Hello fellow nature people,

I would like to talk about several of the many amazing flowers we are lucky to have on Dartmouth campus and their significance to me. These flowers caught my attention because when I saw them, they reminded me of my childhood and home.

The first flower is the dandelion. Its lemon-yellow color can brighten any dark or gloomy garden instantly. The dandelion is meaningful to me because I remember in the seventh grade when I picked a dandelion for a special girl I had a crush on. She was so happy when I gave it to her and had the most radiant smile that could brighten up any room. I will never forget her thankfulness and sheer joy.

Upon researching the dandelion, I learned that the yellow dandelions transform into what was known to me as the “wishing flower”. I remember as a child running around my grandmother’s cabin in Munds Park, Arizona and seeing flowers every where in the playgrounds and grassy fields. My siblings and I would often have contests to see how many we could pick and blow the seeds off of in a certain amount of time. Anytime I see these “wishing flowers”, I begin to smile as it reminds me of these memories.

The second flower I would like to mention is the tulip found in front of the Hopkins Center.  This elegant, red flower reminds me of my mother. While visiting during Dartmouth Parent’s Weekend, my mother shared with me that the tulip was the flower she specifically chose to carry in her bouquet on her wedding day.  After my family left Dartmouth, these tulips were more than just another flower, they signified a happy memory of my parents. I was glad to see my parents enjoy and be reminded of their special day.

I am very grateful of these flowers on campus because they do bring back a positive type of nostalgia. Any time I am going through a rough assignment, I am able to take a walk across our wonderful campus and be calmed by the flowers’ beauty and the many significant memories that are associated with them.

Remember to stop and see the flowers,

Christian Trejo

Hello nature friends!

Last week, a few of my friends and I walked to the golf course around eight o clock at night to observe the stars. We had heard from many of our classmates that the night sky was truly unbelievable and strongly suggested to go at least once before freshman year ended. So, after a full day of studying in preparation for our final exams, we trekked over to the Hanover Golf Club.

As I stared up into the sky, I could hear all of the sounds of the night. A few birds chirped, as if they were talking to each other. I heard the rustling of the trees as a slight breeze from the north rolled in. Even the distant night time sprinklers could be heard whirling around, promising golfers a beautiful course to play on in the morning. But one sound seemed to trump them all, the croaking from the many frogs. Their croaks echoed off the trees, disrupting the peacefulness of the golf course

After a half hour, we decided it was time to return home. I turned on my phone light and instantly caught sight of one of the many frogs croaking all around me. The frog was no bigger than a cue ball and was light green in color. Across the body, there were dark green spots that were symmetrical across a visible white line running along the spine of its back. This distinct coloration allowed the frog to be well camouflaged with the golf course grass and it was by chance that I discovered this frog. Another apparent characteristic was its hind legs. They were clearly more muscular than the forelegs, giving an illusion that the frog was thicker in the back. I now realize how these frogs are able to jump so far. Their back legs provide all the strength needed to jump a measureable distance on any terrain.

Remembering our nature assignments, I halted my friends and took pictures of the frog, but every time I approached it, the frog would jump at least three to five feet away. One time, the frog jumped towards one of my friends and she freaked out. We all laughed and continued in pursuit for more pictures. Here is a picture of the frog mid jump to show that the frog was camera shy.

After following the frog for five minutes, we all headed home to sleep.

The next day, I decided to do some research on the frog. Although I was unable to specifically identify this frog, I found a native species that resembles it. This species is the Fowler’s Toad or Anaxyrus fowleri, which is native to and is distributed throughout all of New Hampshire. It is usually two to three inches long, similar to the frog I observed, and has an analogous color pattern.

I am glad to have seen the New Hampshire starry night with my friends and spot one of the many frogs at the Hanover Golf Course. I will definitely be more vigilant when at the golf course late at night in order to see more frogs.

Till next time,

Christian Trejo