HERE AT THE CHURCH O’ THE PINES, a late winter storm has blown through. Snow covers the cabin and the boughs of the trees. More strong winds are predicted, and we hope that our eagle-nest tree, and all the rest, hold fast. In our (almost) weekly reports from our woodsy sanctuary, we often tell of the comings and goings, the
ON A WINTER’S NIGHT, sometimes it is good to drift back to summer. The setting of the sun, the rising of the moon; the call of a loon, the echo of a frog chorus from across the water. I tried to capture the feelings of such an evening in a little piece called ‘Namakan Nights,’ inspired by the beauty of
AT THE CHURCH O’ THE PINES, today–the Winter Solstice–is the shortest day of the year. This is true in all the neighboring fields and woods and rivers as well. And all over the Northern Hemisphere. So one could say the phenomenon is rather widespread. But do you know what that means? That means that tomorrow isn’t. The shortest day. Not
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
THIS MORNING the Pine Point Woods and the old cabin are coated with a strange substance. It appears to have fallen from the sky, although that is uncertain. In any case, the fluffy coating—not seen much this winter—is lovely, and makes it possible to track some of our friends of the forest. This morning we see evidence of the nighttime
THIS MORNING Kathy and I took a little Valentines Day walk. We decided to walk across the old Sartell bridge across the Mississippi—the only traffic bridge in existence when we first came here. In 1984 a new bridge was built, with the old one eventually transformed into a footbridge. But we had never hiked across it. So on this beautiful
THIS WAS AN INTERESTING Sunday at the Church O’ The Pines, as after morning services three congregation members we don’t always see showed up together. First there was a beautiful 6-point buck who scattered the squirrels and jays in Fellowship Hall. Just as he moseyed along, an 8-point buck arrived, and moments later a 10-pointer. These two proceeded, nose to
AT THE CHURCH O’ THE PINES it is below-zero cold, as in 10 degrees less than no degrees at all! So Koda the Forest Kitten came out to help the parson-caretaker feed the birds. Who were all gathered in Fellowship Hall, including great numbers of pine siskins and goldfinches. We checked the holy water in the heated bird bath and
ON THESE cold January days, slaving away in the Writing Porch, sometimes one needs a little company. A Forest Kitten perhaps, curled up by the computer. Some smiling orchids in the corner. Or maybe a little tree, a recent rescue, just to watch over thiings and say, “All is well. Roots, rocks, green and living boughs… such things abide, whatever
AT THE CHURCH O’ THE PINES, a light snow fell in the night, gentle as a benediction. Barely enough to frost the old deacon pines, but the aisles and pews of the forest sanctuary are white, and one can follow the tracks of the congregation members. Of course, many are right here on a cold Sunday morning, hobnobbing in Fellowship