On today’s trek, it’s overcast, and the light is flat which somehow brings attention to the high mountain desert plant community – the pinyon and juniper woodland. On first impression, especially this time of year, it would seem that there are just a few pinyons, junipers, and sagebrush plants. But on further inspection, you’ll find an abundance of plant species, and each one brings their exclusive characteristics to the table. Colorful lichen, attached to the granite rocks. Little plants called cryptogams on the desert floor.
This time of year, flowers are absent – like snowbirds gone to Arizona. They’ll return from winter vacation in a few months. But the visible plants today include deeply-aromatic sagebrush, leather-textured shadscale, stately-upright Mormon Tea, broom weed, spiny-pokey cacti, flaxen grasses, and unyielding pinyons and junipers.
There’s a lot of diversity in this plant community; each plant brings its gifts and the characteristics of the plants, I relate to the plants and see my own moods and attributes in them. I can be tenacious like a pinyon, malleable like a grass, spiny like a cactus, or lighthearted like Broomweed. It doesn’t take long before I begin to relate to all of the plants and see myself in nearly every one of them. I notice I don’t have just one attribute – but many and they are often in flux.
I continue playing this game of personifying the plants and begin relating their attributes to various people. So-and-so is cute like Broomweed, so-and-so is kind of leathery, and another so-and-so is pretty obstinate, etc. Before long, I am smugly identifying many others as spiny and rigid. I pause for a moment and notice how I provided myself an allowance in this game – allotting myself many characteristics. Yet, I stopped short of that allowance for others; grouping each individual into one neat category, (as if that was all they are and that they are a them). Soon, I remember a bumper sticker I’ve seen, There is no them, only us. I look back at the pinyon and juniper woodland and reflect on the diversity of the plant community. , but I am especially grateful for the day’s lesson.
Reader Comments
I must be a prickly, thorny sort of being! Glad there’s a plant that’s like me. Maybe I’ll have some water to soften myself a bit! Nice blog! – Mxk
I loved hearing about all the various plant species around here. The pictures capture the cold and the beauty all around. Tying in the plants with specific characteristics of ourselves and others has given me a new way of seeing them. Thank you for your inspiration to look within. K
Insightful blog, Lisa. Gives me something to think about. AJ
Wonderful insight and great photos- L
