Divots and Thorns

Jacob Korte - UNT History Major

Today was very interesting, being our first real time to view the Mandala each of us had chosen. I spent essentially my whole time looking at the same dead Mexican plum plant, something that I never would have done in the past, spending thirty minutes looking at the same plant and writing all the aspects of the plant is not something I would have called fun. However doing so was quite amusing and I noted much about this plants that I would have overlooked or not even bothered to consider, which has lead me to a yearning to learn more about the Mexican plum species. It can also be noted how alien it felt to dedicate so much time to a plant not even a whole park or what have you but a single plant and it’s immediate area.

My viewing of this particular Mexican plum has given me some questions as to the plant itself, such as if it is native to grow so far north of Mexico, or even if “Mexican plum” is an accurate name as to the origin of the species. Does this species actually grow plums? Does it remain a shrub or will it eventually become a plum tree, which is in my knowledge the only kind of plum bearing plant. Why does it have only a handful of thorny growths, why wouldn’t it have more if they were meant as protection? I was also able to notice the bark and relate it to things besides bark, it was smooth when rubbed in a certain direction, there were notable circular divots within the bark and these ridges could be felt when rubbed the other direction. These circular patterns reminded me for some reason of ancient pottery, the kind made with rope wrapped around the outside, it seemed like a small cord or wire had been carefully wrapped around the branches creating the pattern. The plant was still in winter mode and doesn’t seem to be cold-adapted as there are no leaves to be seen, however it is slowly creeping out of this dead state and new branches are forming, the color is very noticeable being a reddish or rust color perhaps being the reason for being called plum. Outside of my plant I saw some other interesting things occurring in nature around the base of the plant, which like everything else I viewed would probably have never caught my eye otherwise. Such as a tiny green bud only about half the length of my index fingernail, which was so much more vibrant than the ground around it, that it caught my eye pretty quickly. There were also a pair of red ants at the base of the plant, I couldn’t find a nest nearby, it is curious how far they traveled in what I assume is a quest for food.

It never seems to occur to people how interesting the world is around them, always in a rush or with their own thoughts nobody, myself included, has probably noticed details in what surrounds them if they even notice what surrounds them at all. This is a pretty depressing thing, thinking about how disconnected to nature we have become and even from each other as some of my classmates pointed out in their own journals.