Amelia and James 1
Our tents were set up in the designated campsite in the meadow. We each had our own tent. The whole idea was for the twelve of us to have a “get back to nature” weekend together. We would share meals and talk about our experiences in the natural surroundings.
I only tagged along because my brother practically begged me to come plus he would make all my meals. I reluctantly came as he is an excellent chef. He was trying to impress Mary Alice Paisley. He met her at my apartment and thought we were the best of friends.
Mary Alice had come up to ask me to join her and her friends on an enlightening find your inner peace soul weekend out near the Picasso Meadows. I had heard about that place being full of nature, woodland animals all peacefully regenerating your mind.
All this crapola I did not care about but snapping pictures of new virgin plants, fungi and perhaps a few birds, animals and insects was the main thing on my mind. I like quiet, undisturbed and virgin looking scenery.
I could just imagine eleven other humans yapping, carrying their loud phones and talking or laughing out in the forest! This included my loud brother. He would be looking for morels. I do know he at least remembered what they looked like. We picked many as children following our parents in the woods. I decided as soon as my tent was up right next to my brothers I would get a head start to the woods. Telling him I was off I think he heard me. He nodded something to me as he and Mary Alice were setting up his cooking table. I know she heard me because she waved goodbye.
Traipsing off into the woods, camera in hand, I was awed at the quietness of my surroundings. Once my tromping feet stopped breaking branches and I stopped listening to the junk clattering in my pockets. I shifted things around wrapping the noise into my paper napkins. I actually slowed down my pace. There was no hurry. The sky above was bright. Many hours left in the day.
It feels very peculiar now that my ears have adjusted to any new sound. Eerie at first I actually thought I could hear my own heart beating. Thumping loudly: but it was a Woodpecker and his loud rat-a-tat-tat against a far tree echoing into the forest. I heard him and did not see him. I’m sure he knew I was there. Being no threat he continued pecking rat-a-tat-tat. I felt a slight breeze on my cheeks. I saw the gray green weeping willow leaves stir slightly. I heard my own shoes crack twigs under my feet again. I had tried to walk as quietly as It was possible so no creature could detect I was on their turf. They would alert the others that a human was invading their home surroundings.
No chance that would happen as I heard the rustle of a critter quickly scrambling up the tree. My eye caught a large bushy tail quickly fading into the canopy of leaves. A nut or dry berry dropped. I saw it and left it lay where it had fallen. “Bushie-Tail” would be back to pick it up when I was out of range.
I was in deep woods now with little sky overhead. A person with a colorful imagination might have become confused and disoriented with the feeling of isolation. Not me as I was used to being alone wandering in unfamiliar territory. My siblings and I would follow our parents for days in the deep woods like gypsies. We hunted for mushrooms then.
Further on still walking quietly as possible I continued snapping photos: leaves, wildflowers, down trees from years ago. These logs were now homes to the small woodland creatures. Seeing a small movement towards the end of a moss covered log I finally saw a rabbit then another hopping bunny. Snap. Snap. Went my camera.
Rabbits scattered for cover. They knew I was there and their sharp ears heard my camera. The older animals knew the camera was not a weapon to take a life. They were still on caution alert. Squirrels ran up the trees and birds all flew upwards towards the canopy. I heard other woodland critters scurry here and there. I did not realize there was such a large audience watching me. I felt peaceful in my new surroundings. I stopped walking , pulled out my little notebook, read a prayer and thanked God for creating this beautiful serene place.
Mother Earth, hear your child,
Be a bond between the Worlds of Earth and Spirit.
Let the Winds echo the Knowledge
of the Grandfathers. Who await, unseen,
yet visible if I only turn my eyes to their World.
Let me hear their Voices,
in the Winds that Blow to the East
©Julia A Knaake