Recently, I woke up and felt that the energy source that lights up my life had vanished. What could have caused this? Unexpectedly, on April 7, a straight line storm came barreling through Saratoga Springs. The storm blew from south to north, and the winds were tracked at 90 mph. I knew what this was because I had lived through a severe straight-line wind storm in 2011, when winds were tracked at 100 mph.
According to meteorologist Jeff Haby, “Straight-line wind damage will push debris in the same direction the wind is blowing (hence the creation of the term straight-line.” All of a sudden, I couldn’t even see out the window, the rain made visibility impossible. I thought, “Get away from the windows.” Before I closed the bedroom door, I noticed the tree branches outside my bedroom window were violently scratching at the glass and I thought the window might break, the force was that intense. It was just like a tunnel going through the space between two buildings. The fierce wind noise was eerie and terrifying like a train was moving through. Could it have been the wind that reset my body’s electrical system? We do have energy fields. Dr. Mercola says, “Electricity allows your nervous system to send signals to your brain. These signals are actually electrical charges that are delivered from cell to cell, allowing for nearly instantaneous communication.”
While I was in the lethargic state, I wondered did my beloved energy leave me for good? What a wake-up call! I took this energy for granted, this gift of the heart, which had vibrational healing capacity, this wondrous gift of swift mind, capability and mobility. Now with it gone, I felt like I was getting ready to move on, meaning I thought perhaps I was getting ready to leave this Earth. It made me wonder, was I now closer to the other side?
The famous psychologist Carl Jung (b.1875 – d.1961) also explored the question concerning life after death. Jung believed that “All of the dreams of people who are facing death indicate that the unconscious, that is, our instinct world, prepares consciousness not for a definite end but for a profound transformation and for a kind of continuation of the life process which, however, is unimaginable to everyday consciousness.”
A few nights later, I had a dream about my late husband. In the dream, he was alive and we were younger, in our middle years. For some reason, unknown to me, he walked out the door one day without even a fair thee well. He didn’t give me any warning of wanting to leave. Only as the days passed by, did I realize what this loss meant? This behavior was so out of character. I felt heartsick. A lot of time went by. Then one day he returned, just like that. It was as if he was saying I am here. I would never leave you behind.
What mysteries. Perhaps I would have never experienced the dream if the wind tunnel hadn’t come and created paranormal energy. It really was something out of the ordinary. It was like going through a time warp. Today gratefully I am back to my old self, but for how long? At least now I am conscious that life can change in a New York Minute, as Don Henley would say. But, I must never lose hope.
I know it sounds a little silly but I absolutely get intensely focused when I see new plant species living on the property that were not there before. I may have wished for a certain plant or tree such as an oak tree or solomon’s seal to suddenly surprise me in my own little woods. What a thrill it is to discover they found their way to my heart’s sanctuary.
Rainbow over Minong
Today I was doing morning ceremony to honor the Four Directions and entities I speak to in remembrance. While I was facing west and finished remembering my family including my deceased husband, my precious dog Tia and cats Dulce, Sombra and Baby; suddenly I saw Black Cohosh and wild Leeks in the forest patch behind their memory garden. Do the plants enjoy seeing my heart spill over in joy? I can’t help by think they do and I believe they love me too. All of creation loves us and wants us to remember that we are all related and connected to each other.
We have fast lost the ability to understand the language of the wind and winged friends. I listen to the robins when they bid goodnight to the day and wish I understood their language. I hear mankind once did understand their brothers and sisters who live in the animal kingdom. How did we become so disconnected? Even though I can’t understand the chirps I at least can say I feel an understanding that they are saying goodnight and giving their thanksgiving for a beautiful day and sunset.
Nighty night Insectamonarca friends where ever you are.
I will post the Monitoring Native Plant and Insect Species by month. Each day I do research, take photos and write. It is a complex project to post daily so I will write in .docs and transfer to Blog on a regular basis. As you will see, I need to go through these observations and add photos which is another project. One step at a time.
May 1 –There was a high wind. I went for a walk in the woods even though I knew better than to go out by myself with a high wind blowing. My heart was happy to be out there alone and listening to wind and bird song. I walked the worn wood chip path and started to notice the minute world around me.
First thing I saw were two spring azule (Celastrina argiolus) butterflies fluttering about. These butterflies are tiny and about 1 ½ – 1/3/4 inch. When landed, their underside wings are a camouflage grey with dots. Resting the butterfly can look like a rock or twig. They are a beautiful delicate blue almost violet color when flying.
Spring azure butterfly camouflage to look like a rock Balsam forest
Just past the Cedar grove to the left, on my way to the DNR and Happy Tonics Monarch Butterfly Habitat, and after the wild elderberry patch and the balsam fir grove, I looked to the right and saw some dead birch trees.
Young buckthorn replacing birch grove
There amidst the bramble of common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) shoots and trees, I noticed the invasive species was taking over the last remnants of a native birch tree forest. It saddens the heart to see invasive species replacing native woodlands.
Birch polypore mushroom
All of a sudden my eyes took in a large birch conk and many smaller ones. These are the Polypore mushrooms: The ancient ones. The Polymore is shelf or hoof-shaped. Looking underneath, I saw it had brown pores not gills. This is a very tough mushroom and can survive overwintering in bitter cold winters. The texture is wood like on the outside. I picked a young one from the tree and took it home. It has a soft felt like texture on the underside. To honor the thrilling sight of the large shelved mushroom and for taking a smaller specimen, I put down tobacco in thanksgiving, an Ojibwe custom.
The Ojibwe did not use mushrooms as wild edibles or medicine as far as I know. Talented Ojibwe artists create art on polypore mushrooms. In 2003, a young ethnobotany student at Lac Courte Orellies Ojibwe Community College gave me a beautiful etched art mushroom of ducks made from this species.
Prehistoric man teaches us that ancient shamans and people knew about mushrooms. Otzi, the 5,300-year-old Ice Man, discovered in 1991 on the borders of Austria and Italy, had a conk-like mushroom on him. The mushroom species was identified as Piptoporus betulinus or birch polypore. Otzi may have been carrying birch polypore as a preventive medicinal cure. Perhaps the polypore was used to help retard or rid himself of metazoans and mycobacteria from his body. (Stamets, 2002).
According to Stamets, medicinal properties of birch polypore include that it stops bleeding, prevents bacterial infection, is an antimicrobial agent against intestinal parasites and has anti inflamatory effects. The fungus shows antiviral properties that may be of help in times of HIV outbreaks and other biodefense threats. Betulinic acid of this fungus may act on malignant melanoma and other tumor development (Stamets, 2005). Preparation: Cook by boiling when young. Thinly slice the polypore, boil and add to soups. The mushroom only has a shelf life of 2 to 4 days before souring when stored at room temperature and should be used right away.
milkweed in snow in April
May 7 –
The weather is turning colder. I covered as many plants at Lakeland Manor as I could with seed blackest and sheets. It snowed and lightly hailed throughout the day and the snow continued overnight. At the habitat I saw a group of milkweed growing together and one solo plant. I placed a bucket over the milkweed group in the hopes that at least out of ½ acre I could save at least one plant.
May 8 – It continued to be windy and cold. The beautiful Royalty crabapple tree in the yard was completely bent over with the weight of the snow. The plants that are covered looked to be still alive.
May 9 – 5:30 a.m. I woke up to look out the living room window to see the bleeding heart plants completely bent over. I hope they will spring back to life after the cold spell of 28 degrees Fahrenheit this morning.
Lyndy with Yellow River Nursery Milkweed
May 22
– Six volunteers transplanted 90 butterfly weed from Yellow River Nursery, Spooner, Wisconsin, USA, to the North Monarch Butterfly Habitat in Shell Lake, Wisconsin, USA.
May 25 – Heat records broke in many cities of Northwest Wisconsin. Shell Lake was extremely hot and humid with temperature at 93 degrees according to my thermometer. Tabitha Brown, LCOOCC Environmental Education Intern, watered the milkweed that we transplated on Saturday.
May 26 – Wisconsin Public Radio reported that we are in the worse drought in 25 years. Inland lakes are disappearing. In the 1930s the drought lasted up to six years. Northwest Wisconsin is in its seventh year. According to the report droughts cycle every 3-4 years. Water levels have dropped from 4 – 18”.
My interest in going out to the Happy Tonics and the DNR Wild Monarch Butterfly Habitat was to pick fiddlehead ferns. Last fall the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) conservation personnel cut down forbs including bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) that were beginning to take over the site. Fronds can be eaten when young and still tight.
Fiddlehead fern
The bracken is easy to identify when fronds start to unfurl because they resemble eagle claws. An Ojibwe botanist told me that it is safe to eat them as long as large quantities are not consumed because of carcinogenic properties. The Ojibwe people have gathered fiddlehead ferns throughout history. The fiddleheads were ready to pick all along the trail and in nearby woods. Again I put down tobacco. The spirits of the fiddlehead will bless the act of taking them and more fiddleheads will be born again next year if I honored the gift I was being given. The act itself reminds me to honor all life. Without nature we cannot live.
The ferns have a brownish fuzzy covering which is their winter blanket. Preparation: Soak the ferns in cold water to remove the tiny ants that love them and the fuzz. Boil the ferns for a few minutes to remove any debris. The cooked ferns can be frozen. I enjoy sautéed fiddleheads with a little butter and garlic. Add parboiled ferns to fresh salads. Try making a creamy asparagus tasting soup as a tonic in the first few weeks of May when the fiddleheads first emerge.
Popple (Quaking aspen) starting to take over habitat
When approaching the butterfly habitat, I noticed that the DNR workers also cut back popple trees that were also starting to take over. The species is the quaking aspen (Polulus tremuloides) that I love but too much of a good thing in field succession can take over native habitat.
I did not hear any spring peepers while I was out at this habitat which is not that far from the lake. There is an eagle’s nest in the distance to the left down the trail a bit. I want to monitor activity here more often.
References:
Chapter 1:
Stamets, P. (2002). MycoMedicinals. Olympia, WA: MycoMedia Productions. (p. 11).
Put down tobacco: This is an Ojibwe cultural and spiritual practice of honoring life beings before you take their lives. When I take something from nature or see something beautiful, I take out a pinch of tobacco from a small bag designed for this purpose and give thanks to the Creator. It is good to remember all life forms be it bee, tree, mushroom or edible fern bless humans with food, shelter, medicine and comfort.
This work is produced by Mary Ellen Ryall and protected by copyright. You can read this project but do not have permission to publish without permission from copyright holder. Thank you for your professional courtesy. This is a work in progress.
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