Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Lakes



Personally, I have never been to a lake. I have heard about lake Hartwell near Clemson, South Carolina.  I know about this lake because when I go to Clemson to visit my cousin, I have seen signs for the lake.  From what I can tell, it is a lake the borders South Carolina and Georgia, that is fed from the Savannah, Seneca, and Tugaloo rivers and it runs out into the Savannah River going south towards the Atlantic Ocean.  It is a popular fishing and recreational spot for many including the Clemson student body, families on hot summer days, and the avid fisherman.  Striped Bass, Bream, and Catfish are common species of fish that will be found in the lake. Along with fishing, boating, swimming, water skiing, and sun bathing are also popular activities for the lake.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Hitchiti Experimental Forest

In the Hitchiti Experimental Forest, we learned about different plants and a few of the different practices that make the forest "experimental."

Wild ginger is a ground plant that gets it name from its ginger like bitter citrus taste.


Sassafras is a unique type of tree.  There are male and female trees. There are three different types of leaves: oval, tri-pronged and five pronged. 

The forest also does experiments on the effects of fire on forests.  They do experimental burns to see results and to measure regrowth.  


Here is a picture of me hugging a tree.



Sunday, November 20, 2011

Jackson Springs

At Jackson Springs we learned about Geology and looked closely at different types of rocks.
Gneiss is a type of metamorphic rock that is identified by the distinctive lines that present.

 Quartz is a type of crystal that has a 6 sided shape to it. It can be found in a variety of colors.

Granite is a rock that is made from the pressure that combines quartz, feldspar, and hornblende.

Feldspar is a mineral that can be found in some types of rocks.  It is formed from cooled magma and crystalizes in geometric patterns.