Week 3-1—Snacks & The Botanical Gardens

2023 is the year of the rabbit. I am not personally very familiar with Chinese New Year and how it is celebrated. Beyond sitting around a table with loved ones and googling our corresponding zodiac animal, I haven't thought of it. This class was much more about the sharing of culture and the breaking of bread. Perhaps tying well into our previous class where we baked and shared bread with one another. We began the class by watching recordings of a talk hosted by several artists discussing a book they had all participated in creating featuring recipes from their own cultures. we settled down in a peaceful corner of the garden to share some kombucha and snacks. At that moment, I felt a sense of deep gratitude for the opportunity to learn about other cultures and share their traditions. The botanical garden provided the perfect backdrop for our conversation, showcasing the incredible diversity and beauty of the natural world. 

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I love the botanical garden on campus. The botanical garden serves as a reminder of the wonder and complexity of the natural world, and of our interconnectedness with all living things. It takes plants from all over the world and houses them in a way that allows us to appreciate their beauty and come to understand how they have evolved to thrive in their own unique settings. This diversity is not only a source of aesthetic pleasure but also a vital resource for scientific research and conservation efforts. I brought Jess and Louis to see one of my favorite plants in the garden, a type of Platycerium. Epiphytes always interested me as someone who grows plants at home as they offer some very unique opportunities for display. Seeing one in a naturalistic setting, mounted to a tree just as it would if it were growing in the wild is an absolute thrill.

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While I may not have known much about the Chinese New Year before, I left the class feeling enriched and inspired by the power of sharing culture and breaking bread.