September 16, 2015

Words from the Woods – Weather or Not

Saturday, September 12, 2015

The woodpeckers have been joined by a few other species for the morning wake up call. The forest appears even greener under the overcast skies.

I dress for a hike, but as I finish breakfast, the rain begins. Extraordinary – I could hear the drops hitting the tree canopy high above but it took awhile for it to reach below here in the understory. This, I tell myself, is the real “trickle down” effect. So far no leaks in the cabin. With the cabin windows open, I have wonderful background music to work by.

Slow steady rhythm

Mother Earth sighs audibly,

Rain caresses land.

Later the rain comes down harder and my campground nature journaling program may be rained out. As I work, I hear the sound of gravel crunching under car tires as several people in Misty Mount Camp decide to pack up early. After speaking with park ranger Peggie Gaul, we decide to move the program inside to the visitor center. No one shows up and we head down to Thurmont for pizza.

Sunday, September 13, 2015

My neighbor the red fox has decided to scream each morning at dawn, trying to get a jump on the jays and woodpeckers. The forest awakens, and so do I.

It takes a little while for the sun to get high enough above the trees to shine on the Misty Mount camp neighborhood, but I can see it coming and know it will be a beautiful day.

I have my final nature journaling program today on the Blue Blazes Whiskey Still Trail near the Visitor Center. With the good weather, I hope for good attendance.

Later –

We had a great time sketching today near the creek with ten visitors joining the program. One family from last Monday returned and contributed several pages for the park journal project.

I love introducing others to the joy of nature journaling. It is a time, as Susie Mottashed states in her book, Who Lives in Your Backyard, “When your creative spirit can come out and play.”

As I have written in my blog previously, this process connects one with the environment and once you begin, you will never see the woods in the same way. You will have a keener awareness and appreciation for the smallest and largest of things, the colors, the textures, the sights and sounds.

This was a great afternoon!