Cottonwood Pond: Winter Opening

Winter Opening

November 2018

October 30

November 1

November 12

November 14

November 15

November 17

The most remarkable change at Cottonwood Pond, and in the whole woodland, during the first half of November, was the opening up of the scene. The woods went from green, to blazing fall color, to leaf drop in a short period of time, rather abruptly with each change.

Woodland slope above Cottonwood Pond:

October 30

November 2

November 8

November 10

November 11 - evening

November 14

November 15

With that, my view of Cottonwood Pond, from the top edge of the woods, changed drastically. At the end of October, I still needed to move up and down or left and right to find a good view of the area. Dense greenery still obstructed and mottled the view. But by mid-November I could see straight down to Cottonwood Pond from any position as woods' edge. I didn't even need to be close to the edge. A light snowfall accentuated features down below. I could even see the whole fallen Cottonwood Trunk, all the way up to where it rested in the “v” of a double-trunk Red Oak up the opposite slope.

October 30 - Cottonwood Pond and the Root Ball

November 7 - on the way down to Cottonwood Pond - sunlight still streaks through the canopy

November 9

November 10 - Much more light reaching the forest floor

November 15 - the upper woodland above Cottonwood Pond

November 10 - canopy over Cottonwood Pond

Wind, rain, snow, ice, and a quick procession of the seasonal change brought leaves and seeds tumbling to the forest floor in short time. At first, they created a fluffy dressing on the woods' floor in a multitude of colors and textures. Precipitation sometimes decorated the leaves with droplets, ice, and crystalline designs. Over time, the leafy layer started to compress and darken.

November 2 - Sycamore seed ball and leaves on forest floor

November 12 - White Oak leaf

November 14 - Leaves of Sugar Maple fallen on top of snow

October 30 - Still much green on the trees, and hardly any fallen leaves on the floor

November 7 - From the top of the far woodland slope, looking down to the woods' bottom

November 11 - looking across the woods to the east - Cottonwood Pond is off the photo, to the left

November 15 - my tracks on the slope, from the day before

The process had begun – all of the work done by trees over the spring and summer was beginning to turn to soil, which would shelter and feed many types of organisms, from microscopic to clearly visible. This soil-to-come would also support next spring's new plants, as well as nurturing roots of trees and fungal mycelia.

In respect to Cottonwood Pond, nutrients and small organisms from this layer would wash into the water with each rain and snow melt. The Creek would be carrying these a little more quickly, sometimes depositing onto its banks, the rest carried further downstream, into other streams, and eventually into major rivers.

November 1 - Cottonwood Pond and the Creek

November 9 - Creek becoming choked with newly fallen leaves

November 14 - the contrast of snow shows up the Creek and flow paths into it

November 14 - Creek going under the Barkless Log near Cottonwood Pond

November 14 - piles of newly-fallen leaves just under the Creek surface

November 15 - looking upstream - the Creek on either side of the Barkless Log, near Cottonwood Pond

A more direct impact on Cottonwood Pond itself would be the leaf layer that fell and collected directly into its water. These would rot in place, immediately adding their nutrients to the “pond”.

November 2 - some leaves in the bottom of the pond

November 2 - "little pond" (left) and the main pond (right) with the Cottonwood Root Ball in the middle - after a heavy rain

November 7 - many more leaves in the pond

November 9 - the pond filled with leaves

November 12

November 15 - leaves piled up on the Mud Pile below the Root Ball

November 15 - looking down the Cottonwood Trunk toward "little pond" - just a dark spot

November 17 - looking over the Barkless Log/Inlet at Cottonwood Pond

November 15

When I watch this process at Cottonwood Pond, I also think ahead. I see the snails and other small creatures that may inhabit the pond during spring and summer. I see the tiny tadpoles, and hear the calls of the frogs they become. I see larger animals coming to investigate, either to hunt, peck, drink, or rest – deer, raccoons, birds, snakes, foxes, squirrels, coyotes, and more. I see Crawdad chimneys being rebuilt, and imagine their activity at night, that I have never (yet) witnessed.

I see the ardent flow of water in and out of this place during heavy rains, and imagine the seeds that it carries, and I see the plants sprouting along the edge and all along the route the water takes to the creek further upstream.

And, at that time, the woodland will again be filled in, thick like a jungle, while tree saplings growing from the Cottonwood Pond Root Ball grow further up toward the forest canopy.