Joe G Posted April 21, 2004 Report Share Posted April 21, 2004 I went for a walk in the woods out back Monday evening to check out the progress of the mayapples and the trilliums. It is so amazing how quickly all the new growth progresses this time of year, isn't it? Just last Friday, there were only a few scattered trilliums in bloom, and not much else. Today I could hardly step off the trail for fear of crushing a multitude of wildflowers. The ground was literally carpeted with green growth and little white, purple, and pink flowers. This created quite a constrast with the still mostly barren trees standing against the blue sky. At the start of my walk, I was not really paying full attention to my surroundings, being absorbed with a musical thought instead. (I was figuring out how the melody to a particular tune that might end up on the tribute disc would work if it were played in 7/8 rather than 4/4--works like crazy, actually.) I had already walked quite a ways down the trail, when a collection of sounds caught my attention. There was the wind in the bare branches above, along with a lot of birdsong. There were some voices of people on the other side of the pond, and farther out, the steady, mostly diffuse sounds of city traffic. There was also a curious popping sound, that at first I took to be the creaking of a tree in the wind. But then I saw the true source of this sound, which was a pileated woodpecker working on a dead tree trunk. I don't know if any of you are familiar with this particular species of woodpecker, but they are very interesting, regal, and (in my area at least) rare birds. Plus, imagine--a woodpecker the size of a crow! I had suspected there might be some in the area, but this is the first time in many years that I've seen one. And here were two of them. One flew off immediately as I approached, but the one that I saw first just kept working that tree, in plain view probably 30 feet away. It was so cool. They have such a strange way of moving, and they look even more beautiful in flight. I really hope that this is a nesting pair, and that they can raise a brood there in that woods. That would be a treat. Farther along the path, I came to one of my favorite spots, which is a bridge over the creek. This bridge has rails that are about 5 feet tall, and about a shoe's width on top. I use this to work on my balance by walking along the top of the rail forward and back. (And no, I've never fallen in the creek!) There happened to be a couple of young kids there catching crawfish. When they saw me walking the ledge, one of them held out his hand and said, "Hey! Want to see a crawfish?" I had to smile at that; it reminded me of doing the same thing (and in that same creek, about 20 miles upstream) when I was their age. I said, "Sure, did you catch a good one?" "Yeah, look at him!..." The smaller of the two boys looked up at me curiously and asked why I was walking on the rail. I told him I was working on my balance. He asked if it was hard and I said, no, not really, because I've been practicing. He then said, "I want to try!" I told him not to hold me liable for any injuries. He started to climb up, and I got down to spot him, but then he chickened out. "No, I don't want to--I'm scared." That's okay, I said. Then he asked me how long I've been practicing, and I answered that I've been doing balance, yoga, and tai ji (actually qigong, but I figured he wouldn't know what that was) for over 10 years. "Is that cool, doing yoga?" "You bet!" B) Leaving my young friends behind, I continued walking and taking note of the new flowers, the changing light play on the tree trunks, the sounds in the air, and the swiftly moving clouds. I finally came to the trail that led out and back home, but turned away; I just had to stay out there a little while longer. Coming back around to the dead tree where I had first seen the pileated woodpecker (this time from the other direction) I was suprised and delighted to see him right there once again! And the second one was right in the line of sight about 70 feet behind. I watched them fly from tree to tree for a while, then, satisfied that I had gotten what I came for, I walked home to make some dinner. And what was it that I came there for? A simple, gentle reminder, that it's good to be alive. -- Joe -- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie87 Posted April 21, 2004 Report Share Posted April 21, 2004 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free For All Posted April 21, 2004 Report Share Posted April 21, 2004 Nice essay, Joe. It's important to literally stop and smell the roses every now and then, especially this time of year. I love this time of year as well as fall. Cool weather, changing scenery. My yard is coming back to life. I actually enjoy yard work for the most part. When I'm working on a tune or arrangement I often get more done when I get away from the keyboard or my axe. I take a walk and think about what I'm working on, and 9 times out of 10 the logical solution will present itself. It's like the tune/arrangement exists in your head already, you just need to allow it to come out. Trying too hard often inhibits this Zen-like process. Just don't walk into traffic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted April 21, 2004 Report Share Posted April 21, 2004 Jean-Jacques Rousseau is in the house!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
couw Posted April 21, 2004 Report Share Posted April 21, 2004 who? seriously: nice story Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachel Posted April 21, 2004 Report Share Posted April 21, 2004 I love that story, Joe (being a fellow Taurean..) You paint a very nice word picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WD45 Posted April 21, 2004 Report Share Posted April 21, 2004 A nice break from the work day at the computer. Thanks. Those pileated woodpeckers are quite somehting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.:.impossible Posted April 22, 2004 Report Share Posted April 22, 2004 Thanks for that Joe. Sounds like a nice path. Rachael, what is a Taurean? I have never seen this word before. I was born April 30. Am I a Taurean? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachel Posted April 22, 2004 Report Share Posted April 22, 2004 Taurean: born under the sign of Taurus. April 21 - May 21. Generally speaking we like things of nature and being outdoors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris olivarez Posted April 22, 2004 Report Share Posted April 22, 2004 Taurean: born under the sign of Taurus. April 21 - May 21. Generally speaking we like things of nature and being outdoors. And that ain't no bull!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris olivarez Posted April 22, 2004 Report Share Posted April 22, 2004 Way to go Joe!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottb Posted April 22, 2004 Report Share Posted April 22, 2004 Ya mean ya didn't shoot nuthin'? What happened, your gun jam? I hate it when that happens! (I'm down here in the middle of "Sportsman's paradise" and usually a story like that ends in a killin'. I always find it humerous to hear hunters talk about the beauty of nature and especially the beauty of the animal they are about to kill. Take a picture for God's sake!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7/4 Posted April 22, 2004 Report Share Posted April 22, 2004 from my walk in the park yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7/4 Posted April 22, 2004 Report Share Posted April 22, 2004 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted April 22, 2004 Report Share Posted April 22, 2004 Time to crack open the Delius and Vaughan Williams records. When I was younger I loved Autumn. But I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now. I look forward to each spring with increasing relish. I'm inspired to take a walk in Sherwood Forest (well, what's left of it!) this weekend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted April 22, 2004 Report Share Posted April 22, 2004 who? seriously: nice story Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe G Posted April 22, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2004 Never read any Rousseau, but I grew up watching Cousteau! Thanks for the compliments. I'm glad you all enjoyed it. When four hours went by with like 30 views and 1 reply, I thought perhaps I had cemented my reputation as an airy-fairy flake! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted April 22, 2004 Report Share Posted April 22, 2004 Never read any Rousseau, but I grew up watching Cousteau! That could be a great first line for a song! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randissimo Posted April 24, 2004 Report Share Posted April 24, 2004 (edited) Never read any Rousseau, but I grew up watching Cousteau! Thanks for the compliments. I'm glad you all enjoyed it. When four hours went by with like 30 views and 1 reply, I thought perhaps I had cemented my reputation as an airy-fairy flake! Great story Joe.... I spend as much time as possible joyously meandering in the "Great Outdoors" .... Edited April 24, 2004 by randissimo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe G Posted April 24, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2004 Thanks Randy. What? You don't want to tell us about the time you and I had to cross that shallow stream with our bikes by walking on the fallen logs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted April 24, 2004 Report Share Posted April 24, 2004 (edited) Inspired by Joe's post I did my own bit of Rousseauing today. After a fairly dull spring so far in the UK it all came right today. Here's Sherwood Forest in all its glory...well, apart from the fact that I still can't get the hang of this media resizer business. How do you manage to post such wonderful images? Edited April 24, 2004 by Bev Stapleton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7/4 Posted April 24, 2004 Report Share Posted April 24, 2004 When I posted my photos, I did it at the same size I shot them. Mostly because I've only had the camera a few days and haven't learned how to use it yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7/4 Posted April 24, 2004 Report Share Posted April 24, 2004 And that is a very cool shot. Makes me want to take a hop over the pond just to walk down that path. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmitry Posted April 24, 2004 Report Share Posted April 24, 2004 Never read any Rousseau, but I grew up watching Cousteau! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted April 24, 2004 Report Share Posted April 24, 2004 A bit of playing and a better image. Incidentally, notice the artistic care with which the shot was taken. The ancient stag-head oak in the centre-left, symbolising age and decay, set against the budding spring surrounding it!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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