THIS SMILING, HANDSOME FELLOW is Bob Heim. We’ll get back to him in just a moment… Here at the Cabin-in-the-Woods, in the grove also known as the Church O’ The Pines, Kathy and I feed the blue jays. And crows. And red squirrels and gray squirrels. And nuthatches and pileated woodpeckers and other feathered friends. And deer. And a whole
AT THE CHURCH O’ THE PINES, there is a bit more roof work—moss and pine needle removal—to be done. Up on a roof, near a stone chimney-steeple, there is a wonderful change in perspective. One sees the world with something closer to the eye of the chickadee, the crow, the jay, the hawk. The golden carpet of needles is more
AN AUTUMN EVENING walk round the Church O’ The Pines woods. A centering walk. A hopeful walk. A walk of deep breaths and the fragrance of fallen leaves, the last golden carpet from the last maple. It held on so long and steadfastly. A blue canoe in a red sunset, the desire to take it out for one more spin.
OCTOBER SUNRISE, Church O’ The Pines. The morning gossiping of chickadees. The laugh of a pileated woodpecker. The reflecting Father of Waters…. All the congregation, surrounded by beauty. We wish you beauty. We wish you Good Sabbath.
AND SO IT IS AUTUMN. At the Church O The Pines, the morning light is different. Things seem to glow with some inherent luminescence of their own. The blue of a blue sky is a little deeper. The angle of the sun makes the river sparkle a bit more brightly. And there is just the beginning of a certain tang
AT THE CHURCH O’ THE PINES the morning light is soft. The breeze is soft, over the river. The wind chimes tinkle softly. The air is humid, and it is the season when quilts of fog hang over wetlands and fields in the evening. It is in many ways a gentle time of year. No more the blazing heat of
SOMETIMES, rising in the morning, simply going out the cabin door and looking up… is enough to begin the day with perspective. Peace. Inspiration. As Aldo Leopold said, “I love all trees. But I am in love with pines.” It is good to live in the company of trees.
ON THIS BEAUTIFUL late summer morning at the Church O The Pines, I am off to lead one more Road Scholar trip in the North Woods. I love both—the tall, sweet-scented forest of home, and the vast wildlands on the cusp of the Canadian Shield. And I am very fortunate to be able to share that love. So, a few
AT THE CHURCH O’ THE ISLAND, outside the slammin’ screen door of the Dear Old Cabin (100 years old next year) things are green and growing. Except for the rocks which are gray and weathering. A morning thunderstorm helps with both processes (albeit microscopically with the rock part). Yesterday saw the arrival of Son #1 and family, today Son #2
ON THIS SUNDAY MORNING at the Church O’ The Pines, we are grateful for the rising of the sun. For the songs of small birds and the chipping of chipmunks. For the flowing of a river and the growing of trees. For an old cabin for shelter. For the screaming of jays. For the company of two fine cats. For