Tag Archives: spiritual journeys

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

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

Roots

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Happy New Year, my beloveds! Wow, so much has changed in the last twelve months, and here we are at the beginning of another collection of twelve. Like most people, I try and take the new year as an excuse to reflect, recollect and do a little introspective digging. Instead of resolutions, if you’ve been following along on the blog, you’ll know, that I have chosen a word of the year for the last few years. My word for 2023 was “magic”. It was chosen with the intent of adding a little pizzazz to celebrations. To include decorations, fun, festivity, and go a little “over the top” for friends and family on a more consistent basis. I failed miserably.

Although quite a bit of “magic” happened in 2023: our son got married, we bought a new property, we moved to a new place, some kids flew the coop, and we all had to adjust. There was certainly little time for adding anything extra to moments… I was barely holding on to the bare minimum requirements! As I look back, yeah, I don’t think my magic mantra was adequately applied to the year, as I had hoped. And so I acknowledge that and move on (which is what we do when we reflect, recollect and delve into your persona, right?)

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

So here we are in the middle throws of January already, and another collection of months lie before us, with the possibilities of a new word of the year. Wanna hear it? Drum roll. ”Roots”.

Roots is the word I have chosen for myself for 2024. It’s a complex word, really, with the full definition almost a page long… roots as in part of a plant, roots as an origin, a base, a support, the core of something, or to root about and dig into deeper. What image does it conjure up for you when you hear “roots”? Can you see how it could apply to you in the coming year? (I’d love to hear about it… contact me!)

I got a “sprout” kit for Christmas from the hubby. Essentially it’s a bunch of stacking trays in which to germinate seeds… for eating. Those “microgreens” that appear in all the healthy eating commercials. (I since have learned that microgreens and sprouts are technically different things, but I digress). When a seed germinates, the seed opens up and “sprouts” first… shortly after, the roots appear. The roots are stronger and thicker and provide a support for the plant. It nourishes it and branches out to seek water and food. I’m sure you all are familiar with tree roots and how they support the tree. 

photo via Heartlight

The Mitton crew has moved into a new place. We are just now beginning to meet some new people. Friendships are developing at school, work, and our new church. These are people who are still “sprouts” to us. Tiny friendships full of potential and nutrients, but no support or root development yet. It takes time for roots to grow. I heard somewhere it takes events, or shared experiences to create a history with another person. A root, if you will, that stems growth between the two of you. We have yet to develop those here. Perhaps in 2024, we will.

I’m excited about our big garden space at Itsnotta farm. It was too late to plant when we moved in, so I’ve been dreaming about it. What growth will take place? Will we fail miserably at certain things? Likely. Yet, this is the way we grow figuratively, too! We try, we dream, we reach for the sun, and turn our little heads toward the light and put down strong roots to stabilize and secure us. We seek nutrient rich sources that help us grow and flourish.

What does it mean for me this year? Maybe it means rooting around into things a little. Maybe we will have to dig a little deeper to get to the heart of our relationships. Maybe try things a little differently. Who knows? Eleven and a half months are left before us to get to the “root” of 2024. Won’t you join me on the journey?!