Blog-azic

I went to the Wayne National Forest near Burr Oak State Park on Tuesday afternoon. After driving around the state park, I entered the Wayne's campground. This time of year, camping on the grounds is free. I found a delightful spot under some tall white pines. The afternoon sun was falling lightly onto the forest floor. I built a lean-to between two pines, one relatively young and the other relatively old. As I watched the sun set that evening, I noted its setting point on the horizon with a compass. It set nearly due west. The moon - a sliver of white - was in its earliest phase after the new moon. It was low in the western sky, following the sun to the other side of the world. I took in the sights and sounds as light left the earth and darkness flooded in to fill the space: a skunk bumbles out of the forest away down the path. It sniffs around then looks back at me. He seemed to decide I was better left alone and went back into the underbrush. I slept a cold sleep. The temperatur...

Have a happy St. Patrick 's Day. In honor of him, you will find a new song on the podcast: a traditional Irish tune called "Whiskey in the Jar." Though it is spring (not officially for a few more days), today the air is cold like it was in winter. I believe that many people fear the cold. I often fear it. But, I see no reason to entertain fears. The cold is bitter when I fear it. When I do not, the cold simply is. I am again reading Walden , an account of Thoreau's time at Walden Pond in Massachusets. 'Twas last spring that I read it, soaking up sunshine on a small hill outside of the library, talking with my friend in the backyard of our house. This copy is one hundred and eight years old - it was published in 1899 - that is an old book. Still, that is 45 years after Thoreau published his manuscript and 52 years after Thoreau concluded his experiment "to front only the essential facts of life ." Going to the woods is an old idea.

Bishop-elect Tom visited my working office Monday about the hour of noon. He enjoyed a meal with us in the work office. He ate deliberately and listened intently. My digestive track has been over-worked. So, I will eat less food. Food is a way to generate warmth. It is spring - I need less warmth. On 10 March, I wriggled back into the little hollow where is my shelter. I am returning the hut I have built to the earth. My thoughts have been upon the earth of late. Now, it is spring and the birds rummage through the leaves (perhaps looking for tastey bugs) They massage the earth awake with their tiny feet. If you are quiet, you may more easily observe. Observation is the basis for discovery. Discovery is the basis for adventure. What is next, then? The Wayne? Lake Hope ? Where ever I may fare, I believe it will be good luck.

The forest is just waiting to burst into spring. The birds already believe it to be here, and I have seen a stray silver maple or two that has let loose its buds. In general there is some disagreement amongst nature about when spring does come. The forest is a very ordered place, as Peterson's Field Guide to Eastern Forests makes clear. One can think of the forest as made of many layers. The topmost layer is the canopy defined by "the crowns of the tallest trees" 1 . Below this, the understory defined by smaller tree species such as sassafras and dogwood. Continuing downward, note the shrub layer made-up of plants such as laurels and viburnums . "The shrub layers tops an herb layer of ferns and wildflowers. This layer is particularly evident in spring, when many wildflower species ... are in bloom." 2 Finally, the litter layer rests atop the soil. It is composed decomposing leaves and wood. The forest blooms from the ground upwards: first the herbs, then shrub...

I spent a good deal of my weekend stalking around the backyards of houses looking for evidence of fauna, and I've discovered that fauna is pretty common. The reason we often don't see it is noise. We have become acustomed to a producing much noise: stomping the feet, talking on the cell phone, reving the car, jamming on the I-pod. After a little time in the woods I notice how noisy am I. So, I've been walking quietly, and Friday night, while quietly walking home I had myself an amazing encounter. I ducked between two houses as I approached my home and soon stood in front of an open shed. I thought, "A wild animal might find that shed a comforable place to live." I began to walk past the shed when I noticed a wild animal walking straight at me! It was an opossum. [Let us note the difference between the opossum and the possum , the former living in the eastern US and the latter living in Australia. You must take care to call each animal by its proper name (avoiding...