I'm inspired to approach my nature walks in a new way this summer - resisting the urge to search my brain for their names and dismissing the familiar disappointment I feel in myself when I don't find them. It is such a simple, yet freeing, approach! Thank you Sue, Vera and Laura!
I have nothing to add to this other than to say that this was lovely to read and echoes so much of my experience of the phenomena of nature. So lovely to consider what you have stated here.
Feb 6, 2023·edited Feb 6, 2023Liked by Vera Saltzman and Sue Bland
I am definitely a guilty party of not remembering plant names. I am currently working on a photography project where I am spending hours with these plants. I feel like I should know their names, but I do know them in a different, more intimate way. Maybe I should give them their own names. 😊 At least I have been able to go back and search for their true names.
My thoughts on this go madly off in all directions! Sue knows that I love birds, one who loves to see, name, and then take time to appreciate and come to know better the one I am seeing. Over the last few years it has dawned on me how many of the names of North American birds are prefaced with “American”. The settlers arrived, saw a bird that reminded them of a bird they knew in their country of origin, and Ta Da, American Robin, American Avocet American Goldfinch……and so on. With the rise of the Black Lived Matter consciousness, there has been a rising consciousness of how many North American birds are named after white males, many of whom were slave owners. (Sue mentionsWilson’s Snipe, or was that Vera) The American Ornithological Society has begun the process of looking at renaming these “statue” birds. I have become interested in the indigenous names for birds. I am discovering that these names sometimes derive from the sound the bird makes. Sora, which Sue mentions, echoes the sound the bird makes “Soreeee”, and is probably from an Algonquin tribe in Virginia. Other indigenous bird names describe the bird and its relationship to its habitat, or its behaviour. And I love that concept. It shows an intimacy with the creature in the living of its life, not simply the way a human sees and names it.
There’s a whole other track I could follow around this topic as well, arising from my response to Kathleen Dean Moore’s writing. But maybe that’s for another day! Thank you both for inviting my mind to wander, and to put some of those wandering into words
Naming can get in the way of just experiencing and being in the moment, of observation of what is going on in nature and taking it all in. Naming is not important for enjoying nature!
But naming is important for interactions with other people and of course learning more later. It is part of communication, we can't help it. How else do we share the experience and learn from others? We need language, we can't help but name things.
I love photographing plants (flowers) while taking in being outside. Then later I can go back and identify things (or not!), or share the picture to get someone else to identity what I saw. Easier with a plant that stays put than with birds of course :)
Enjoyed this very much! For me it captured the joys and challenges of learning more about our natural surroundings… things we may have previously taken for granted or had just not invested the time to explore further.
I've never even heard of a Sora Rail let alone seen or identified one. I'm very glad there are people that know the names of these creatures and where to find them. I'll consider myself a bit more enlightened by reading today's post. I'll have to assign my own name to the creature if I ever see one as I surely won't remember.
Last fall we saw a bird in the river. He was a water bird bigger than a Robin, grey long legs, rather hunched back sometimes, was fast moving. We thought it was a sora but he didn’t look like Sues drawing!! Sent this piece to my resident bird namer so he can figure this out! It was fun to observe this fellow whatever his name is!!
Naming: I am always impressed with those who can remember and know the names of plants and birds. I can remember common plants and birds but not the official science labels…which I guess some one worked hard to figure out…to put them into specific slots and groups! This past summer in Cypress Hills i met a lady who had worked in the Yukon tracking the number and types of fauna in the territory. She knew the science name and it’s family so as we strolled through fields of wildflowers in Cypress - she introduced us to quite a few new friends. It was a great day! But I’m afraid I never kept any names in my mind…to me it’s like hearing names of people from another country…the names are different, difficult and a challenge for my head to absorb. I tend to avoid saying their names because I’m embarrassed that I cannot pronounce correctly or remember. Could I make and take more time and effort to remember as a sign of respect…like I would for a person I liked or admired? But do the wildflowers really mind my ignorance ? Maybe their laughing at us even discussing such a thing!!
Sue once said she likes to get to know the plants she paints…Time together with an interest in their names, in understanding their environment, why they’re there, their physical appearance, their personalities creating a loving and caring relationship which can then be shared through art with accuracy of the whole essence of the now close friend.
I'm inspired to approach my nature walks in a new way this summer - resisting the urge to search my brain for their names and dismissing the familiar disappointment I feel in myself when I don't find them. It is such a simple, yet freeing, approach! Thank you Sue, Vera and Laura!
I have nothing to add to this other than to say that this was lovely to read and echoes so much of my experience of the phenomena of nature. So lovely to consider what you have stated here.
I am definitely a guilty party of not remembering plant names. I am currently working on a photography project where I am spending hours with these plants. I feel like I should know their names, but I do know them in a different, more intimate way. Maybe I should give them their own names. 😊 At least I have been able to go back and search for their true names.
Here is a link to an article about decolonizing bird names
https://seattleaudubon.org/2021/08/19/names-are-power-lets-talk-about-decolonizing-bird-names/
My thoughts on this go madly off in all directions! Sue knows that I love birds, one who loves to see, name, and then take time to appreciate and come to know better the one I am seeing. Over the last few years it has dawned on me how many of the names of North American birds are prefaced with “American”. The settlers arrived, saw a bird that reminded them of a bird they knew in their country of origin, and Ta Da, American Robin, American Avocet American Goldfinch……and so on. With the rise of the Black Lived Matter consciousness, there has been a rising consciousness of how many North American birds are named after white males, many of whom were slave owners. (Sue mentionsWilson’s Snipe, or was that Vera) The American Ornithological Society has begun the process of looking at renaming these “statue” birds. I have become interested in the indigenous names for birds. I am discovering that these names sometimes derive from the sound the bird makes. Sora, which Sue mentions, echoes the sound the bird makes “Soreeee”, and is probably from an Algonquin tribe in Virginia. Other indigenous bird names describe the bird and its relationship to its habitat, or its behaviour. And I love that concept. It shows an intimacy with the creature in the living of its life, not simply the way a human sees and names it.
There’s a whole other track I could follow around this topic as well, arising from my response to Kathleen Dean Moore’s writing. But maybe that’s for another day! Thank you both for inviting my mind to wander, and to put some of those wandering into words
Naming can get in the way of just experiencing and being in the moment, of observation of what is going on in nature and taking it all in. Naming is not important for enjoying nature!
But naming is important for interactions with other people and of course learning more later. It is part of communication, we can't help it. How else do we share the experience and learn from others? We need language, we can't help but name things.
I love photographing plants (flowers) while taking in being outside. Then later I can go back and identify things (or not!), or share the picture to get someone else to identity what I saw. Easier with a plant that stays put than with birds of course :)
Enjoyed this very much! For me it captured the joys and challenges of learning more about our natural surroundings… things we may have previously taken for granted or had just not invested the time to explore further.
I've never even heard of a Sora Rail let alone seen or identified one. I'm very glad there are people that know the names of these creatures and where to find them. I'll consider myself a bit more enlightened by reading today's post. I'll have to assign my own name to the creature if I ever see one as I surely won't remember.
Love your sit spot!!
Thanks for sharing
Thoughts that came into my head…
Last fall we saw a bird in the river. He was a water bird bigger than a Robin, grey long legs, rather hunched back sometimes, was fast moving. We thought it was a sora but he didn’t look like Sues drawing!! Sent this piece to my resident bird namer so he can figure this out! It was fun to observe this fellow whatever his name is!!
Naming: I am always impressed with those who can remember and know the names of plants and birds. I can remember common plants and birds but not the official science labels…which I guess some one worked hard to figure out…to put them into specific slots and groups! This past summer in Cypress Hills i met a lady who had worked in the Yukon tracking the number and types of fauna in the territory. She knew the science name and it’s family so as we strolled through fields of wildflowers in Cypress - she introduced us to quite a few new friends. It was a great day! But I’m afraid I never kept any names in my mind…to me it’s like hearing names of people from another country…the names are different, difficult and a challenge for my head to absorb. I tend to avoid saying their names because I’m embarrassed that I cannot pronounce correctly or remember. Could I make and take more time and effort to remember as a sign of respect…like I would for a person I liked or admired? But do the wildflowers really mind my ignorance ? Maybe their laughing at us even discussing such a thing!!
Sue once said she likes to get to know the plants she paints…Time together with an interest in their names, in understanding their environment, why they’re there, their physical appearance, their personalities creating a loving and caring relationship which can then be shared through art with accuracy of the whole essence of the now close friend.
I love this water colour study by sue. (Who am I?) very cool.