all students

Katie made me aware that some of you were having trouble leaving comments. I think Ive fixed the problem, however, so would some of you mind leaving test comments so I can see if it works?

Women and nature writing assignment

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings went to a place in which the environment was totally foreign to her. One can only imagine how unsettling it must have been for her. Write about an instance in your life in which you found yourself in a natural environment that was as unsettling and unfamiliar (and surely there was one—if not, write about one that is very familiar to you…). Describe what it was about the nature there that was so strange…

Women and Nature: reading assignment update

Hi all--

I understand from some of you that the Houston book is unavailable. Go ahead and order it, either from Barnes and Noble or online, and don't worry about reading it before Tuesday. I'll show a film instead and we'll read the Houston book later.

Dr T

Fieldcraft Homework for week of 2/17

Homework: re-do the three checkpoints until you are satisfied with your accuracy; create an exercise of your own, using latitude/longitude, compass bearing, and pace to find a checkpoint of your own choosing; make notes and a creative map of your process.

Next week: LLL--nature walk. Bring your binoculars, journal, and art kit. We will start learning identification techniques, tracking, and field notes.

Day-trip update: How about March 29th? Does that work for everyone? That's late enough to pick up the beginning of spring migration. I believe it is the weekend after spring break, and the one before our canoe trip.

Trade-in Thursdays are: March 13th and 27th.

Please weigh-in on the comments section below.

Cheers!

Women and Nature: Reading for the week beginning February 17

Hi all--

Great discussion in class today. I forgot to give you next week's reading and discussion assignment: Read Pam Houston's Cowboys Are My Weakness through "What Shock Heard."

Be prepared to lead a discussion on one of the stories (and if you are not chosen to led the discussion, be prepared to contribute). Come to class with a list of good "conversation starter" questions. Reflect on the sort of questions we used in class so far to come up with potential talking points.

for the writing homework this week: write a short paper on the meaning and use to the moon in Kidd's "The Secret Life of Bees." Be sure to cite your references within the body of the paper, as well as including the full refernce at the end of the paper. I don't care what format you use--only that you cite your sources.

Notice to everyone about office hours

Hi all--

I need to change my Tuesday office hours from 2-5 to 2-4, starting today.

Also, I will not be in my office at all on Wednesday, February 13. If you need to contact me, please feel free to email me and I'll get back to you.

And, as always, I am also available by appointment.

Cheers!

Fieldcraft homework for Week of 2/10

• Continue working on your perspective drawings until you can get the trees safely in the box. Also, lay around a little with it and try different subjects or different points of view.
• Do a half-page of line texture, and a half page of playing around with your watercolor pencils in the manner we talked about.

Remember--meet at LLL this week!

Fieldcraft--day trip plans

Hi all-

Weigh in here if you have any ideas/preferences for our day trip destination. Here are a couple of suggestions:

Caprock Canyon
Buffalo Wildlife Refuge (near Canyon, TX)
Muleshoe Wildlife Refuge

I think we can use this day to practice our photography, journaling, and drawing skills.

We'll take a sack lunch.

Women and Nature (reading discussion for 2/12)

Good job in class today everyone. For next week, finish the book and come up with two or three "reading for writing" talking points of your own.

Writing assignment: create a character in the manner of Kidd--that is, tell us who he/she is by inference (rather than listing a series of attritbutes). Use her instructions for successful lying.

Women and Nature--Talking points for February 5

Here are some suggestions for things to think about in preparation for our discussion in class on Tuesday. For each answer, find a specific example or two that illustrates your point. You don't have to write any of this down; just be aware of them as you read--perhaps underlining and marking those examples you want to use. (In this way we read as writers...)

1. What role do the bees (specifically, their natural history) play in this story?

2. How does Kidd use imagery to create scene?

3. How does Kidd use detail to create verisimilitude?

4. Much of Kidd's writing is very "rich" and lyrical in her use of language. Rich is good, but too much of it, like a cake that is too rich, can be hard to take. How does she keep the writing from being too heavy-handed or precious?

5. How does Kidd create character?

6. How does Kidd let us know what a character looks like? August? Lily? Rosaleen?

7. How does Kidd open chapters?

8. How does Kidd conclude chapters?

Remember--use specific details and explain why they support what your answers.

Finally, as we learn to read like writers, I want you to learn to come up with your own questions to illuminate how an author accomplishes what she does. So think of one question that, like the one above, opens the door on the author's technique.

And, as always, I'll want someone to start with a short synopsis of what we've read for the week.

See you in class!

Fieldcraft (follow-up on "basic field sketching")

Great class yesterday! Y'all were doing some very good work. I saw some excellent tree drawings there at the end. (And Bird never looked better!)

Homework: 2-3 pages of bird sketches; 1 bird drawing from a photo using the grid technique; a couple of pages of tree sketches.

Next class: meet at the English/Philosophy/Education complex courtyard for lessons on how to use your watercolor pencils and perspective.

Photo: Preparing the cook shelter, Brazos 2007.

Fieldcraft--The Name of the Brazos

Hey y'all--here's a photo from last year's Brazos River trip. Did you know that the Brazos' real name is El Rio de los Brazos de Dios? The river of the welcoming arms of God...

Beautiful.

I'm ready to go on this year's trip right now...

See you in class later today.

Introductory Fieldcraft (Week of January 27)

Per our discussion of portaging on the Boundary Waters trails, here is a photo of Mary Porter doing just that for NHH 4350. Note: she is carrying both a canoe and backpack. (Look--she's even smiling about it! Go Mary!)

For Thursday's class: we will finish map and compass and start field sketching. WE WILL MEET AT THE OPC AT 2:30.

NOTE: The weather is supposed to be very cold again. Bring something warm to sit on and BUNDLE UP.

BRING: compass, journal, art kit.