Natural History BIOL 3220

          Mushrooms. I think of the squeak they make when I bite into them raw. They have that spongy texture and adhere to your teeth. Mushrooms have been an important part of human history, especially the magic mushrooms. Know as the “flesh of the gods”, these mushrooms were used to induce a trance, produce visions and communicate with the gods. Mushrooms demonstrate a great impact on agriculture and the environment, and they have great potential for generating a great socio-economic impact in human welfare on local, national, and global levels.             Today our natural history class would be hiking through the Dallas-Barnhartvale Nature Park, looking for mushrooms with Dr. Gary Hunt, an expert in mushrooms and a retired professor.             The class arrived at the main parking lot of the park. We all began to exit vehicles and gather...

         A map gives a miniature picture of a very large space. A map is a guide to a space you have not encountered before. It is a direction finder and a dependable way to take a journey. Maps show special relationships between different points, and show the importance of places. People develop a sense of place through experience and knowledge of a particular area.             I arrived to the lab with an idea in mind. We were to create a map of a place that has meaning to us. The weekend before lab I had been in Barriere at a friend’s ranch. I usually spend as much time as I can there, training the young horses, or just enjoying a trail ride. There are many trails and logging roads that I have spent a countless number of hours, both with friends and alone. I appreciate the moments that I have alone. Just me, the horse, and the bush. In belonging to a landscape, one feels a rightness, an at homeness...