SINDAY STROLL

The stroll begins today at the foot of the bluff just up from the creek. From here we will head "Further up and further in." Life on the bluff is wondrous. look at the climbing Hartford Fern (for Master Gardeners, Lygodium plamatum) and all the lichen and mosses.


This mini fern found a little indent in the rock and made a home.


The seed pods and dried leaves are from the primitive Big leaf Magnolia, the living leaves exceed 18" and the flower is plate size and beautiful. They lay near a young Mountain Laurel and that curious climbing fern.

Red Holly berries cover the forest floor. Will these join them soon?

Look at that vibrant green moss and the charming little Ground pines which are clubmoss or "Lycopodium obsurum". At one time the 4-6" tall little trees were harvested at Christmas and are now an endangered species.

More red berries, these on the wonderful wintergreen plants. In the spring the tender new leaves can be harvested for tea and to chew as a spring treat. They are also known as Partridge Berries.

As we pass this moss we have moved up a hill and are headed home.

Oh, look at my tribute to Narnia. Do you see the back of the wardrobe anywhere?

Lets go home.


To see other stroller out and about today pop over to

The Quiet Country House

SACRED MEDITATION WALK

A labyrinth is a path that spirals and winds into the center and back out with no dead ends, this distinguishes it from a maze. It is commonly used as a spiritual tool for contemplation, meditation and problem solving. They are places to seek healing of the mind, body and spirit. They are also places to celebrate life.

The designs are varied and have been found throughout history all around the world. Dating back to 2500-2000 B.C.E. in Greece the Cretan or classic seven circuit labyrinth was in use, the designs were also found on money and pottery of that era.
The christian church began using the labyrinth over a thousand years ago and the most famous is in the Cathedral of Chartres in France. It is an eleven circuit labyrinth with the center as the twelth station. The faithful of the time walked the labyrinth as a poor mans pilgrimage with stations of the cross along the way.

OUR WOODWINDS LABYRINTH
Flutemaker and I began to plan our labyrinth after walking a Chartes style pathway in 2001. We wanted one of our own. We studied and decided we would like the more ancient or classic style in our woods. The picture at the top was our choice.
The site was chosen by dowsing and we were delighted to discover the entry would be lined up with the north star and thus always be orientated to that point in the universe.

Where to begin


Start here!



Step between these trees into the center.

Almost done. The flagged sticks outlined the pathways till the rocks were laid.

From the ladder.

The labyrinth represents wholeness. A circle and a spiral become a meandering but purposeful path. The walk symbolizes a transforming journey to your own center and back out into the world. Labyrinths are always considered to be holy ground and we have become stewards of this sacred place.

SUNDAY STROLL

I call this "the path of least resistance" because we didn't have to hack our way along it to the creek. This path was here long before our house was built. I have heard tales of moonshiners along the creek and before that indian encampments. (We have found arrowheads) All the other paths in our section of the forest were blazed by Flutemaker, my woodworking husband.
This sign has graced other places we have lived. The music of wind and trees has always blessed and entertained us. To the left is our little cabin on the bluff and below is the creek and bridge to the labyrinth.

Cool musical falls in the creek. Icy today.

View downstream from the falls.

View from the bridge of the falls.

Turning downstream on the bridge to look up at the cabin on the bluff.

Straight out from the bridge is our labyrinth. Flutemaker spent one winter clearing and building this sacred meditation walk. I'll write much more about this soon.

Heading back we will climb the stairs cut into the earth.

Home and a warm cup of tea.

SUNDAY STROLL

It's a foggy mountain morning. The Hemlocks are veiled in mist. but the path is still inviting us into the mysteries of the forest.

The fog is gone The day is well under way.


Maggy Magnolia is a lovely young addition to the evergreens all around us. We transplanted her here in the backyard from a protected spot over behind the Hemlock. She grew from a seedling. She was born in the compost pile at Burgess Falls Nursery where her seed container got dumped. The owner of the nursery gave a talk at the Master Gardener class I was attending and let the group choose from a tray of seedlings he had rescued from the compost pile.

I hope you can see the three sister oaks who seem to have bolted from the woods but got

rootbound right at the edge. I speak to them every morning except in winter when I only whisper "sweet dreams".

Here the Hollyhocks rest easy as they await the spring and new growth.

Our winter color comes in the form of the hardy Dwarf Nandina. They will never grow to obscure our view when we sit out on the front porch. Their summer color is just green, but they put their jewel tones on for winter wear.

Ah, there you go, my first contribution to the Sunday Stroll.
What a treat to share my yard. It is raining and so I did not wander too far from shelter. Perhaps next time I'll head down the path for a real stroll.

OTHERWISE

I have a book I call OTHERWISE. In it I have collected and recorded thoughts, ideas, pithy sayings, and mottoes, words to live by and, of course, clichés. I hope that I am gathering wisdom and understanding. I find these quotes everywhere, in books, on tea boxes, billboards, church signs and in the lyrics of songs.
I love to browse through the pages and enjoy the thoughts that wiser folk than me have left for consideration. Sometimes I open the pages randomly and choose a selection and see if it speaks to me for the day or whatever is going on in my life.
“For your consideration I offer you….'

"Nothing has greater power than an idea whose time has arrived."
Victor Hugo

"Nothing has any power over me other than that which I give it through my conscious thoughts." Anthony Robbins

"Begin at the beginning, the king said gravely, and go till you come to the end: then stop."

Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

"In order to fly, you have to give up the ground you are standing on."

Elia Wise, Letters to Earth

"Once you have tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been and there you long to return."

Leonardo de Venci

"It turns out that an eerie type of chaos can lurk just behind a facade of order---and yet, deep inside the chaos lurks an even eerier type of order. "
Scientist: Douglas Hofstedter

Well, goodness, I could just keep copying and enjoying myself reading as I go.
Words have meanings that not only speak to logic and communication in the world: they also speak to the wisdom of the spirit, to the beauty of word pictures that form in the imagination. Some words sing while others plop and splat on our ears and mind. The written word delivers and stores these magical ciphers. Now I guess we have the internet for storage and sharing.