Thursday Morning in the Cold

Normally I would complain about having to get up early and spend my morning out in the cold, but our class trip to the arboretum was quite the experience. I had been out there once before, around the beginning of the school year and it was breathtaking. My roommate and I spend the entire morning sleeping in on football Saturday and wanted to get some fresh air. We saw the fountain out front from afar and made it our destination. At the end of August the flowers were still full bloom, colors weaving in and out one another, trees still had their leaves and the long aisle leading to a vine-covered archway was the main attraction.  I could then understand why there was a several yearlong waiting list to get married there. Our trip on Thursday, being my second trip to the Penn State Arboretum it was a completely different experience. Without all of the immediate eye catching beauty that the summer season provides, it was easier to concentrate on the hidden intricacies that make it incredible. Walking through the second time I was attracted to the complexity of the pathways and how there was always more than one direction to take, no dead ends. I thought that in its own way it could be considered art, in the sense that it presents several different perspectives and leaves the audience wondering, “what if I went the other way?” I believe that if you’re left wondering something, that’s what makes it artistic. As I continued walking around, one of the most memorable spots was where we all first met, the pavilion area in the back of the Arboretum. It’s simplistic structure and openness allowed for the nature to represent itself, especially the tall, bare tree standing alone. I believe, and to use a cliché “less is more” and that the Arboretum was designed to show a balance of both ornate and simple beauty. While walking through, I wondered if by going during every season I would discover and appreciate something I didn’t notice before. Therefore it is my plan to visit sporadically throughout the year and put my questions to the test.