Humanities 220

Section 1

[rebeccabailey13]

[rebeccabailey13]

Freedom.

When I think of my space I think of freedom. Being outside gives me a feeling of openness. I do not feel confined while I am at the orchards. I feel like I can run for miles, which occasionally I do. The wind surrounds me as I jog through open land with no worries. I do not worry about cars or negative people. My mind and body are free. This idea of freedom is something we covered in class quite a bit. Boethius felt he was trapped in his jail cell but Philosophy showed him the freedom he had in his thoughts. James I felt very little freedom until he saw his "true love" outside the window. He felt that she set him free. What we learned in class, and what I have experienced during the semester while visiting my space, is that freedom comes from within the mind. It is a state of mind. You are as free as you think you are. No one can confine you. Only you can confine your thoughts. 

[scanada1humn220]

Out in the Sticks

When I started the video I was onto the deck where my original picture or post began. If you listen to the video all you can hear is me walking and the wind. When first starting the video in front of me is the pond. To the right is an airstrip that you can barely see because of the sun as well as because the pond is to big to really see it unless you walk over there. I chose to not go over there because with rice season going on I wasn’t sure if a plane would actually land. I went to the left and to the left of the pond is a ditch where you can see water is being let into the pond. I tried to get a shotgun shell in the video but you can’t see it. The shells are from workers who shoot skeets over the pond. As I continue to walk to the left of the pond there is more water further left. That is a rice field that has been harvested and now is flooded. If you look straight in from me behind a big tree are the Sutter Buttes. It is hard to see them in the video but they are there. I chose to name this Out in the Sticks because literally nothing is around me about agriculture and nature.

[rebeccabailey13]

I chose this post because of the serenity offered by the lake. I love how the pond is in the middle of what seems like nowhere. Personally, I do not know where this is but it seems like a place I would want to visit. I also really like the title, "Out in the Sticks". Its so funny to me because it adds a country vibe to the post. It made me imagine that I was in the middle of some farm out in the Boonies with no civilization around to distract me. There are no cars driving by in this post or any hint of humanity at first glance. The space is isolated except for the shells from a shotgun and the airport strip, which are both hidden. Even the traces of human life are hidden behind the beauty of the nature. Without the humanity it is a beautiful space. The inhabitance of animals and plants adds a relaxation vibe to this post. 

[mnedvedhumn220]

I Spy With My Little Eye

In order to get the feel of entering my space, I wanted to make it more dramatic by showing the door opening in the beginning of my clip. I thought that would be a good starting point for exposing my space to the audience. As you saw in the video, the first thing you notice when walking into my space is the greeting you receive from my pups. No matter when you walk into this space, you will receive a greeting from them, which will only makes you enjoy the space that much more. I tried to include visuals of the main features of my backyard that I drew on our last assignment. Some of the features I showed images of were the following: Barbeque, Grapevine structure, Pool, Grass Area and Garden. One thing that I wanted to capture that I couldn’t with the picture of my spatial observation, is the space. My backyard is about an acre big and it’s hard to depict how big it is when looking at a photograph of the space. It is much easier to see the spacing in the video. Even though this assignment is leaning more towards what you see, rather than what you hear, you can hear throughout the video the noise of the cars driving by on the freeway. But even with this noise, while watching the video, I still see my place as a good getaway that helps me with relaxation and focus.

[rebeccabailey13]

I chose this post to reblog because it seems like a very relaxing space. The pool and all of the greenery add a calming sense to the backyard. I also love the way the patio area looks. Whoever built it really put some effort into the idea of a vineyard theme. The vines add a very Napa-esque touch to this chico backyard. I also reblogged it because of the pups greeting her at the doorway. I love dogs so this is an added bonus! Their happy little faces made this video a lot better. We should do a spacial observation post that incorporates animals into it. I also like that even though her backyard is near a street with cars driving by, it is still a getaway and relaxation zone for her and her family. 

[rebeccabailey13]

WALKING ON SUNSHINE

While walking down the street, I noticed how much the landscape has changed. The fields are no longer as green and plush as they were in the summer. Now they appear more weathered and closer to the end of their cycle. The trees are losing their leaves as the seasons change. The rice farmer was picking the last of the crops while I walked by. As I scanned the surrounding nature, it seemed to go on forever. Theres a lot more brown in the scenery than there was a month ago. All of the crops seem to be sucking up the last of the water they have been given as though they are starving in this autumn weather.  I really enjoyed walking around this orchard because I got to witness the mid year change in scenery. 

[romerohum220-2]

This is my space, Chico stadium from an Ariel view. I screen shot this view courtesy of Google Earth, as you can see the picture is a little dated. Notice the lack of green paths in the bottom left hand corner, that is what I can see i do not know of any other dated items maybe you all can find some. I like this picture of the Stadium because the natural light opens up the space and at the same time it casts dark shadows. It also is very linear with the lines around the track, horizontal lines from the bleachers and the lines that make up the game. The overall shape is oval with lines as a pattern compared to the squared off spaces surrounding it.

[rebeccabailey13]

I chose this post because I liked the view. I also used google maps for my post. The lines are interesting. The track lines seem to guide your eyes in a  circle. The three spots of grass are interesting to me. Why are they there? Also it is kind of weird to see a field with grass. I figured everywhere had turf by now. Is that a baseball diamond on the field? Im confused by that. This picture perplexes me. The trees seem shorter in this picture like it is dated. There is an abundance of line in this picture. They all seem to lead your eyes towards the top and in a loop-de-loop. I also love that there are tons of people on the field. Is that the lacrosse team? From this angle they seem to be tiny little birds walking around the field. They are too big to be ants but not quite human sized. 

[rebeccabailey13]

This is the Google Earth map view of the Orchards by Craig. It shows the airport hidden behind the orchard. Up is a confusing direction in this screenshot. It is angled down so the Up is actually down. I included this image because although I picked a smaller orchard, the grand scale of the entire area is too beautiful and secret to pass up. 

[rebeccabailey13]

Spacial Observation 2

      The birds are twittering in the shady tree I decided to sit under to listen to the sounds of my space. They seem to be talking to each other in their own language. “Hi mom,” said Little Bird, “can I have a snack?” Mama Bird quickly replies “NO! Dinner is almost ready!” While I sit and imagine the little conversations of birds, I hear the tractors in the fields. They drive by noisily throwing dirt into the air. I can hear the farmers yelling to each other explaining how to do this and that. They seem to not notice me because they are so preoccupied by their tasks. The humming of the farming equipment and the flurry of the leaves in the air is almost meditative. As I sit and ponder the development of the land, a car drives by, breaking my concentration. The man seems to have short man complex because he is driving a huge truck as fast and as loud as he can. He seems to have his muffler removed in an attempt to seem well-endowed. In the distance I can hear music coming from someone’s car as they wait for their friend outside Craig. Is it reggae? Rap? I am too far away to make out more of a sound than the bass. 

[rebeccabailey13]

Response 1- Becky Bailey

Spatial Observation Response 1

            I reblogged “Centennial Plaza” and “Upper Bidwell” because they complimented what I posted about my space. Both shots are of secluded natural areas, as in mine. Centennial Plaza is a hidden gem on campus. I wrote about how the orchard I visit periodically is a forgotten gem of Chico because of its proximity to Craig Hall, the armpit of Chico. Generally, places on campus are not considered beautiful or relaxing because you are at school and it is a known fact that school is not fun or relaxing. This blogger found beauty in a spot that most try their best to get away from as fast as possible. By looking past the surface and the reputation of campus, she finds peace and serenity, which is similar to how I found the orchard. I looked (drove) past Craig Hall, and all its flaws, to find one of the most beautiful places in Chico. The connotation of a space to how you feel in it was a big theme I saw among the Tumblr posts. Many people wrote about feeling cozy and comfortable in their living room while some posted pictures of school lobbies and discussed the need to be respectful and classy. I enjoy the freedom of natural space more than the confinement of a classroom. When I reblogged Upper Bidwell I considered my love for nature. I was deciding between another natural space and a coffee shop when my intuition took over and guided me to reblog a picture of a beautiful, babbling brook. This space is forgotten in a difference sense of the word. Initially, I used the word to describe a place that people intentionally do not visit. This post forced me to change the way I was saying forgotten. This place has been forgotten in time and untouched by humans. There is no urbanization of the creek which makes it that much more enticing. Bidwell is a forgotten gem because of its vastness and seclusion. The business of furry creatures and birds is a whole world of its own that we are not a part of. We do not belong to the natural rhythm of the environment. We may only go on a day trip to visit the stream. As forgotten, as it seems to us, Upper Bidwell’s stream is not forgotten to the animals that call it home. This goes for all nature. It seems forgotten and untouched to us but to the creatures that inhabit it, it is a place called home; their version of a busy city.  

[mvanghumn220-deactivated2018121]

Centennial Plaza: A Beautiful Place

This snapshot does not capture the beauty that this plaza acquires. It contains a walk way along across the whole plaza, and along the way, grape vines and flowers grow. The rocks, as shown in this picture, have metal salmons attached to it to recognize that salmons play a big part in the events in our community. I find this space the most beautiful around sunset because the sun hits the leaves beautifully, and it’s just breathe taking. 

[marissacervantez]

Upper Bidwell-

This particle space that I have chosen demonstrates beauty and how it is an essence of nature. The water rushing down stream, all the rocks and shrubs come together to create a natural space, where one may visit during a hot day to cool off or just simply show admiration of this particular space.

[rebeccabailey13]

Orchards by Craig Hall in Chico. This space is a relaxation space. A space to take your mind off your class schedule and to take in the beauty around us. If you look a little deeper past the surface, you can uncover hidden worlds. Behind a building as ugly as Craig is a whole orchard that captures the stunning beauty of Chico.