Snowy Day

When I woke up this morning and looked out of the wigwam door, I realized that the rain that started last night had turned into snow.

After starting a fire in the lean-to, my clanmates and I shared our dreams over breakfast and talked about the plans for the day. With all the wet underbrush, it didn’t seem like the best day for long exploration trips–craftwork in the lean-to seemed like a better option.

Alex and I canoed across a lake yesterday to get to a rich hardwood forest. Alex gathered some bow staves while I got saplings for the skin canoe frame. All the saplings need to be de-barked (for more rot resistance) which is what I’m doing right now, while occasionally tending the fire. Now and then the sun almost makes it through the cloud cover, and I may use one of those breaks in snowfall to get some more firewood.

It’s also a time for reflections–looking at my life, stepping back and gaining perspective. Which are the needs, the issues, the opportunities I’m currently working with, and how do those relate to the greater Circle around me?

This immersion provides ample opportunities for such reflections, and yet I’m always reminded of the present moment, the here and now, by the distant wind blowing through the treetops, the calls of the ravens, the occasional chatter of squirrels or observing the sparrow who just flew to the fire hearth to feed on a few scraps of nuts…