A quiet, shadowless Groundhog Day on the Science Quad. Two pictures tell us something about this time of year at the college.
First, we see lone tracks through (yet more) fresh snow, heading across the quad against the grain of sidewalks.
All new building projects would do well to look at the surrounding landscape to see the natural paths that students take. These paths are the ideal orientation for new sidewalks.
Second, a fresh cut on an ornamental crab apple outside the Science Atrium in front of the Tree of Science.
The horticulturalist has been out performing dormant pruning of trees this past week, which is necessary for many trees to flourish in an open growth environment. This fresh cut may seem drastic, but it is necessary to direct the tree's growth up and away from where they can become entangled and damaged by students and vehicles. Some types of bushes (e.g. lilacs) are frequently cut to the ground to keep hedges from growing out of control. The College has traditionally maintained a small nursery for trees and shrubs that require occasional replacement.
It doesn't take much effort to see this process parallels the intellectual training that happens on campus, as well.
