ON FAWN ISLAND, we now have a new cabin with running water, shower, and flush toilet. Which is great, and makes Kathy Ann happy. Which makes me happy. But I am still fond of the old outhouse, the Church of Peace, the path through the cedars to the shady bower, a site of solitude and meditation whose charms we have
AT THE OLD CABIN, Koda-the-Forest-Kitten, industrious and smart, has learned a new trick. Koda has long known how to get attention and tell us he wants OUT! Tearing up the laundry, scattering Mom’s desk papers onto the floor, knocking her latch-hook paraphernalia onto the floor, leaping onto and over every piece of furniture in the cabin. Just little hints that
AT THE CHURCH O THE PINES, there is an insistent whispering and shushing in the pine tops, under a gathering overcast. The wind is restless, and the woods seem to be in a waiting, anticipatory mood. The blue jays are restless, too, and in full cry at the slightest disturbance. Other birds and congregation members are more quiet, gathering food
DEAR FRIENDS: Three Things. First, last night I posted about a distressing and precipitous drop of maybe 90% in our engagement and viewership on this page, and I asked for a little help. Somehow that broke through the algorithm ‘blockade’ and responses and messages poured in! THANK YOU! And thanks also for the incredible kind and encouraging words. Second: My
THESE BUCOLIC SCENES guide a weary traveler down the narrow lanes to the old cabin-in-the-woods. Also known as the Caretakers’ Cabin for the Chuch O The Pines. It is the scene of some Consternation and Commotion over the last few days, as the furnace went out on Friday night—outside temp about minus 5. But with space heaters, a kitchen oven
AT THE CHURCH O THE PINES someone left the basement freezer open and now we are Narnia. The congregation shivers in their fur coats and feather stoles, and the morning hymns have a bit of a wobble in the high notes. Blue jays holler and shout, nuthatches mutter, chickadees say their names, and pileated woodpeckers, somehow, still laugh uproariously. The
AT THE CHURCH O THE PINES, morning brings a world transformed, as winter lays its snowy hand upon the forest. Everywhere is a scene of beauty and wonder. And under a frosted balsam fir ‘cave,’ a little adopted kitten named Koda—a true outdoorsman—follows picture-taking Dad and absorbs it all.
A FROSTY, snowy morning at the Church O’ The Pines cabin-in-the-woods. Beauty above, beauty below, beauty before and behind, beauty all around.
AT THE CHURCH O THE PINES the orchids say it is a good morning. It is a fine thing to have a warm and bright corner of color in the cabin. Outside in the river-woods it is bright as well. But not so warm. Still, the congregation are all here, fluffed and feathered. Do they look longingly through the window
SO THIS MORNING Koda, our little adopted stray kitten/wild man, was tearing around the cabin—up and down the stairs, through the living room, through the kitchen, up and over furniture, playing with his foil ball, playing with string, terrorizing older cat Simon… I decided to make my morning coffee and poured some beans into the small grinder and started it