Gentle energy

As their natural habitat decreases, deer are becoming a more familiar sight. It used to be that sighting deer in a field was cause for excitement, and hunters had to perfect their skill to bring home a buck. Now it seems, deer are almost everywhere. They remain special to me, in part, thanks to one of my martial arts teachers. He was going over the energy animals represent, and deer offered a particularly gentle, accepting spirit. I can still sense that mystery when I realize I’m looking at a deer in a patch of woods. Usually, a deer who has been standing there for some time watching me before I ever notice. I do see other aspects of deer, of course – young bucks sparring to hone autumn fighting skills and members of one herd pushing out stragglers from another. But they are honorable neighbors - even as I’m walking at dusk and am startled by their “snort/blow” alarm sound. Just one of many deer vocalizations.

There are several interesting facts about deer. Like my cat, they sleep the majority of the time. They’re busy foraging when awake, as an adult deer needs around 12 pounds of food over 24 hours. A deer’s coat of winter hair provides ample warmth and insulation from the snow. (Seeing deer gathered together in a snowstorm is a special sight.) For many indigenous cultures, deer are seen as caretakers of the Earth, sacrificing themselves to help their human relations survive. For the Zuni, deer represents grace and gratitude.

Reflecting on our work as writers and artists, I think about the “herd mentality” we sometimes follow. I remember when it seemed all of my writer friends were participating in “NaNoWriMo” (National Novel Writing Month). I felt tremendous pressure to go along (I didn’t, but honor anyone who can carry that off!). There are times when it’s great to band together - supporting Indie bookstores or offering up free readings with your fellow poets. Overall though, check in to see if what everyone else is doing is what you want to spend your time on. I’m proud to be a member of my local writing herd. As much of a loner as I can be, I do take comfort in their presence and support. Although we’re not always gentle, there is always gratitude and grace.

Photo credit: Pinterest

Seek wonder. Embrace joy!

Supporting articles:

Native American Deer Mythology

10 Things Most Hunters Don’t Know About Whitetail Deer

Listen to the call of the wild

One of my favorite books of all time is Jack London’s Call of the Wild. The epic journey of the lead character, a magnificent dog named Buck, stays with you long after finishing the book. When I was growing up, literal calls of the wild included bobcat screams, owls, and hounds baying at the moon. Where I live now, I add coyotes to the list. Now and then, I’ll hear a pack of coyotes yipping and calling across the creek from a distant field. Their sounds awaken a combination of primal fear and fascination. Paying attention to those feelings puts me squarely in the moment, even if it’s at 3:00 am. Something deep inside me stirs when I hear them. Their voices remind me they know much more than I about the depths of night, hunger, and hunting. Yet there’s something in their call that also calls me, reminds me that somehow I am still part of the wild.

Remember that coyotes are predators - be mindful of things that might attract them too close to you and yours. For example, any trash that attracts smaller critters who are appealing as food. On the other hand, hearing coyotes sing and howl is a gift of the wild. They keep in touch with each other and their pack by vocalizing. Coyotes mate for life can run up to 40 miles an hour and are, for the most part, nocturnal. Coyotes adapt well to any environment, including urban areas. It turns out that coyotes made their first appearances in my home state of N.C. in the 1980s. Which is why I didn’t hear them in the foothills when I was young.

As writers and artists, we often focus on what instills fear in our subject matter. Try looking at this in the context of what triggers primal awareness. Which sounds cause absolute attention to the moment. Bring the reality of a character’s primal feelings to the fore and journey with them towards whatever awaits. And remember, that primal sense is also part of you. Listen to your call of the wild.

Photo credit: David Bogener in this article from News Cafe

Seek wonder. Embrace joy!

Supporting articles:

Coyote Information, Photos, Habitat, and Facts

Why Coyotes are Thriving in North Carolina

Keep digging - it’s worth it!

If you have a cat, you know this scenario. The cat door opens, Pudda comes in, there’s a moment of silence, followed by complete mayhem. Chasing, scurrying, chirping (the cat), and if you’re really lucky, the plop of a small gift at (or on) your foot. Followed by you trying to catch said gift and return it to the great outdoors. My cat has a propensity for catching voles and mice. She listens attentively for hours until she can pounce and capture. (She’s like a Labrador, very soft mouth, the victims almost always live.) Fortunately, though, neither she nor most cats can root and catch moles. Mole saliva contains a toxin that paralyzes their favorite prey - earthworms. Eating a mole would definitely merit a visit to the nearest patch of grass.

Moles are impressive little creatures. They can dig up to 18 feet in an hour, eat their weight in earthworms in a day, and although they don’t see very well, they have excellent hearing. Their tunneling is good for aerating the soil, and along the way, they eat grubs and pests. From a science perspective, mole hemoglobin enables them to recycle oxygen so they can live quite comfortably in a high level of tunnel carbon dioxide.

As writers and artists, we sometimes have tunnel vision. We’re so focused on a project that it’s difficult to step back and gain a fresh perspective. When we’re “on a roll” writing we continue full steam ahead for sure, but now and then, it’s good to revisit that project in the light of day. I’m not suggesting we self-edit or critique during creative moments. Instead, I like to step back and look at the overall arc and flow, often realizing that a particular line or scene can work unexpectedly well other than where I originally intended. It’s good to look up and out now and then, before continuing to tunnel through “dirt, rock, and weeds” to reach that artistic light at the end.

Photo credit: Pixabay 

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Supporting articles:

Fifteen Facts About Moles

Five Interesting Facts About Moles

Diverse gardens are the most beautiful

Gardens have been a constant in my life. As a kid, I have great memories of my grandmother’s and my parent’s garden. For most of the past forty or so years, we’ve had big gardens where I live now. There was a time we plowed both fields for truck crops. I remember many weekends canning tomatoes and shelling peas and limas for the freezer. Now, the garden is smaller, but still full of a diverse set of vegetables and flowers. The bees are happy, the birds, rabbits, and humans are happy, and the deer are frustrated (because the garden fenced inside a fenced field).

Humankind has been gardening for thousands of years. For food, of course, but I also think for the deep satisfaction that comes from cultivating and tending plants, whether flowers or vegetables. Gardening can reduce stress and anxiety - probably because we get to work with the Earth in a quiet environment where time slows. From post-WWII “Victory Gardens,” to community gardens, to growing lettuce on the International Space Station, the science and practice of gardening continues to evolve. (An aside, “Atomic Gardening”  after WWII produced today’s peppermint and red grapefruit…)

In our writing and artistic practice, I’m all for planting, cultivating, and sampling as many ideas as possible - across a variety of forms. For example, although I primarily write poetry, I enjoy trying flash non-fiction, short stories, and of course, this blog :-). (What I haven’t tried yet is a novel, that seems daunting, sort of like having a rose garden.) My feeling is that the return on cultivating a diversity of ideas, styles, and forms, is critical to growing as a writer and artist. And also, as a person.

Photo credit: Darko Plohl  

       Seek wonder. Embrace joy!

Supporting articles:

Encyclopedia Britannica: Gardening

Why Gardening is Good for Your Mental Well-Being

       Seek wonder. Embrace joy!

Embrace the unexpected

Last fall, in preparation for winter, I plowed under the remnants of my garden - except for one plant. For some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to turn under the little guy. With big, dark-green leaves, “Plant” stood about ten inches tall. And there he stayed. All winter. Through frost and snow. In the spring, I tilled and fertilized - carefully going around “Plant,” who was already happily growing – and growing. Currently, he stands about six feet tall and has gorgeous deep burgundy blossoms, far outpacing tomatoes, squash, beans, all those ordinary garden things. He also has a new name, “Bob,” in honor of a dear friend who banished all flowers from the garden.

After several photographs and “plant app” explorations, the consensus is that Bob is red okra. Friends who guessed “hollyhock” and “hibiscus” weren’t far off, as all are in the same plant family (along with cotton). Okra is the only edible plant in this family. I still have no idea how Bob arrived - I’m pretty sure it was via a bird, or maybe just via magic. Bob is still at the flowering stage, so I’ll report in a later posting if red okra actually appears. (It’s supposed to be delicious and turns green when cooked.)

Bob’s appearance reminds me that it’s in our best creative interest not to dismiss (i.e., plow under) an original idea that insists on remaining present in the back of our mind. Especially when you get that “this might turn into something interesting” feeling. Given the freedom to be, that idea can take root and grow into something completely unexpected. Ideas can take shape in ways you never dreamed of and bear fruit that you couldn’t have imagined at the outset. So yes, honor and nourish things that someday will surface and find their place in your writing and art. Almost always in a most unexpected way :-)

Photo credit: Dee Stribling Creative

Seek wonder. Embrace joy!

Supporting information:

Red Burgundy Okra from Victory Seeds

How to Cook Okra

**Note: PlantNet is one of many apps that can help identify plants via a photo from your smartphone.

They see and speak with us

In my poetry book Just Down the Road, I have these lines in a poem about an old friend and crows:

“Sweet pea, them crows sure are talking this morning. Sleek, black feather-backs catching the sun. Sharing words spoken in croaks and whistles…”

In my part of the woods, there’s a group of four crows who put in regular appearances. I enjoy watching and listening as they speak back and forth. I consider them friends while at the same time feeling a bit wary - I know their presence means something and that I need to pay attention and respect. (I had the same feeling when I was a kid reading Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven.) Overall though, I believe they care and return my respect for them.

As much as crows can catch us off-guard when we realize they’re watching us, they remain as fascinating as they are mysterious. Crows are exceptionally smart. They make tools, play games, and remember faces (so be kind to them :-) The Zuni note Crow as the keeper of sacred law. Crows have the power to talk. The four who frequent my part of the world, definitely carry on conversations. (Politely, unless they are chasing off a hawk, then they all chime in at once.) Apparently, in captivity, they can learn to talk better than parrots. They also mimic all sorts of other sounds, mourn the passing of other crows, and make gestures with their beaks (as in pointing to something).

My suggestion for us as writers and artists is to pay attention to who speaks power to your life. Who do you listen to, what spoken words inspire you, or anger you, or soothe you? Learn to use the emotions around what you hear to bring that power to your words and art. Begin to listen to those who speak to you from the natural world. Remember that you can converse and learn from them, at times, perhaps more so than from the people in your life.

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

       Seek wonder. Embrace joy!

Supporting articles:

Website of the Pueblo of Zuni

Ravens and Crows - Who’s Who?

10 Fascinating Facts About Ravens

A Blanket of Distraction

I spent my first night at N.C. Outward Bound in the top bunk of a screened-in bunkhouse with a dozen of my new best friends. But it wasn’t the situation or their snoring that kept me awake. It was the loud, rhythmic, and constant sound of thousands of cicadas. The start of my adventure there coincided with the 17-year cicada emergence. I don’t remember being engulfed by their sound subsequent nights, but that first night was unforgettable.

Here’s the cicada short story. Imagine after your birth spending only a few brief moments above ground before settling into the earth for your next 17 years. Then, imagine emerging after 17 years, finding love, having a huge family, only to pass away shortly afterward. That is the life of a cicada. As you ponder this, there are billions of them emerging now in Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina. As you listen to their deafening sound, remember it’s only the males that cause that cacophony. And also remember, that you, along with birds, raccoons, and other critters, can eat them. (They’re low-carb and gluten-free, delicious roasted.)

Here’s how this all ties into our writing practice. In today’s world, it can be challenging to find a quiet place to write without distractions. And on the flip side, absolute quiet can also be distracting. Try writing in different areas - there may be times the energy of street noise is what’s needed to spark your creative spirit. Other times the sounds of rain, ocean waves, a stream, or wind in the trees are what’s needed. If you’re lucky enough to be in one of the states I mentioned, go outside and open yourself to the sound of these amazing insects, really let yourself feel the vibration and cadence. See where the cicadas take you on your creative journey. Let me know; it’s definitely an event to celebrate. Every 17 years :-).

Photo credit: Baltimore Sun

       Seek wonder. Embrace joy!

Supporting articles:

After 17 Years Underground, Cicadas Stage a 2020 Invasion

Cicada Recipes: Bugs are a Low-Carb, Gluten-Free Food

Stream and mountain can both create and hide

When we first built in the country, I spent many hours exploring the woods and creek around our property. This was many years ago, before changes in adjoining properties impacted the landscape. Given I was also in grad school in geography, I was particularly interested in “who” had lived on the land before we arrived and built. In human geography, this is called understanding the “sequence occupancy”. In my wandering and discussions with locals, I discovered some surprising things, in one case, quite literally.

It turns out that there was at one time a tannery on the creek, remnants of bunkers from the Civil War, old trading paths, arrowheads, stone foundations, iris that still bloom, over 30 varieties of wildflowers, and moonshine. A lot of moonshine, complete with remnants of copper pipe. And the local name for the stream? “Spirit Creek.” (Although in another post, I’ll share some other reasons it might’ve been called that.) Anyhow, the word was that drop-off points for jars of moonshine were old, rotten tree stumps. So one winter I decided to see for myself and after digging around some huge ancient stumps, guess what, I found an old quart jar. Empty. But in my mind I was touching a piece of history. And being a N.C. native from the foothills, I have to admit, it’s a proud history.

The culture, history, and artifacts from my explorations became and remain part of my writing. No matter where you live, many others have most likely lived on that land.  Someone built your apartment building over something, or cobblestone street, or historic property, long before you called it home. Take a moment to consider and honor whomever was there before you. Do some research into your area, including folklore and culture to understand the richness of tradition around those who were there before. Doing so can provide ideas for scenes, characters, and stories for all of your writing history to come.

Photo credit: Peggy Choucair from Pixabay

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Supporting articles:

Defining Human Geography

Human Geography

Two sides of the coin and culprit

The other day, a good friend of mine asked what could be making dime-sized holes in her back yard. She lives in a neighborhood full of stately old oak trees. Taking pride in her yard and flower beds, she was not pleased to see tiny holes appearing here and there. Although I had a good idea of the culprits, I did some checking to be sure.

There are any number of small animals that create holes, tunnels, and burrows underground. And as they do, others take advantage of that - having witnessed a small blacksnake emerge like a growing plant out of a hole near my shed. (It was clear that whoever inhabited the hole previously had been brunch.) Back to my urban friend, chipmunks are the most likely critter, especially given the canopy of oak trees. Chipmunks love acorns, which fit perfectly in their cheeks. Anything “birdseed” is fair game as well. Chipmunks are active during the day and need about 15 hours of sleep. To my friend’s delight (not really), there are over 25 varieties of chipmunks in North America.

At this point, I’m betting you’re waiting to see how I’m going to connect chipmunks to writing. One way, of course, is that given their “cute factor” (see this blog post), they frequently appear in children’s literature. But, here’s my take – consider things in your life that exemplify opposites - something that captures your heart and is at the same time irritating. (Try for something other than your spouse, partner, kids, or pets.) Then dig in search of that kernel of truth where one realizes the whole of that thing cannot exist without both the joyful and irritating. And, that the tension between the two is what keeps the whole together. Try exploring this tension in your next poem or drawing. See what recognizing that duality can contribute to your overall creation.

Photo credit: Robert Thiemann

       Seek wonder. Embrace joy!

Supporting articles:

10 Things You Probably Don’t Know About Chipmunks

What Could Be Making Tunnel-Like Holes in My Yard?

Embracing Duality

What you show the world is unique

Trees are a magnificent presence in our world. Since childhood, I’ve known trees as friends and trusted confidants. Whether walking under a thick forest canopy or sitting underneath a lone cottonwood somewhere in New Mexico, the strength and feeling of peace are tangible. Older trees often express their personality in bark faces. I’m one of many taking and posting Instagram photographs of expressions formed from jagged, rough, bark edges. Some bark faces are light and humorous; others can be dark and powerful. We bring to the image what we see, but in doing so, there is a tangible connection with the tree. We know different trees have different bark patterns, but why?

Think of tree bark as the protective layer between the tree and the environment. Bark insulates against extremes in temperature and protects a tree from insects and parasites. A tree trunk has multiple layers, the outermost being bark. In-between bark and wood, there is a thin layer of tissue where cells grow and divide. This growth adds a ring of wood to the inside of the tree, and new bark to the outside. Some trees have bark that adapts and “stretches” with the pressure of growth, while others have bark that breaks and cracks. A beech tree’s smooth bark adapts, while an old oak or cottonwood forms deep bark patterns.

As artists, we observe, but also profoundly feel our world. The next time you pass a tree in your wanderings, especially an older tree, close your eyes and place the palms of your hands on the bark. Follow the pattern of ridges or feel the smoothness. Take in the strength and peace, understanding that the tree may be as aware of you as you are of the tree. And as you wander, look for faces and expressions in tree bark patterns. There’s humor there and somehow, great wisdom.

Photo credit: Dee Stribling Creative

Seek wonder. Embrace joy!

Supporting articles:

Getting to Know Bark

The Secret Life of Trees: The Astonishing Science of What Trees Feel and How They Communicate