THE TEMPERATURE AT The Church O’ The Pines this morning is 147 degrees below zero. Which is cold, but of course we’ve seen colder. The birds and squirrels and deer are fed, the river is booming, the trees are cracking, and a few snow bombs still falling. It is winter, and a different world in the woods from summer. We
THE RESULTS OF last night’s snow and ice storm at the Church O’ The Pines. Some huge limbs fell on the roof and the deck, shaking the whole cabin, and causing the inhabitants a fair amount of anxiety. No heat or power for nine hours. Cold kitties. Now, as the northwest wind blows and the temps drop there are still
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,
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
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
THE CHURCH O’ THE PINES is a forest, on the shore of the Father of Waters, the Mississippi. There are many wonderful things about a forest, and one of the finest is… well… trees. And here at our Church we are blessed with many. Trees have much to recommend them. Shade in the summer, shelter in the winter. Food and