Another tree fell along the trail last week. I heard the crack of breaking wood and saw the movement of foliage falling across the ravine. It was a small living black walnut tree, perhaps 12” in diameter. Walnuts usually have strong wood and grow to be big trees, but this tree had damage and carpenter ants at the base, so it failed early. This got me reflecting on why trees fail. Some are stricken by disease or insect… oak wilt, Dutch elm disease, emerald ash borer, etc… that cuts their lives short. Some are taken out by storms or a neighboring tree falling into them. Some are outcompeted in the race to capture sunlight; some grow old and eventually succumb to gradual decline and death. There are a lot of metaphors of human life (and death) in the forest, and what a tree encounters as it grows often affects how it dies. But all trees eventually die, and their passage leaves a gap for other trees to capture that space and sunlight.
We lost my dad’s sister last week. She was a dear, gentle woman who remained sharp until she passed quickly at age 93. We lost my dad seven years ago, after a very long journey through Parkinson’s Disease. My mom is living in a memory care assisted living facility but has taken a few recent hits to her physical health. Every story and passage differs, but I reflect on the gradual loss of that generation, and the gaps that are left. There is value in cherished memories.
The passage of time continues relentlessly, with a constant progression through the seasons. The sense of urgency to capture what is fleeting, along with the anticipation of what’s next, continues to push us forward. Right now, the fireflies flicker and the frogs sing a varied chorus each night. The abundance of moisture has given me lots of golden oyster mushrooms to dry and freeze, and I anticipate trying to beat the birds to a few of the blackcap raspberries within the week. I’m sad that the spring ephemeral wildflowers are gone, but the parade of summer blossoms has begun. The sweet aroma of black locust flowers has passed, but soon we will catch the wafting scent of basswood and elderberry flowers. There are new gifts every week.
In June, I intended to have a Women’s Walk in the Woods and an open tea/coffee time in the gathering room; however, I had to cancel both events to spend time with family. I have added the July Women’s Walk to the schedule, and I do plan to re-schedule the tea/coffee. Our next workshop with a guest speaker is July 27th, when Chris Gavin will teach us about Preparing Wild Harvested Foods. Quickly on the heels of that, we have Sam Thayer coming for a foraging workshop on August 10th. We’re trying to do about one weekend workshop (with a guest expert) per month. In between, we will have some free activities. We would also consider letting groups or individuals rent space for private retreats or gatherings during some of the weeks/weekends in between events. Check out the accommodations tab on the website to see what spaces we have available here. Reach out to Linda if you’ve got an idea of something you’d like to do here at Iowisota.
Enjoy the seasons and take time to appreciate family and friends. Until next time…
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