Moonglow

It is getting cooler in New England. Last night I choose to sleep on a couch in the living room instead of the open air  screened in porch. During the time of dreams, I awoke to the moon caressing me in light. I was thrilled to be loved by the moon. She was illuminating the front property and her healing light came right through the front windows. It reminded me of a story by Ray Bradbury. There was a girl who lived in a city, a place like Brooklyn. She was very ill. On a full moon night she somehow got her bed out to the street, where she could sleep with the healing light of the moon. I have always loved this story. When young I was always drawn to sleeping outside on full moon night when the sky was clear. Moonglow has always attracted me. When I sleep in moonlight, I always feel restored and I can sense happiness and well-being.

Day Journeys:

Jack and Ronnie placed an Aldo Leopold bench under a large maple tree out in the abandoned botanical gardens. It is near a trail through the woods. From here I can rest, meditate, and observe nature all around me. I see Joe Pye weed and other favorite native plants and trees. The gardens are going back to the wild. I can reclaim  some of these beds in time to introduce a butterfly garden, especially for the monarch butterfly. The changing flourishing beds provide landscape beauty where once botanical gardens abounded.

We took a ride to New Hampshire. Pinch me, it is only 9 miles away. At one time, my husband and I lived in Manchester, for a short stint. It is even more rural that central MA where my sister lives. There are state parks and hidden places everywhere to discover. I can hardly wait to make day trips. I love it because there are large mountains; I will be living once again near mountains and hilly areas.  I was raised in the foothills of the Adirondack mountains of Upper New York State. I can hardly wait to get to know the pristine rivers,  ponds, abundant lakes and water reservoirs once again in MA and NH. We stopped at the Cathedral of the Pines. It is a magnificent memorial that was founded by Dr. Douglas and Sibyl Sloane. Their son Sanderson Sloane and wife Margaret were to build a home there after World War II, but Sandy Sloane was killed when the B-17 bomber he was flying was shot down over Koblenz, Germany, in 1944. The memorial backdrop is a stunning view of Mount Monadnock. This mountain has  been climbed by more people than any other mountain in the world. The Cathedral was founded as an interfaith organization that is open and welcoming to all.

Later in the day, I took a stroll into the back woods, 40 acres, at my sister’s. There  are trails that lead into a pristine forest. A few years ago, central Massachusetts was struck by a blow down storm. It did extensive damage to the forest. Jack and Ronnie are slowly making a dent in cleaning up the trails. Along the weathered trodden way, I became reacquainted with a pine grove that I experienced in my youth. I used to sit within the younger white pine grove then and tune into the sounds of trees as they spoke to one another. The Pine needle soft ground was inviting; at times my friends would join me here in quiet reflection. I am not sure if they  sensed  the natural world around them. I hoped that they did. This is the world I knew, loved, and  lived in.

While out there this season, I discovered princess pine growing along the pathway and nearby woods. Another word for this special plant is running cedar.

UPDATE: My sister Ronnie told me today that running cedar or ground cedar is a different plant species that princess pine.

There is lots of hemlock trees and partridge-berry carpets the forest floor as a ground cover. The forest is shaded and high in moisture. I am looking for a boulder that is shaped like a table top. I hope to find one already placed at an elevated level; I want to use it as an alter for my rocks and special things. Sometimes I have noticed them on top of the stone fence that runs throughout the forest. They were placed there by property owners long, long ago. Then there are deposited glacier boulders throughout the forest. Some of these are so large that no human could move them. It is thrilling to discover them as I learn the forest once again.

Be happy insectamonarca friends where ever you are.