Category Archives: Education

I Speak for the Trees

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Welcome back! In case you haven’t been following along, we are headstrong into our first attempt at maple syrup making here at Itsnotta Farm. One of the first things we needed to do when we decided to tap a few trees, was to figure out what trees to tap! Not all trees are syrup producers and not all producers are good ones. We knew we had a few maples, but not true sugar maples. So, we did what everyone does: we googled it. Which helped. A little. There are no leaves on the trees this time of year, so branch position, bark texture and subtle other clues are supposed to help. I’m sorry, but tree bark is tough to distinguish. Really. Rough? It’s all rough and buggy and torn up and wounded to me. Who knows? Just poke some holes in there… if stuff comes out, the sap is running.

And so began my muse: trees. A really broad scoping thought, I know. There are a whack load of thoughts about trees out there, but let’s just touch on it, shall we? We have just over an acre and a half of “forest” on our property. No real trails. Thick with bush and trees “au naturel”. Trees rot and fall and succumb to various viruses and afflictions. We have a big one near the chicken coop that needs to come down. We have a large surround of cedars which is quite nice coverage for the wind… the birds love them too. Not to mention the vast trail systems here in Ontario. Or the Crown Land and woods literally everywhere. Rain forests of central America? Let’s not even go there. Needless to say, we have a lot of trees in our world.

Photo: Matt Artz via Unsplash

We plant 600 million trees annually in Canada… and I don’t know if that includes all the private trees we throw in the ground or not. I plan to add a few fruit trees to our place — which I hope will add to the diversity. The birds will probably get to the fruit before I do. We were chit chatting about tree planting a few weeks ago… apparently it is not for the faint of heart. True planters hike through unkept wilderness fighting off heat, sweat, mosquitoes and other menacing buggies. Not to mention scrapes bumps and bruises from branches and brambles along the way. I’m sure there is mud too. Nope… not for me. A few holes in open field with my nursery raised apple tree and I have done my part, right?

Still, trees are pretty cool. They communicate not only to their surroundings, but to each other through chemical signals and can warp sound waves to change what we hear. Research suggests that being around trees is good for our mental and social well-being. A study conducted by the University of Illinois and the University of Hong Kong found that the denser the forest, the lower the stress. Research also suggests that nature experiences help us to feel kinder toward others. This is partly because they release chemicals called phytoncides. When we breathe them in, it can reduce blood pressure, lower anxiety levels, and increase pain threshold. I often tell the hubby I do love a good “soak” in the forest. Must be all the chemicals I breathe in. Or maybe it’s just the quiet.

“The Tree of Life”

It’s no wonder that the tree has been a symbol for life across so many genres of study. I’m sure you’ve heard of it. Seen it as a jewellery piece or art deco. Obviously branches and life giving oxygen are intertwined within the symbol. “I am the vine, you are the branches”. The biggest connection, and my original thought process for this post, was the Garden of Eden and the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil. Such a critical piece of our Christian heritage. I cannot imagine living in a perfect world — the perfect garden — with its abundance of fruit and colours and wildlife — and it all being lost because of selfish desires.

We have just tastes of it now — maple trees and sweet sap. Apple trees and rich fruit. Mighty oaks and cedars that tower and protect us from wind. The colours of fall leaves or the beauty of teak and mahogany. How marvelous is “the tree”. We take it for granted. We have so many. They are so common. We don’t see the forest for the trees. We must take the time.

Deeper still, we must think about why the Creator of the world chose a tree to symbolize life for us. Why was a tree the center of the Garden? Why was the Saviour crucified on “a tree”? Why do we brush them off as so common place that they aren’t appreciated? We burn them up and cut them down with abandon. I could go on. A tree hugger muse this week which could be expanded way beyond these short thoughts. Yet, I hope it sparks some deeper thinking and research for you. Or at least makes you look up at the trees (and beyond).

Photo by Felix Mittermeier on Pexels.com

Playing Possum

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Welcome back, beloveds! I trust you had a good week off. We enjoyed our family day weekend away, despite some glitches – but those are stories for another day. I am home again and working on this post after being outside cleaning up the bunnies. It is a beautiful day… warmer than most spring days and it’s still February! Last year this time, the hubby was complaining about the freezing wind and walking the dog in two feet of snow! We are certainly seeing the effects of global warming here.

Speaking of global warming, a new creature has been making its way north and is being spotted more and more in southern Ontario: The Virginia Possum. Technically “opossum” (possum is the nickname for the Australian marsupial cousins). And if you saw my stories a little while ago, you’ll know that one of then has been frequenting our yard!! At first, there were strange tracks about. I was calling it a fat squirrel… but they didn’t hop like a squirrel, and no, not a bunny either. These tracks had big feet/claws like a raccoon, but not spaced that big. A mystery. Then the dogs (Reese and our furry “granddog”) noticed it in the treeline. Not an escape bunny… but the visiting possum! After being terrorized by two nosy doggies, and a collection of curious onlookers trying to get a picture of it in the dark, I heard it wandered off into our woods. So far, it is yet to be seen again, but I am hoping the nocturnal creature is sneaking snacks from our bird feeders at dusk and dawn.

Mystery Tracks

Why, do you ask, do I want this ugly little guy hanging around when it is very apt to eat my impending chicks? Well, apparently they are the clean up crew and eat all kinds of other junk too! Ticks and nasty bugs for one. Lyme disease producing ticks can be eliminated by one opossum at a rate of 4000 a week! Bring it on! Apparently, they are a very low rabies risk and will kill venomous snakes too! They will eat just about anything, including bones, and apparently are less destructive than raccoons, so our little visitor can hang out in the woods near our house as a welcomed guest. Just stay out of the hen house, okay?

Still, these little creatures haven’t totally adapted to our Canadian winters quite yet. Their little toes and tails are naked, and therefore prone to frostbite. We had a sickly one in the city, living under our shed, and it was a sad looking thing. Ugly as sin. Rodents of unusual size, indeed. (Even though they are marsupials not rodents!) And so I muse….

How good are you at adapting? Are you feeling shunned because you’re not as “cute” as others, even though you have plenty to offer? Do you play dead when approached or threatened? As an introvert trying to blend in to a new environment, I’m feeling quite possum-ish these days. Sharing our faith is intimidating. Building community and walking alongside others takes some confidence. We can’t “play dead” like the opossum when threatened by views that counter our own. Jesus didn’t back down from a fight. He was immune to the venomous culture infiltrating His neighbourhood, and chose to fight back and confront, taking on the disease producing pests of His day. Do we do the same?

Possums look threatening. All teeth and claws and naked, ratty tails. Yet, they stay in the shadows most of the time cleaning up the garbage. They are not destructive either; they don’t chew and prefer already dug dens versus your attic or garage. They try and live at peace with others and just go about their business quietly. A lesson we can also take. How many times have we tried to chew a hole in someone else’s argument, when the simplest way to be welcomed is when space becomes available? Our good looks may not get us anywhere. Peaceful discussion may be the key to building lasting and rewarding friendships.

Life is hard, isn’t it? No one told us it was supposed to be easy. Often we are vulnerable and naked, out standing in the harsh elements getting frostbitten. Yet, with God’s help, we can adapt and play vital roles in even new environments! We can take advantage of what’s been offered to us, and peacefully approach life, doing good and cleaning up the bad. Even when threatened, we can still “play possum” and wait for the opportunity to escape unscathed. Good looks and flashy appearances aren’t always the ticket. Sometimes we just have to hang around in the shadows and be part of the clean up crew.

Footprints in the Snow

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Hello again, my beloveds! Sorry we missed you last week… we were recouping from a family wedding in chilly Minnesota! It was a whirlwind trip with weather to boot! Minus 35 with wind chills… but we were surrounded by warm hearts and warm hugs. (Not to mention a new baby to cuddle and a new bride to congratulate!) Still, I was happy to get back to “warm” Canada and a light dusting of snow. And if you’ve been following along on our Instagram stories, you’ll notice we had lots of visitors. The bird feeder has been well attended recently.

It has been fun to see the footprints in the snow. Unfortunately, the snow is now crunchy and I missed taking photos of all the little markings, but it’s what I have been musing about. Of course, in addition to my own, the dog’s five little beans have been all over the property! The squirrels have definitely been to and from the barn along the rim of the barn roof to their favourite pine trees… it’s been fun to see hops versus running lines. I swear I saw hooves near the coop once. Perhaps wishful thinking that deer have taken short-cuts through our woods. Luckily no fox or coyotes have left their mark.

Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) tracks in fresh snow.

My favourite, however, have been the teeny tiny little three toed markings of the hopping songbirds. There are a mass of them under the bird feeders, of course, but a few distinct lines have been along my porch … more than likely for the citrus or suet crumbles left on the railings. They’re like a little stick road travelling along the patch of white that secretly disappears on dry land. Super cute. I wish I had my own photos to show you!

While we were away, the hubby did capture this photo in the deep snow of our airbnb! Bunnies! Not ours, but wild ones braving the Midwest freeze!

So what can we observe from the diversity of my little visitors and the marks they leave? First, I am struck by the differences. Thick hops, quick little lines of the squirrels and tiny birds. The dog prints are thick with pad and nail marks. The family boots leave their own treads in various sizes. I’m sure we’d find more if we were isolated on a trail somewhere. Each with their own unique story. Bunnies hopping from a safe shelter to find food. Birds lightly treading – nervously close to my front door. Deer taking a quick short cut. Bears? 

I’m reminded that even my own family have their unique identity. Not only evident by the shoes they wear, but also in the lives we lead. Where our shoes take us. We each have our own distinct story to tell. God has made each of us wholly unique — with a special plan for each of us. He has not given us a path to follow, but a wide open, snow-covered field to make our own marks in. Perhaps a prompting by the Holy Spirit leads us in a straight path to safe hiding or a bountiful bird feeder – amass with other fellow footprint makers. Sometimes we tread lightly, other times we leave a deep mark that makes a definite imprint for others to see. I marvel at it. Then, all too quickly the snow disappears and our “marks” are wiped out. This doesn’t mean we were not there, of course, it just means we’ve come by in secret. Carrying out the day to day without recognition. 

So next time you see fingerprints on the window, or footprints in the snow, or tire tracks in the spring mud, take heed, knowing that Someone sees, and He knows the path you are on, and is waiting at the end when the wind drives the snow away. Be blessed !

Photo by Ron Lach on Pexels.com