ON A COLD NOVEMBER DAY at the Church O The Pines, as ice skins over the shallow places and errant snowflakes dance across the deck, the time has arrived. Time to bring the little bonsai trees into their winter home, the small greenhouse in the old carriage-house garage. They look happy there and I will enjoy them through the long,
HERE AT THE CHURCH O THE PINES, it is a blustery November morning. The wind blows sharply off the river, while a low overcast contends with blue sky for dominance. The wind chimes on the deck sing, each with its own voice. Meanwhile the mostly bare branches of maples and basswoods whip wildly while the pine tops sway. The last
AT THE CHURCH O’ FAWN ISLAND, the sun rises through the morning clouds. The coffee steams. The ravens croak overhead. A jay calls his name. A young eaglet screams and a red squirrel trills. And Paddy looks out at the world. And then finds Kathy’s lap.
THIS SUNDAY MORNING’S Church O’ The Pines post comes from my book, Paddle Whispers, a favorite of many lovers of the Canoe Country. It is about… finding unexpected beauty. And meaning. ‘On a damp, gray morning beside a stream, I watch a spider spin a web. She is very small. She spins from a spruce twig to my jacket pocket
OUR CHURCH O’ THE ISLAND post today actually comes from two evenings ago when I ran out from the cabin to catch this sunset. In 45 seconds the glorious light and colors diminished. Sometimes we have only a few moments to notice how beautiful the world is. To notice beauty at all. This was not a ‘forest fire’ sunset, but
THIS MORNING AT THE CHURCH O’ THE PINES, as on many mornings, we sit on the deck for a spell and take in the ‘soundscape.’ This is one of the prime natural features of any location–similar to the landscape–but composed of all the sounds therein. Here in the forest, the soundscape is often comprised mostly of birdsongs–quite likely where you
TODAY THE CHURCH O’ THE PINES is a bit gray and frosty, and crusty and icy and sticky, all the residue of a winter ‘storm’ of sorts. And a bit quiet. But all week long, from dawn to dusk, church soloist Sparky the Cardinal has been regaling the congregation. Through an endless assortment of trills and warbles, arpeggios and cadenzas
AT THE CHURCH O’ THE PINES we hug to ourselves the belief that our soaring tree trunks, green lofts and sanctuaries, are akin to the great cathedrals of the world. Similar in their aspirational nature and design. Such structures, throughout history, were built to lift hearts toward the heavens, and souls toward the highest of human values. Unfortunately, that is
AT THE CHURCH O’ THE PINES, the congregation is over the moon about Kathy Ann’s return. Sparky the Cardinal is singing his head off. And Kathy is feeling quite well today—nowhere near normal strength, but pretty good! But something else interesting is going on here in the pines by the river. We have a new visitor who’s never stopped by
AT THE CHURCH O’ THE PINES, the congregation is largely on its own today as I am back and forth from the hospital. Mostly forth. Kathy is doing… OK. But there are bouts of nausea and significant discomfort. Lots of kind, competent nurses. Meanwhile in my visits back to the church grounds we find hints of Spring. Esteemed church choir