Today I took Blue Crystal trail down to the lower meadow. I thought it would be a bit long of a walk since I am not used to walking the hills yet this summer but it was fine. I could have done a little longer walk too, not much though
Down where the wet-weather stream bed crosses the trail to the lower meadow a branch of a big old Maple had fallen recently as the leaves on the branch were still green and wilted. It probably came down in the last storm we had, week ago. The branch is as large as many full grown trees. But the Maple still has three more, just as large. We'll have to clear it from the trail soon as it is about head high (Ok, so not my head but most others.), and it wouldn't be safe to drive under. The tree is big enough to tap for sugar though and I think it would make an interesting nest project if the others were interested in it as well.
On the way back up the trail as I headed home, I flushed two deer. I froze. They froze. I stood there as motionless and quiet as I could be and after a while they began to move again, carefully, cautiously. We were on opposite sides of the wet-weather stream. They moved up it slowly, clearly they knew I was there but just wasn't sure what I was. They are such curious creatures, bobbing their heads, turning and eyeing me, trying to figure out if I really was a danger or not. It didn't seem like a survival trait to me as I watched them come closer. If I had been a hunter they might both have died then. Then again perhaps if I had been a hunter they wouldn't have risked it. The breeze favored me so didn't help them decide. They moved away, then headed back down, still trying to find out what I was. Suddenly worried, one bounded perhaps 20 ft., stopped, stamped a foreleg, and snorted. She snorted three or four times in succession, quite loudly. It amazed me how much volume they can get in a good snort. Somewhere I read that Herne was named after that sound. I have no idea if it is true but it is an appealing thought, none-the-less. Still I didn't move. Eventually she came back all the way to the far side of the streambed, watching me. I didn't move. Again she dashed back only to return. The second deer had moved further up the hill for a while but she made her way back down as well. I felt such a sense of emotional expansion, of great pleasure at this exchange of interest between us, this connection. I wondered if I had had some kind of food would they have ventured closer. But it was not something I wanted them to learn given that they would have less of a chance at the next hunting season, if they learned to trust a human.
Finally they decided to move on but kept looking back at where I was standing, sometimes stopping and moving their heads to try and locate me. When they had moved far enough off so that I wouldn't frighten them I continued up the hill of Blue Crystal trail.
We called it Blue Crystal trail because Kevin, my oldest son, thought it was a good name. There were several blue reflector trail markers on the drop-off side of the trail. But since then we have found a variety of small rocks filled with pockets of tiny crystals on that trail, so far none of them are blue though As I neared the house I noticed a triangular piece of land, a small grove with large boulders between three trails. I have been looking for a place to put a shrine for unborn children whether aborted, miscarried, or still born. This seems like a likely place, close enough to the trail to make it a relatively easy walk. One could even drive up to it if the walk was difficult. It is near the house but not to near for privacy. There is another spot at the top of the ridge the house is on, near the orchard. I haven't made up my mind yet which would be best for it. Well back to my list of things to get done. Bel-Summer is coming and there is a lot to do to get ready. Next week I am supposed to be working so won't have as much time to get ready for it as I had hoped. I wonder what I need to do that I haven't already thought of? Copyright © 2000 Kyril Oakwind