When I think back on my old apartment in Brooklyn and how big it seemed at the time, I laugh quietly to myself. Since I've relocated to the country, my sense of scale has shifted. Those rooms, miles away, seem so tiny now. The property that I live on now is roughly 80 acres. I've only tread a fraction of the territory. Far too often, I stick to my grid around the homestead.
Today I ventured further than I've gone before.
For part of my exploration, I stuck to the maintained paths. I mentally noted the blackberry and raspberry patches along the trails for plundering later. I marveled at how the path was hacked from the wildness, a vein of man snaking through the wood.
Not long after I started my walk, I left the paths in search of wilder vistas. My legs show the evidence of my curiosity. They are marked with hairline scratches and little pinpricks, but it was worth it. I saw fungi bigger than my head and snails the size of ping-pong balls.
Even when I left the path, to climb amongst the ferns and Virginia Creepy Crawler, there were still signs that there were those who came before me. I was not the first. Piles of rocks, that were once walls remain, even if slowly being swallowed up by leafy decay. They are the silent reminders of the past.
I discovered that several caves exist on the property. In retrospect, exploring near them was probably not the best idea. A bear came near the house not long afterwards and snatched up a bird-feeder. These caves and concave rock-faces could easily have been the homes of the wild animals, including the black bears. Luckily I did not stumble upon them or their homes.There are still acres and acres of land still left to explore. I feel as though I've only scratched the surface. I look forward to revealing more of the mystery of the place that I live.
11 comments:
Oh, How envious I am of your little Eden. I lived in the woods a few years back (with no phone, tv or internet!) and it was heaven. I was sung to sleep every night by the river and woken in the morning by the dawn chorus in the trees. My daughter says that when I grow old I will live in a tree with 100 cats. She may not be too far off.
Cenya
You have your own wonderland to explore! What an intriguing place!
you are a lucky man, all that beautiful wooded land to explore!
There is something wonderful about living in a wilderness area. You very quickly come to not miss traffic, light polution, noise and many of the other irritations of living in an urban environment. I can't wait for our 'tree change' in a few months when we 'go bush'
80 acres! How wonderful. I can't wait to have wide open spaces. It is beautiful.
How blessed you are to live in such beauty. I really miss the 50 acres my father had in Virginia. Theres such a different feeling to living *out. Ones whole perspective changes in so many ways. You have been Blessed! And how can one go back to the busyness and craziness after that? I have and I miss the countryside so much! The cave for petes sake stay away from them! Thats really cool the stones. Any remains left besides them? So intresting.
We are the mud and sticks of the earth, my friend. Walk upon your beginning, and your end. "say Yes to it all, for it is all life". - Joseph Campell, Love, and Blessings
There is no place more magical than an enchanted wood. I spent the better part of my childhood exploring them. If you sit quietly, fairies will come and say hello.
Of course you already know that.
What a wonderful place to become.
Love
Margot
Heaven. Pure Heaven. Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful wet green!! I miss it so. Before we moved to Las Vegas and the desert we lived in Washington State for 13 years. You made me home sick. It was 110 degrees of furnace hot dry heat here yesterday. Makes me tired and how I would love to walk through the beauty where you live right now. Really nice photos, thank you for sharing your peace and joy.
So gorgeous. What a treasure!
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