EDITOR'S NOTE: Reading is vicarious; we can only see in our mind's eye what we have experienced. Tammy (aka toadie) lives in upstate New York and has experienced the beauty of nature for most of her life. She vividly describes her surroundings in this essay, taking us there! In case you cannot imagine what her words describe, she has included some photos to share. Have a nice trip to New York state!  (click on the thumbnail pics to see them in full size)

I sat quietly in the barn loft doorway, enjoying the spring’s mild night air. I could hear the nocturnal creatures stirring as they began to arise from their daytime slumber in the many dark hideaways of the deep woods. The silvery brightness of a full moon cast an ethereal light on the landscape. It is nighttime, an entire world unto itself.

I listen to the night more than observe because, it isn’t visible in the usual heavy cloak of darkness that clings to and surrounds the woods. The bright light of day hides this peaceful haven’s inhabitants. They often spring into life only after dusk falls to the deeper pallor of a night. The wind in the trees is a constant and steady sound, much like that of a river running. Only a rare car, on its route home on our dead end road, will break the moment.

There are several old junk cars on the back portion of our land that are used as ports in a storm or inhabited by animals that prefer a relatively secluded existence like the skunk. I watch as the large black rabbit that lives in relative safety, under an ancient rust bucket car as it cautiously scampers about in search of sustenance.

The tiny fiches, birds of daylight are replaced by the bigger, vocal and predatory birds of the night. Their flight path takes them through limbs and tree branches and they dart into the dry rustling leaves here and there. I can hear at least one pair of owls flapping and who wooing. There’s a male partridge thumping his chest feathers, sounding like an old John Deere tractor. I can see a large porcupine as he waddles heavily across the back meadow grunting occasionally, a low squealing sound like that of a pig.)

The faint sounds of deer cautiously picking their way through the thick underbrush to get out into the open meadow to eat and enjoy the spring’s bounty of rich new grass. Occasionally I can hear the soft blat of a fawn, blowing or snort of a buck, the stomp warning or even the clash of antlers in the fall.

A shy skunk seldom makes his appearance and quietly is enveloped by darkness. Unfortunately, the skunk will make his presence known in other ways, by being provoked into malodorous dispersions on an unwary victim. However, most of the time, these animals peacefully co-exist and are only separated by the worlds of dark and light.

There is a large fat woodchuck (groundhog) that lives beneath an old bread delivery truck with many different tunnels leading in and out of his den. A rather stout porcupine lives in the beneath a truck hood, in the hollowed out remains, where an engine once dwelled.

Johnny spotted two black bear cubs as they scampered up small trees to hide, while he was out for his walk. His pace became rather brisk as he hoped to avoid meeting their Mamma.

This is a portion of my own little world. I only hope that I can share the peace and strength it has allowed me to absorb.


Try to play nice with the other kids.
Just for today?