I just picked up a book I have had for a while on Mushrooms and the author writes about the bad rap mushrooms have gotten throughout time. A quote from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, by gone creator of Sherlock Holmes on his perception of nature and of the fungi:
…A sickly autumn shone upon the land. Wet and rotten leaves reeked and festered under the foul haze. The fields were spotted with monstrous fungi of a size and colour never matched before – scarlet and mauve and liver and black – it was as though the sick earth had burst into foul pustules. Mildew and lichen mottled the walls and with that filthy crop, death sprang also from the watersoaked earth.
Or that of the American poet Emily Dickinson:
Had nature any outcast face Could she a son condemn Had nature an Iscariot That mushroom – it is him.
Beauty is truly in the eyes of the beholder. In nature, many of us choose what deems beautiful or not. A mountain lake, cascading waterfalls, a tropical beach with palm trees swaying in the gentle breeze and the infinite expanse of the beautiful blue waters of the ocean. Or, a group of copper colored mushrooms on a rotting downed log, or as Doyle put it, “wet and rotten leaves reeked and festering under foul haze, or a grass hopper swaying back and forth on a single blade of grass.” For those who truly love nature, everything in nature is beautiful and worth the present moment in observation.
If we select and isolate from the all to what we only perceive as beautiful, we lose so much of what nature is. The wet and rotten leaves that reek and fester are the nutrients that gives trees and plants life. Looking into the looking glass of insects, opens up a whole new world of amazing creatures we can observe and learn from. Those slimy, biting, sucking creatures offers us many more pages in studying and knowing natures intricacies.
By looking deeply, and in silence at everything nature offers with awe and respect, our minds will gain a better understanding, love and respect for all living creation on our planet.
The next time you walk into the woods or in a nature setting, look beyond what you usually see and begin to look at what you have ignored in the past and walk gently on the ground beneath your feet.
Before the loss of Shiloh, I was thinking about our next adventures together in Nature. I was looking at more, and longer trips into the wilderness with Shiloh and I in 2011. I thought the economy would turn around by then, but it didn’t, and then, Shiloh was gone, gone from my life, and those dreams of Shiloh and I roaming the wilderness together disappear. My life felt painfully empty without my good friend, and companion.
The adventures we had in the wilds I would not have been able to do without him. He was my camping partner, my best friend that I loved deeply. We had a deep bond that could not be broken.
That night Shiloh was gone. His head gently laying on my lap, me sitting on a cold tile floor of the Vet’s office, petting Shiloh’s head for our last good-bye. The Vet gave him the shot that would quickly end his life. I was surprised how quickly, and unexpectedly he was gone from my life. I felt the tears running uncontrollably down my cheeks. It was like a faucet was turned on that couldn’t be turned off. I tried to maintain myself, saying, “Control yourself,” but I could not. While I write this I can’t help from tearing up. I can clearly see that night some eleven years go. I will never forget that night or Shiloh.
Driving home on that dark empty freeway, all I could feel is the pain of loss, I was numb, I didn’t care much for life at that point. I drowned in my tears knowing I couldn’t spend anymore time with Shiloh in Nature or any other time for that matter. But I know he will always be with me.
At that point I couldn’t imagine getting another dog, nor could I afford it
at the time. Then after a couple of months I began dreaming about being in Nature once again, and looking at getting two dogs of the same breed, Native American Indian Dogs, when finances looked better.
In 2013, I called the breeder who created the Native American Indian Dogs, Karen Markel, of Majestic View Kennels, in Lowell Michigan, to let Karen know I was ready. She picked out two bundles of fir, sent me a photo and I said yes. The two pups in a litter of eight, born November 13th, 2013.
I needed another person to come with me to Lowell, Michigan to pick up the kids that I called them. The airlines only allowed one dog per person for carry-ons. I talked a good friend into coming with me. I almost had to pull her arm. She had to check with her fiance, and her schedule. Anxiously waiting for an answer from her, she got back to me with a yes. I am sure she was looking forward to meeting the kids, Karen, and visiting the kennel. My friend knew both Shawnee, and Shiloh well. Her dog and mine were best of friends.
It was January 8th, 2014 that we flew to Michigan to pick up the kids. The weather and flights did not cooperate with us arriving and leaving with many cancellations, but it did seem to work out with a bit of frustration. We had a very small window to get back home due to the weather.
Prior to us leaving from the San Francisco bay area, I contacted my sister, Sue who lived in Michigan and being close to Lowell, we made arrangements to meet with her, her husband Ron, and one of their daughters for lunch for my birthday, and then drive to the kennel together. Sue really wanted to meet the kids (pups). I had not seen my sister for about 20 years. After a pleasant lunch, we headed to the kennel, not too far away from town. When we got there Karen, the breeder, took us to a large pen where there must have been 20 plus puppies running around. One of them looked like Shiloh. Karen told me I could take him, but I wanted the two siblings, the twins. My sister was in heaven and she wanted to take a puppy home with her, although she didn’t.
While getting the puppies ready to leave from the kennel to the airport, we had an alert on my friends phone that our flight was cancelled. We left without the puppies and headed back to the hotel, and picked them up the next day, finally making it back home. They were really good on the long flight back, crying just a little. My friend and I couldn’t sit together on the plane, so I had one puppy and my friend had the other. I am sure it would have been better if the brothers were next to each other.
We made it home safely and the boys were sleeping with me that night in their new home. If they only knew what I had in store for them and the adventures they would embark on in Nature.
The photos were taken at the airport in Michigan waiting for departure. They were seven and a half weeks old.
Their New Home
NanookTakotaTrouble
Takota and Nanook adjusted well to their new home. They had a backyard to play in during the day while I was at work. At night they always came in and slept with me. Surprisingly they were really good boys and never got into to much trouble although they loved to dig holes. They were always happy to see me when I got home from work as I was with them. They weren’t much fun taking them for walks. Takota always wanted to attack his brother while we were crossing a street and I had to try and break up the bad behavior. But they were having too much fun and ignored me much of the time until I yelled at them that I meant business.
Not long after I got them, one of them, I think it may have been Takota, would wake me up early in the morning for attention. After giving him a little rub and scratch, I told him to go bug his brother. I don’t understand how he understood what I was saying, but he went and started bugging his brother. He still does it and Nanook will do the same.
At that time I was staying with some friends who were kind enough to take me in during the economic meltdown. Unfortunately they too would lose their home to the corruption of our wonderful capitalistic society controlled by the banking system where greed reined.
We all had to leave by October 1st, 2014. I had no where to go with two large 10 month old pups, so I thought it would be a good time breaking them into their first camping experience. We went to Del Valle Reservoir campground, the same place Shiloh and I stayed for a month.
We packed up our camping gear, put the rest of our stuff in storage, and headed for another new adventure. I had no idea how they would do camping and sleeping in a tent.
I figured I should have time within a month to find a place for us to live, but it turned out, it wasn’t so easy. I was working in a small part of an office I rented, and took the boys to a doggy day care close to my office. I would then pick them up after work and headed home to our campsite. I actually liked returning to a home in Nature vs. a house. In camp I would cook dinner for us and after we ate and went for a walk, the boys relaxed in camp and I would read next to a nice campfire. Takota developed this behavior where when it got dark he wanted to go into the tent to bed. Nanook liked hanging outside listening to all the new noises and watching for critters.
They did great in the tent, but did manage to sneak out a couple of times in the middle of the night. Luckily they stayed in our camp, and close to the tent. When I realized they weren’t where they were suppose to be, and that was the tent, I would call them, and they came right in when I called them. It was a joy camping with them and they quickly learned to protect the camp from people and other dogs.
Our month stay ended up being three months camping in the winter months. I was waiting for the campground officials to kick us out, but they didn’t. You are only allowed one month per year. They must have liked us. I also had a second cousin who worked for the park district that may have had something to do with it.
Each day was the same during the week. I would drop them off at doggy day care, I would go to the office, and at the end of the day I would pick them up and we would head back to camp. On the weekends we would relax. When we reached the end of the three month period, we finally found a place to stay at a ranch I use to board my horses. It was a studio apartment above the garage, and consisting of a very small bath, and a bar area with a hot plate for cooking. I felt we just got under the wire to leave, although we did not receive any notices to vacate the campground.
I enjoyed our time in Nature with the boys and I believed they liked it as well.
While we were breaking camp to go to our new home. I told the boys we needed to tear down the tent, and I then walked to the restroom. They usually howled when I was gone, but this time no howling and I was wondering what was up. It was too quiet in camp. I did hear some commotion, and when I got back to camp, the boys were all excited about helping tear down the tent. There was a huge 6 foot rip in the side of the tent and it was a brand new tent. I couldn’t help but laugh. They thought they did such a great job.
We were able to stay at the same campsite for the whole three months, so it was nice not having to change campsites, especially in the winter months.
I couldn’t remember if I kept a journal of those three months or not. Or if I just misplaced it. There was really not that much to write on, and if I do find it, I will decide if it is worth adding onto this.
Some of the things that come to me are the amazing beauty of the oak studded foothills, and abundance of wildlife of the Del Valle area. Watching the tree squirrels sneaking of with the cache of Acorns the Acorn woodpeckers would busily stash in the many holes they made in the trunks of the pine trees, and oaks. The many birds that came to visit the area, and visit us in camp, with their greeting in song, and their chattering and squawks every morning. The hawks gliding through the air catching the current waves, looking for a meal down below. The beautiful calls to their mates. The many turkeys that one could hear waking, and clumsily falling from their tree perches, with a chorus of gobbling echos through the oaks, then gather down to the campground to the lush grasses they would feed. During dusk many of the animals would come, the deer, rabbits, skunks, and raccoons, the owls perched on branches for a meal. Nanook would always keep a careful eye on the deer, and rabbits.
On our nightly walks, I would shine my head lamp into the trees and these glowing eyes would be looking down upon us. It seemed every tree had raccoon’s in them, waiting to come down to see what tidbits the campers would leave out. We could always hear them come through our camp, but would never find anything.
One night we had a close call with Mr. skunk, when the boys wanted to go outside in the middle of the night to pee. I put their leashes on, and had a tight grip on them, and I saw a black shadowy figure close to the tent. The boys wanted to go after it, I was able to hold them back. Luckily the skunk didn’t spray. It would have made a stinky night in the camp. For a time a skunk would come walking by our tent, and we could smell his presence. He or she was a stinky one – reminds me of the cartoon character, Peppy La Pew.
I would also wake in the middle of the night hearing interesting sounds, some blood curtailing of death. I was told later, it was probably a rabbit that made for a late night dinner for some critter.
Del Valle was a great place for observing, and listening to Nature – until people came. Because we were camping in the winter, few people were there that made it a perfect experience for us. To bad most days we were gone to go to work.
April 4, 2016 – Monday
I wanted to take the boys camping for about a week or so, so we headed back to our favorite spot, Del Valle.
We came into camp in the morning, and the sky was overcast. It clouds began clearing and warming in the early afternoon to around the mid 70’s. We stayed at the main campground and a site we really liked.
I got everything unloaded, then set up the Cabela’s Big Horn tent. I got this tent for our planned journey into the wilderness, and wanted to see how easy it was to set up, as with placing the wood burning stove in it, my air mattress, and the boy’s beds to get a feel for the space we would have. I thought the tent would be a good summer tent, but thought it was too small for spending a winter in it. I also had a vestibule for the tent that I didn’t bring. Overall the tent was pretty easy to set up for one person. After getting the tent up, we headed for the store for some groceries and even bought a beer after not drinking for 81/2 months. It did taste good. Beer of preference, Heineken.
It seems the boys were happy to be back and enjoyed laying in the lush coolness of the green grass on their body. As for me, I was a bit sore from lifting the heavy camping gear.
The cute gal at the front kiosk that we got to know on our three month stay wasn’t there when we checked in this time, but left a welcome back note that I thought was very sweet.
April 5, 2016 – Tuesday
We got up at 7:00 AM to a chilly morning as it was at night, but stayed warm during the night, and slept pretty well. Once I got the boys linked up to their tie lines, I got a fire going, made some coffee, and bacon and eggs for me and the boys.
The birds were chirping early this morning and it was nice waking up too their calls. I have seen so far the Blacked eyed Junco, Doves, Acorn woodpeckers, and the Scrub jays. It was nice listening to our feathered friends again. I also heard the irritating whining sounds of a drone flying around the camp from a near by camper. I hate those things. They should not be allowed in a campground.
Today is a beautiful day with a pleasant breeze and not to warm. For dinner we are having sockeye salmon, and I am also having a salad.
Afternoon entry
I did a little bit of reading, and I felt a little uneasy for some odd reason, and decided to take a nap. After the nap I was rejuvenated and motivated to put the wood burning stove together for the tent. I ran into a glitch with the protective roof cover, I didn’t have it tight enough at the top of the tent and touched the flue pipe. Tried a couple of things to tighten it, but nothing worked. I was also concerned about the front of the stove being too close to the tent floor where any amber, small or big chucks of wood falling out of the stove with the door open and could easily fall on the floor covering, burning a big hole in it. The tent does have a flap in the floor that can be unzipped where the stove legs could be standing on the raw ground. But I did not think that would be enough protection. I saw a video where a guy chose to use a fire resistant mat in front of the stove and also having the stove legs resting on it. The floor flap would stay zipped closed preventing creepy crawlers from coming in. I thought that would be the best approach, so it was put on the shopping list. So placing the stove in the tent with the flue pipe connected gave me a good idea what might need adjusting. No fire in the tent.
When darkness arrived Takota was telling me it was time for bed, and both Takota and Nanook headed for the tent dragging me into the tent with them.
April 6, 2016 – Wednesday
Me and the boys slept pretty well, not too cold throughout the night. Had a few bad thoughts during the night.
Thinking about the wood stove this morning while laying in bed, I decided to burn the stove outside to season it and it would be much safer. I wouldn’t have to worry about burning the tent down.
It was a beautiful morning, the birds started singing at 6:00 AM. I saw a couple of Yellow-billed Magpies, and two Robins this morning.
Wrestling with some uncomfortable thoughts, I focused on my purpose, and enjoying being out in Nature with the boys.
An idea I got from another camper, I decided to put up a high line so the boys wouldn’t get so tangled up, and they still got tangled up. But I still thought it was a great idea and continued using it. I made sure I used a line that was highly visible so I would not hang myself with it.
One thing I expected with my pace of setting up camp was, it usually takes about a day and a half to completely set up camp. I very seldom cook the first night so the stove doesn’t have to be set up, unless I don’t want to wait for coffee in the morning.
I got the wood stove burning quickly using pine, and a lot of smoke coming out of the flue stack. With most of the pine at a smolder, I added oak to the mixed and lit up quickly with very little smoke. I also used a spark arrested that worked well to minimize any fire hazards from the stove.
I had a fire wood supplier that I got good hard wood from, usually buying a few wheel barrels from, to an eighth of a cord of wood. He was expensive though, but worth it for good fire wood. I would only buy the over priced pine bundles at the store for kindling.
April 7, 2016 – Thursday
I slept the best night so far, waking in the morning to the chattering birds that gives me such a calming feeling of being in nature.
This morning it was cooler than the morning before. The skies are overcast. A storm is brewing, and is suppose to be bringing in rain on Friday, and Saturday. I am hoping just a little, because I am not really prepared for a heavy rain.
I started a camp fire first thing this morning, appreciating that moment it took flame, and being grateful for everything this fire provides too us. There is nothing like having a nice small fire on a cool morning.
For the past few days I thought I heard a quacking sound like a duck next to camp. Maybe it is a bird that is pretending to be a duck, maybe a crow? Three Acorn woodpeckers flew onto a pine tree, and a moment later a hawk joined them. The woodpeckers wanted no part of this intruder’s company, and scattered in an uproar, voicing their dismay of this uninvited hawk!
Today I plan on doing some reading, and putting the wood stove away before the rains.
I was thinking how in a relatively short period of time, the human race has moved from living a primitive way of life to living in the modern age, and forgetting how to truly live with nature, beside nature in harmony. We have forgotten our deep connection with the natural world. A world we need to survive in, and can’t do it without what nature provides to us.
Our friend Kevin should be coming in today, unless he changes his mind due to the weather. But knowing Kevin, a little storm won’t stop him from his ritual four days of camping.
Four boys and their Mom moved in to the site next to us. They were very loud, and nonstop talking. We went to bed around 9:00 PM. I wanted to stay up longer to enjoy the nice evening, but it was just too noisy from our new neighbors next door. This can be a common occurrence at campgrounds. People just don’t know how to be quiet or talk in a low voice in nature. They bring their city mentality into nature.
April 10, 2016 – Sunday
For the past few days we have been visiting with our friend Kevin, our Del Valle camping buddy at his camp and ours, since his arrival late Thursday afternoon.
On Friday we got a little bit of rain, and Friday night it rained all night.
We were able to extend our stay till Monday and maybe push it to Wednesday to allow the tent to dry out. It rained off and on Saturday, and throughout Saturday night, and into Sunday morning. A chance we will get rain throughout the day Sunday. After this cold and wetness, me and the boys are ready for warmth and sunshine. On Saturday we did go to our storage unit that was close by to pick up our canopy. What a difference it made. We can enjoy the rain outside, and I can cook without getting wet. Well, sometimes.
The tent performed well in the rain with the exception of a lot of condensation inside from me, and the boys, and my clothes being all wet. The wood stove would have been nice to dry things out in the tent for sure. It can be hard on the psyche when it rains continuously with everything being all wet and not being able to dry off. And on the other hand, we needed the rain, it is also a beautiful time to be in nature, and it brings a scent of freshness in the air. It is something we will have to get use when we leave for our Journey into Nature.
Kevin left early this morning. He must have had enough of the rain. We were still in bed when he left. It was nice seeing him again and the boys enjoyed his company as well. Kevin shared some helpful hints tent camping. Using baking soda in the tent will help absorb moisture, and adding moisture when having a stove, by placing a container of water out.
The key to staying warm in wet weather is staying dry and one should always bring extra clothing to change into.
We were told more rain is coming back on Wednesday.
Sunday, most of the campers cleared out. The campground was back to being peaceful again.
April 13, 2016 – Wednesday
We packed up today to go back home.
One of my favorite shots of the boysNanookTakota
Some thoughts about our camping trip.
It was nice being back to Del Valle and sharing the experience with the boys. They did great. We met up with our friend, Kevin who Shiloh and I first met in 2009 at Del Valle. He is a great guy and enjoyed spending some time with him. We also met Kevin and his wife, Joy who ran the campground store, and the boat rentals. Although it wasn’t the best weather, it was still a beautiful week just being in nature. I also learned a few things about our tent, the wood stove, as with a few other things. I also got a fire going by feathering a stick and lighting it by some embers from the night before. It was a good week.
I wrote this back around 2008 or so. And I have continue giving warnings if we continue doing nothing about this looming problem that will impact the whole world, and to all life forms.
Back in 1992 my roommate got me Al Gore’s just released book, “Earth In The Balance Ecology And the Human Spirit”. I got as far as a couple of chapters and stopped reading it for whatever reason. I just opened it up again to hopefully read it cover to cover. Gore talks about Global Warming and the environmental devastation our modern civilization is doing to our planet, within communities around the world, as well as globally. In 2006 Al Gore came out with his movie Inconvenient Truth fourteen years later. In that fourteen year period not much if anything has been done to curb the threat of Global Warming. From the time Gore’s movie came out to now in 2009, very little has really been done, though it is talked about much more today. The actions taken to stop it or to at least curb it’s impact to our planet is to say the least, going at a snails pace if that. Many Americans still do not believe Global Warming exists or are very skeptical.
In a recent Gallup Poll 57% of Americans believe the seriousness of Global Warming in the News is correct or underestimated and 41% think it is exaggerated. To me this is a very scary thought. For one thing, most News Media outlets will not provide their viewers with accurate scientific data or information regarding Global Warming much less of any important environmental issues effecting our planet so their viewing audience can make an intelligent and informed evaluation. Many Americans don’t care or are to busy to care. And some will decide by what their political party believes.
To show America’s true interest in Global Warming and important environmental issues, I did a search on what movies people viewed the most. This will give you an idea of what is most important to Americans and what their priorities are.
When Inconvenient Truth came out in 2006 it was only playing in a few selected theaters in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2007 when the movie The 11th Hour documentary came out, I actually had to wait until it came out on DVD before I could see it. I thought both movies were informative and important for all Americans to see. It was obvious, it was not with very little attendance in the theaters.
This is an example of the movies people saw in 2006 and the money it brought in.
Al Gore’s Inconvenient Truth grossed $24,146,161 domestic and $25,610,346 foreign.
The four top movies for 2006 were:
Pirates of the Caribbean 2 grossing $423 million
Night at the Museum grossing $250 million
Cars grossing at $244 million
X3 at $234 million
Little Miss Sunshine, The Bench Warmer, Curious George and Little Man came in around $58 million each beating Inconvenient Truth by over 50% domestically.
For 2007, The 11th Hour grossed a disappointing $417,913.00 and was soon taken out of the theaters.
The three top movies were:
Spiderman 3 grossing $336 million
Shrek 3 grossing $321 million
Transformers grossing at $319 million.
Now, should we be a little concerned with this picture. It tells me Americans would rather be entertained then be concerned that we are putting ourselves and most other species of animal and plant life at risk of extinction. I think it is time for Americans to begin taking responsibility for their actions and begin taking responsibility for our home, our planet.
Now in 2022, climate change is on us with her full force, with extreme heat waves, rising seas, extreme droughts, devastating floods, forest fires, and grass fires, and extreme weather patterns. The list goes on. And we have not dealt sufficiently to this worldwide problem. And it will only get worse.
One of the joys I have spending time in Nature are the birds–listening to their morning and evening songs, watching their behavior and antics and being captivated by their beauty.
For about four years now I have been seeing a particular bird I have had a very difficult time identifying. The first time I noticed this bird, it was while walking my dogs in the countryside along a country road where we had lived. The narrow road ran along a creek, lined with about five species of Oak trees.
While on our walks, on occasion we would unknowingly approach this bird in the thick-leafed branches of the Oak tree, where it would then burst out of its place of hiding, flying quickly a short distance away from us disappearing into some near-by trees. This was usually the scenario with this bird and just becoming a blur in flight—leaving me wondering. It seemed it did not want to show itself and I thought it may have been very shy or having a nest close by. When I was able to see it in a clearing flying too or away from a tree, I notice it did have a reddish color (more of a rust color to my eyes) on the underside of the wings. The size was about the size of the American Robin. This continued on while on our walks along that country road for the next few years and never did get a good look at this elusive creature.
On the last day of October 2017, my dogs and I began a journey heading North from Northern California to camp and live in Nature. It was a trip I had planned since 2011. I closed my business, got rid of most of my belongings, but for my camping gear and the required reading for this journey, and packed up my storage trailer. My intent, to make this a life long quest in Nature.
Our first campground was close to where we had lived because I thought it would be a good place to start our journey. We stayed at Del Valle Reservoir for a month and a half. It was a place my dogs and I enjoyed camping, in the foothills of Livermore, and a great place to observe all kinds of wildlife. And most important, it was not busy during the winter months. I enjoy the peace and quiet while camping, writing and watching wildlife.
Our travels took us through Northern California, Oregon, and Washington during the winter months and crossed the state line into Idaho in the middle of May of 2018, where we would spend the summer months in the remote backcountry.
During our travels to many campgrounds, I would see this elusive bird on occasion that continued to be elusive. And as always, it was always difficult getting a good sighting of the bird to identify. Many other birds visited us in our campsites, some familiar, some new. It was always a delight watching these amazing creatures as with being a joy having them around. They did not seem bothered by the two dogs and as for the dogs, they were more interested in the Gray Fox that would come to our camp in the darkness of night then the birds. I believe, because we always had a quiet camp and were usually in these camps for several weeks, critters seem less threatened by us. One campground, in particular, Patrick’s Point State Park in Northern California, where our bird friends visited us almost daily in the morning at camp, starting with the Dark-eyed Juncos, the Stellar Jays, Gray Jays (also known as the Whisky Jack), and the Hummingbirds. Then came the California Quail and the beautiful Varied Thrush. At first, the Quail were very skittish, but with the wild bird seed I scattered around the campsite, they were encouraged to hang around for an easy meal of tasty wild seeds as were the other visitors we had. As for the Gray Jay, they preferred our bacon and eggs or the dog’s kibble.
We spent most of the summer months in the backcountry of Idaho in three different areas and did not see much bird life which was disappointing. To me, experiencing Nature without birds just didn’t seem right, although experiencing wolves got the hairs on the back of the neck standing on end, as with the excitement of seeing wolves in the wild. In one state Park campground, Dworshak State Park in Idaho, I did see our elusive bird once again flying away from us and noticed another marking on the bird that I had not noticed before. On the tail, it had a very distinctive white marking in flight.
In the winter months, we set up camp in one spot for the full winter. Very few smaller birds were present during this time. Mostly Ravens, Turkeys, the Ring-neck Pheasant, Quail, Canadian Geese, doves, the Black-capped Chickadee, and the Black-billed Magpie, as with some Hawks and Bald Eagles on occasion. To me, it always seems like something was missing without birds in our camp.
One day coming back to camp from our walk on a cold, sunny March morning, I saw two of these elusive birds in flight with their white tail markings and red showing on the underside of their wings that I had observed so many times before. They landed side by side on a top branch of a Black Locust tree next to our camp. I got my binoculars out and glassed them. Although all the markings were not visible, I thought I had enough to identify them with their light brown colored breast, dotted with black spots and the underside of the tail having red. They also had a long beak indicating they may be in the woodpecker family. I checked my bird books and found this bird that had been eluding me for so long. It was the Northern Flicker.
Nature speaks to us in many ways. Through the animals, plants, trees, the wind and rain and among the spirits that follow our movements and intentions. Showing gratitude, respect, and reverence towards all living things will make the spirits smile upon us and provide us with protection, and the wisdom, and the insight of all creation. In silence with nature, the magic, the beauty, and the magnificence will be shown to us. She will open her arms to us and she will say, “let me show you truth, let me show you who I am.”
My mind, body and soul sores in welcoming anticipation at what I will sense
and experiences when I enter Natures space.
I feel a calmness, a stillness that comes as natural as Nature itself.
To the birds that share their songs, the animals that are silently lurking, watching.
To the abundant plants and trees that share their own stillness and wisdom to the observing visitor.
My awareness is heightened to the surroundings I experience in the forests, the mountains, the colorful wildflowers that adorn the grassy alpine meadows, and the clear shimmering mountain lakes that awakens my Being in these wild places we call Nature.
I am Air,
With each deep breath I take in Nature, my lungs fill with the cleansing of fresh scented air of the plants and trees and the inner connection to all life.
I am Water,
From frozen to liquid, the waters flow with life in the springs, creeks and streams taking their paths from their source in the high mountains downward eventually feeding the rivers and oceans, serving life everywhere it touches.
Water is the life blood of all life from the plants and trees to the wildlife, to the life of man, woman and child. When I sip from this sacred source of life I feel connected to all things.
I am Land,
The land gives me a solid platform to travel to the magical and wondrous places Nature provides.
The land can change from moment to moment, from high deserts, to forests and woodlands, to alpine meadows and lakes surrounded by majestic mountain peaks, to grasslands that seems to go on forever in ones eyes. The land provides a place for awe, wonder and reflections. It is my church where I show my deepest reverence for the Earth and to all life.
I am Fire,
Fire that brings life and death to it’s door with no uncertain terms. Fire is nature, nature is fire. I bring the highest respect to this element that cooks my food, gives me light and comfort and provides me with it’s warmth, with the sound of the crackling fire, and the wonderful scent of the burning wood that is soothing to my soul.
I am Stillness,
I am the stillness Nature teaches me, the stillness and wisdom she brings to my Being, the silence and inner peace when I listen in silence. The plants, the trees, the wildflowers or a single blade of grass all share the life energy all life shares in Nature, and on our planet and in our universe.
I am One With All Life,
The long winter closes and I look forward to with the opening of new buds on the trees and plants, the spring flowers will soon come sharing their bright colored blossoms, giving the eye a pallet of colors to behold.
And the new born animals, the creation of life, begins the experiences of this world for the first time with their Mother always close-by, teaching them, nurturing them and protecting them.
The beginning of a new cycle of life. Each season brings change, brings new life and brings death.
I am the relationship with the air, the water, the land, the fire, the plants and trees, and the animals.
Not being able to sleep last night, I got up and turned on the TV to occupy my time for a bit. It was about 5:00 am in the morning and found a program on primates that looked interesting.
The program was about the serious decline in many primate species around the world due to loss of habitat through burning of rain forests for farming and development, deforestation for lumber, the increase in human populations and expansions of urban life, bush meat for people who live in the bush, illegal hunting, war conflicts, the trade in wildlife (pet trade) and the illegal black market of animal parts. More than 633 types of primates are in danger of becoming extinct in the world because of human activity. Twenty-five primate species in Africa and Asia are on the brink of extinction from the causes I have just mentioned above.
Primates as with all living species have a role on our planet, a purpose to help keep balance in the ecosystem. Primates contribute to the ecosystem by dispersing seeds and maintaining forest diversity.
This whole program disturbed me because of our lack of understanding or caring for how our ecosystems work and why they are as important in our own survival as humans and the survival of a healthy, sustainable and balanced planet for all life. In one scene, one of the people doing the show was in a sanctuary for primates and was conversing with a chimp on the other side of a wired fence enclosure. He was having a playful conversation with the chimp as if the chimp was human. The difference was, this guy could just walk away from the fence and go on with his business, and the chimp could not. Though he was protected from the cruel outside world, he was caged in (as we humans like to do with animals), and the chimp could not just walk away. He was in prison, having no freedom to do what chimps do or having any choice for that matter how his life is to be.
Are we heading to a point in the near future where many species that are getting closer and closer to extinction will be forced into cages by man for their own survival and protection from man who is the cause of this very destruction? This way of thinking makes no sense if one understands how nature and the ecosystems work. The problem is that we have become so far removed from our connection with all living things and with nature, and our reliance on nature for our very existence that we have the false mind-set that we no longer need nature for our survival and development of our species. The destructive forces that man has laid on this planet with over population, over development, over harvesting of our oceans and of our natural resources, the destruction of many of our forests through deforestations, the rapid decline in population for many species of animals and their habitats and the polluting of our land, air and water as with the potential devastating effects of climate change are taking a huge toll on our very survival and the survival of most of life as we know it on this planet.
Is this the type of life we are choosing for our children? Is this what we have become, a species that cares little about other life that we knowingly or unknowingly depend on for our very own survival? A planet where the only way we can protect the species of animals is to cage them for their protection and for our amusement? Unfortunately we are already here.
I wish I could say that things will change, that they will get better through our understanding and knowledge of our planet. But the knowledge is already here and yet we have not learned, we have not changed, we continue to destroy the very thing that gives life.
Treat the earth well. It was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children. ~ Ancient Indian Proverb ~
Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect. ~ Chief Seattle, 1854 ~
What is sacred? To modern day man, it may be God, Jesus Christ, a church, some symbol like the cross that represents their particular religion or for some it may be where St. Francis of Assisi built his place of worship. As for the natural world that is all around us, the animals, the plants, the trees, the mountains and the oceans, these things are for us to take from and control. We have this mind-set that the natural world is for the taking and in any way we see fit. We have proved this to be true for hundreds of years. And when we used the term progress, it gave us extra incentive to misuse and abuse the earth in ways that are incomprehensible.
We don’t relate to any animal as sacred. Sacred does not relate to the air we breathe, the water we drink or the land that provides us with nourishment – the key elements on this planet that gives life to all life. Air, we seem to never give a second thought to, unless we inhale some foul odor or find ourselves without it. Without air, all life will die. Water, the life blood of all things, we again give little thought to. It seems polluting this life source is no real problem, and it has become a commodity to be controlled and profited from. Again, without water as with air, we will die without a clean source of water. Land, we see land as property to be owned and controlled and we have proven that even with ownership we do not know how to take care of this valuable resource that all land animals rely on for their homes and sustenance. All of what I have just written is done out of pure greed and the arrogance that everything on this planet is for the human race to plunder with little regard for any other live forms that we share this planet with. We take and take and take, never looking at the consequences of our actions.
I was watching a movie last night called, “Grey Owl.” It was a true story about an Englishman, Archie Belaney (Grey Owl) who at a young age moved to Canada to live in the wilderness and to be close to the First Nations People so he could learn from them how to survive in the wilderness. One of the lines in the movie that Grey Owl spoke hit a cord with me. He said, “You know why I love the forest? I love the forest because it is the last place men are not in charge. It is the last wilderness.” This was said in the 1930’s. Today there is no place safe in the world from man’s destruction. We have pretty much devastated everything we come into contact with and have become better at it.
Fortunately there is one exception to this that may save us from the total destruction of life on this planet as we know it. It is the indigenous peoples of the world who still live with the land to survive. They have a very close relationship with the land and all life. They know if they do not take care of this valuable resource they will not survive. They have this understanding and agreement with Mother Earth. They have this connection, a relationship with all life and they see all life as sacred.
The Australian Aborigines, the Native Hawaiians, the Native Americans, the First Nations of Canada, and many other indigenous peoples who have been forced to live a different life from their own traditional ways are struggling and fighting to hold on to their traditional beliefs and cultures with very little support from those who took their way of life away from them and thus creating devastating impacts on their people. Most of our so-called civilized culture sees these people as backwards, uncivilized and uneducated. They are a burden to progress and they need to get with the program and live like us or suffer the consequences. But they continue to fight to save their cultures because they know the way most of us live in today’s world is harmful to all life – to the very survival of life on our planet. These indigenous cultures, know that all life should be respected, that all life is sacred. Without this relationship to life, we are doomed as a species and we will take many species with us to our death if we do not change our ways.
WE MUST CHANGE OUR PARADIGM AND HOW WE RELATE TO OUR PLANET AND ALL LIFE – WE MUST SEE ALL LIFE AS SACRED.
Blogs In Nature 