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Simply Sketching: Documenting my Casual Expeditions

I don't think I realized just how much walking was involved in this course...


Little Blue Prairie Garden at UT


South Asia Garden at UT

Breaking out the ol' pen

As a (my dorm location) resident, I had no idea this little prairie garden existed merely a street behind my dorm. While it seems a little neglected, its presence nonetheless was very comforting and provided quite a wholesome vibe. I did not see a snake this time, however, so while it was a little less riveting than my previous visit to UT gardens, I found this one to be the most enjoyable so far. Perhaps it was because it is so close to my current home, or perhaps it is because I now know that I have passed this little treasure at least twice a day since my arrival at university. I took the time to sketch because I happened to have my paper with me in my backpack, and was a little bit shocked about how fun it was. I was expecting it to feel like a chore or like taking notes, but it gave me peace of mind; it hushed the whirrs and grinding of the cogs in my brain and allowed me valuable moments of mindless sketching. I chose to picture the unkempt grasses, which are even more unruly than my sketch depicts but I felt a little overwhelmed at trying to find each individual blade of grass to draw. Next I found a few small yellow daisies (or baby sunflowers?) which had the petals grown into pairs on the flower, which I just think is the cutest thing. And finally I drew Turk's Cap, which happens to be one of my favorites because its one of the most easily recognizable and identifiable flowers, in my opinion. They remind me of my dad, who grows them and has laughed with me over the origin of its name (Turk's cap: they earned their name from their uncanny resemblance to the Turkish hats/turbans belonging to the Ottoman Empire era). Let's hope they have as much of a resemblance to my sketch...


Considerably farther this time than a 30-second walk outside my dorm, the South Asia garden was a stubborn one to be found. I keep forgetting how big the UT campus actually is, I feel as though I am discovering new twists and turns and nooks and crannies each week. That said, I applaud UT for including this cute little garden! I know every time I have a journal entry it's "Oh, here goes Ella again, talking about what or who she's reminded of this time." Well, I am saying it anyways because nostalgia is one of my most emotionally-provoking feelings I have. This experience reminded me of my mom, who loves to garden but is sometimes not always the best at it. There were vegetables (like the eggplant) and fun leaves/plants you wouldn't normally see in the environment of Austin, Texas. This garden is a little synonymous of my mother: loved, but maybe struggling to survive in the harsh Texan weather. With this in mind, I was amazed at how well they've managed to nurture every little produce or plant that was somehow still alive. It seems a feat and a defiance of the hellish gods in charge of the weather. My trip to the South Asia garden truly made me appreciate the wonder of plant species that manage to thrive outside of a world they are native to, thrust into an extreme environment with only a mere fence to enclose it. In the midst of Austin heat, traffic, students, or the hustle and bustle of the city, sits this peaceful little garden. I can't wait to see what other treasures UT has in store!

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