Just as the ancient cave dwellers huddled near their fires for warmth... I too have felt the comfort of wood fires burning on Eighty Acres. And just as the cave dwellers did thousands of years ago... I too have listened to the fires crackle, and watched the flames' shadows dance on the walls. And just as the cave dwellers did so many years ago... I too have sat by the warmth of the fire and dreamed of a better tomorrow. And just as the cave dwellers felt a need to scratch charcoal drawings on the cave walls,. I too scribble these words, hoping someone in the future will hear my voice and know ..read more

The spider's silky circle is the Earth Mother's reminder that our lives will always come back to where our journeys began. It's life's merry-go-round, perpetually spinning forward without any exit ramps along the way. Each day our lives are layered in circles. From our circle of friends, spinning wheels, talking in circles, hiding the circles under our eyes, spiral wedding rings, clocks spinning away each hour, and becoming dizzy as we dance in circles. It's a 360 degree journey, where all are mortal and all are equal. Whether we are a prince or pauper, the Earth Mother's infinite plan will a ..read more

Over the course of the summer, I frequently stopped by the bald-faced hornet's nest to marvel at its beauty. Today I inched close enough to snap a photo and then slowly retreated. The pear-shaped nest is attached to a small maple tree about four feet above the ground and looks to be made of swirled grayish paper. With only one entrance and exit point, the hornets must have developed a sophisticated air traffic control system to monitor their busy flight schedules. The nest is home to one queen and hundreds of faithful hornets ready to defend their nest at all costs. Their needle-like stings c ..read more

Nestled within the Eighty Acres fence line grows the bittersweet vine. It's hanging globe shaped clusters of scarlet seeds are a favorite for fall and winter flower arrangements, as well as food for the bluejays and chickadees. But just like so many moments in our lives, the bitteesweet vine represents a world of contradictions. The puzzle of why bittersweet is such a beautiful vine but poisonous to humans. The irony of bittersweet, whose twining woody vine looking for support will twist around nearby trees, only to strangle them. In a similar fashion, why did the Earth Mother give us the fra ..read more

The Kubota tractor's engine was straining as it pulled the heavy load of firewood back home. For over thirty years family and friends have gathered on Eighty Acres each October to split, haul and stack loads of dried fire wood to keep the wood stove burning. But today was to be the last Wood Day. It's been a good run. but now after seven decades of my life, it is time for much younger and stronger arms and backs to do the heavy lifting. Time to realize that growing older requires adjustments, changes and the beginning of a exciting new journey in one's life. Time to park the wood trailer, pla ..read more

Each fall season brings a feeling of anticipation and change to Eighty Acres. There is a mood in the air of excitement and that something big, wonderful and beautiful is about to happen. Today my spirit tree dressed in her finest clothes. A kaleidoscope of color. Atop her head she wore a crown of gold. Tomorrow her clothes will fall, as each leaf celebrates it's final journey by swirling, tumbling and dancing in the soft breezes to the earth below. Then the little boy in me will playfully shuffle, kick. and crunch through the deep golden carpet of leaves. Soon the temps will fall. Bitter wind ..read more

And the Earth Mother said to the grasshoppers..."upon a leaf, create for me a most wondrous and beautiful piece of artwork". Without hesitation the grasshoppers began their summer long task. First designing, then nibbling, then carving their unique patterns upon the leaf. When the Earth Mother saw what the grasshoppers had created, She smiled and said "well done, now let us celebrate. This evening, I will hang this leaf upon my sunset wall for all the world to see and understand that what we might think is ordinary, can truly be extraordinary ..read more

I call him RT. A long time friend and together we often walk the trails and prairies of Eighty Acres. Our walks are quiet. No need for idle chatter or attempts to impress each other with our knowledge of the land. Only the sound of our footsteps softly touching the land and our sturdy walking sticks guiding the way. No need to hurry. Rather the pace is slow, sometimes lingering, sometimes standing perfectly still, listening, mindful, hoping this ancient land will share her stories with us. But as always, each walk ends too soon. Life's commitments schedules, and responsibilities are calling u ..read more

Nestled within the Eighty Acres prairie, a Monarch alights upon a butterfly milkweed. The butterfly milkweed is one of my favorite prairie flowers. It grows well in dry open prairies and it's bright orange, flat topped flower clusters, bloom from June through September. Native Americans used the stems for weaving ropes and chewed the root as a treatment for chest inflammation. For that reason, today, the butterfly milkweed is also known as the pleurisy root. READER WARNING! I am not recommending grabbing a shovel, digging up a butterfly milkweed root, and chewing on it like a carrot! Probably ..read more

Spreading an old cotton blanket on the ground, we lay among the prairie lupine flowers. Arms crossed behind our heads. we watch as cotton-like clouds march slowly across the sky. We play our childhood game of seeing animals and faces in the cloud formations. We laugh at our silly images, but inwardly wonder why we ever stopped playing this game? Around us, the spire-like lupine are gently swaying in the soft breeze. Bumblebees buzz and search for nectar. A ruby throated hummingbird flashes by our heads. A monarch butterfly dances across the lupine, and just for a moment gently settles upon my ..read more