OLLI CS Focus Group: Michele’s Newsletter

From University of Oregon: https://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/visitor-center/found-beach/beach-balls

Notes from our meeting:

1. We started by with the practice of the Five Senses: See, Hear, Touch, Smell, Taste. We all recorded any words that came to mind. Then we picked an natural object displayed in the room and took time to write: I Notice, It Reminds Me, I Wonder.
2. We practiced some Blind Contour Drawing.
3. Michele introduced ideas she got from workshop with Emelie Lygren, “Writing our Way to Wonder”. The focus was on writing a poem to the object observed by choosing from the following themes
   • • Notice
     • Wonder
     • Gratitude
     • Instructions
4. We listened to a poem written by Nancy Paddock: “Lie Down”  https://www.ayearofbeinghere.com/2014/04/nancy-paddock-lie-down.html
5. We then read our poems to each other. We all realized that our poems/prose would be wonderful additions to our field journals. Below are some of our writings – not all subjects were identified which led to discussions about what the poem addressed.

To The Sun

Your warm touch,
And my need to squint,
Announce you.
The lift in mood
Is quick and welcome.
Would it lift if you
Were always here?
You were in Baja
And it did.

Dancing gold pollen
Wind gusts hazel catkins sway
Spring is here, achoo!

Science all around me
– of the natural kind
– of earth and living things
I am an object originating
– in someone’s mind
Made in a factory by mostly
-other unnatural things
I must have a chip
-which none of these other things have
Does that make me special?

Where on earth did you get started?
Did you tease the wind into picking up all of those red twigs?
Picky aren’t you?
Are you hiding a treasure in your center?
A little seed that pops out after being
tossed about on the beach as you get
too big for your britches?

A Love Letter to Water
Thank you from the bottom of my
heart for all that you have brought
to my life. You have introduced me
to many loves. You let me express my
innocence, my longing, my fear. I am
you and you are me. When we are apart,
I forget myself.

Water’s Deep Invitation
slipping in
held
loved, loving
home

Announcements:

Michele is offering two Field Journal classes for OLLI. A handout was distributed. The links to those classes are here:

Field Journals: DIY https://www.micheleolsen.com/olli-s23-diy/

Field Journals: For the Long Haul https://www.micheleolsen.com/olli-s23-long-haul/

Further Exploration:

1. Blind Contour Drawing help with Austin Kleon: https://austinkleon.com/2020/02/20/blind-contour-drawings/  and be sure to check out the BC drawings of his backyard owls – you will be charmed : https://austinkleon.com/2023/02/02/winter-owl-updates/
2. Janina mentioned that the Special Interest Group: Sea Level Rise and Humboldt Bay was something we all could consider: https://extended.humboldt.edu/olli/courses/special-interest-groups/special-interest-group-sea-level-rise-humboldt-bay
3. Several science phone apps were mentioned.
   • iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/
   • Weather: the app comes on the iPhone and probably Android too. Weather information is an important entry for field journals. PCMagazine recommends these apps: https://www.pcmag.com/picks/best-weather-apps
   • Merlin Bird ID: https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/

Next Meeting:

April 19, Wednesday, 12 noon-2pm

Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Visitor Center.

https://www.fws.gov/refuge/humboldt-bay/visit-us/locations/salmon-creek-unit–humboldt-bay-national-wildlife-refuge-complex-headquarters-visitor-center-and-shorebird-loop-trail