Gearing Up!

It has been a long time since I have done a proper post … too long. My journey is, as always, busily filled with living life while trying to fit it learning and growing as a part of the natural world. Rest assured, I am still treading this MooseBoots trail. In fact, I have both an exciting announcement and a request for assistance.

Big Little Sister is now an adult and a world traveler. She recently completed one of the things on her list of 100 things (her bucket list) by traveling to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This was her first trip overseas and she completed it alone. We have encouraged her to live out her dreams now, while she is young, and then get tied into life.

One of the other things on her list is to through hike (hike end to end non-stop) the Appalachian Trail. Big Little Sister has been purchasing her gear over the last year or so … carefully researching each piece of equipment needed and buying it with an eye toward having to carry it for the full AT. As a trial run, she plans to hike the 100 Mile Wilderness later this summer.

As a concerned parent, I told her that I did not wish her to try this alone. I asked her to find a partner for the trip. I also told her that if she couldn't find one that I would hike it with her. To which she responded, “We go in August.”

Photo by BobWalker

I can not tell you how excited I am to have this opportunity to spend time in nature with my daughter!

We have been passively planning this for the last few months. I convinced my boss to allow me to roll over (against published company policy) 2 weeks of vacation time to spend on the trail. I have begun reading everything I can about gear, about the trail, about anything related.

Of course, the harsh reality is that I now have less than 2 months to gear up. Even more harsh, I do not have the finances to be able to purchase the extensive list of gear needed for the two week outing. So, I need your help.

Here are some ways you could help:

• Click on this link, Expedition Kit Contest, and enter, which will give me bonus entries into the contest. If you win, I might ask you to borrow your gear.
• Round up any gear that you might have around. I would love to take it off of your hands, even just for a couple of weeks.
• If you, or someone you knows, works for (or owns) a company that makes this type of equipment and would like to sponsor the trip, please let me know. I will take seconds that are otherwise unsalable.
• While I would prefer one of the previous options, you could make a donation using the button on the sidebar. I will use the money to fund the trip, but would really rather you let me use your gear.
• Share this post with all of your friends and family! Post a link on all of your social media sites, too.

I will post a complete listing of the gear I plan to carry along with the current equipment weight. If an item does not have a weight listed, it is because I do not yet have one to use. While I am not seeking brand new, cutting edge technology, please bear in mind that I will need to carry the full equipment list and 20 pounds (10 kilograms) of food for 100 miles.

One might ask what all of my learning has been for, if I plan to take all of this gear. I intend to forage foods along the way. I also intend to try to do this as primitively as possible, but I want to be prepared in case my skills are not up to the challenge, Yes, it is a better safe than sorry argument.

Big Little Sister will be carrying a camera to capture the sights. I will be carrying a journal to write my observations. I would post real-time posts, but I understand that cell service is very sketchy in that part of the country. So, you will have to wait for photos and thoughts. Who knows, it might even turn into a book.

I think my MooseBoots journey is going to take an enormous turn this summer!

I am so grateful for the chance to do this with my daughter, for your support in this, and for the Universe's continued guidance in all things.

Pondering The Trail of Tears

I mentioned in my last post that the land we had come to love so much had been sold.  I have mourned this.  I even held out hope that the land was purchased to preserve it, but alas the developer has wasted no time in getting the equipment to continue the construction (habitat destruction).  In fact, a cul-de-saq that had been overgrown with weeds (wild carrots, mugwort, dandelions, etc.) has been cleared again.

I have thought about the events leading here.  I have thought about my feelings.  In spite of the short term of our relationship with this place, I can commiserate with the Native Americans who were displaced.  Mind you ... there is no REAL comparison between my short time here and the generations of People who learned to read, love, and work with the land of their ancestors.  But, I can imagine the sense of devastating loss. 

How does one recover?  I have no choice in the matter, as the native tribes had no choice, because I do not have the capital to do anything about it.  It would have been an easy decision, if I had deep enough pockets, to purchase the land to preserve, and encourage, the wild nature of this fantastic place.  Now, I must pull together the shredded remains of the relationship and start again with a new place.

For me, the process is simply spiritual and emotional.  It does not pose significant difficulty on me physically.  I have a job and access to all of the modern conveniences to be able to simply purchase necessities from the grocery store.  I will eat.  The natives were not so lucky ... they did not have access to money, although they may have been given some food stuffs.

So, how does one adjust?  How do I adjust?  I do not intend to stop learning and growing.  This is  not the end of my quest to seek the sacred wisdom of the land, lovingly held by the Earth and her People, reserved for those who truly care to find it.  Certainly, the displaced indigenous souls could seek counsel of their tribe shaman and his network of spiritual support.  I am sure that there was a lot of soul-searching, but there must have been other hints and clues for those people so closely tied to the land.

We have had the experience of trying to forage in a new place only to find that the ecosystem was so completely foreign to us that we could find nothing.  Perhaps, that was not the case for the indigenous folk who lived semi-nomadically, moving from one ecosystem in the winter to another for the summer, seeking the things that they would need to thrive.  So, what other clues did they have?

The answer ... an answer ... hit me.  I already knew it, but knowing something is not the same as owning it, using it.  Thomas Elpel, author of "Botany In A Day", emphasizes the use of plant families as a means of plant identification.  Plants within a family are often used for similar purposes in diverse cultures.  In fact, I have read of this idea in a couple of books.  In one book, a botanist, seeking new medicines in the Amazon, relates that he recognized plants that belonged in a certain family and that the Amazonian people used these for uses similar to those in his region. 

I will concede defeat.  There is simply too much at stake for the planet and the people on it.  We have lost too much wisdom already.  I will continue to search and grow.  This is, after all, my path.  It is my place to serve the purpose I have agreed to for this life, even if I cannot remember what that purpose is.

I have been on the land and asked for signs and guidance on supporting it through this transformation.  On a single walk, after opening my heart for support in this lesson, I witnessed a beautiful red-tailed hawk glide into land on a tree branch.  I moved in for a closer look and the hawk vanished without making a sound.  I continued to stroll down the path musing over the sighting, the gift that was given.  As I neared the road, I felt a presence to my left.  I looked and found myself looking straight into the face of a white-tailed deer ... OK it was 30 yards away.  I told it that I was no threat and, after a moment, it darted off.  While I poured over the encounter, I noticed that the deer had been surrounded by a posse of turkeys ... at least a dozen.

It has been over a week since the incredible gifts I was given.  I still have not interpreted their meaning.  It could have been a simple thanks for communing with the land and explaining what was bound to happen.  It might have been  a signal that things would be OK, that the creatures where still there and would find a way to live even in the midst of the sprawl.

Even still, I know that I am blessed and I am grateful for all that has been given.  I am also honored to be able to share the little I have come to learn.  Perhaps, this is required for my further growth.  Regardless, I look enjoy the time I have on this MooseBoots trail.

Smashing My Way Out Of A Funk

Life gets busy.  For those of us craving a simple life, sometimes things get crazy and full of ... well ... life.  We are coming out of our busy time of year, but somehow things are not getting any slower.  Dance season is over and yet the momentum of all of the things we do throws us forward beyond the point where we would like to stop and take a breath.

I guess it takes a show of will to put the breaks on and force life into a more manageable pace.  I have started to put my feet down to the earth in hopes of bleeding off a little speed.  I have decided to try and do little things each night.  I am trying to accept the fact that they may be eensy-weensy things.

A year or so ago, I put aside a piece of oak that had a branch coming out of the side.  I was thinking that it might make a good dipper or ladle.  As the piece dried, however, it cracked in such a way that it would not hold water.  As a result, it sat ... and sat ... and sat.  Until one day, I decided that I could make a primitive hammer out of it.  I would cut off the smaller branch, drill a hole in the main branch, and attach the small branch as a handle.  Then ... it sat ... and sat ... and sat.  Sorry, I didn't think to take a picture of the piece until after I cut it.

This spring, I finally took the plunge and made the hammer.  I followed the plan, using only hand tools ... a bow saw, an old hand-crank drill, and lots of elbow grease.  To attach the handle, I carve the end of the small branch to fit the hole snugly, inserted it, and filled the gaps with wood glue mixed with the sawdust from the cutting and drilling.  I was satisfied with the result and let it sit for a week or so to dry completely.

Tonight, wanting to make a holder for a bee feeder, I decided to use the hammer.  First, I cut a piece of birch from a log.  Then, I used the hammer and a gouge to carve out a bowl.  I did not get to finish, but the idea is to carve a bottomless bowl that a quart sized wide mouth canning jar can sit in upside down.  The jar has a lid with tiny holes in it and is filled with sugar water.  I want the lid off of the ground (plastic lid, birch bark bowl, or some such) so that the bees can reach the liquid by crawling under the whole rig.  Of course, now I am not sure if I want to keep the bowl as a bowl (before I break through the bottom) or continue with the plan.  I will have to wait until tomorrow, or the next time I work on it to decide.  Of course, if the bowl cracks as it dries, the choice will be made.

It feels good to start moving again, in the direction I want to travel rather than that required by the trappings of modern life.  I simply wish to spend more time on my MooseBoots path and less of the distractions of modern society ... someday, perhaps.  In the meantime, I wish you all joy, beauty, and love on the path you wander.

8th Annual Knap In

I have just been informed (thank you, Mike H) that the 8th Annual Knap In, at the University of Southern Maine Gorham campus, is March 16th.  This is a great event with a lot of incredible displays and demos.  If you live close by, you should definitely try to stop in.  Here is a link, 8th Annual Knap In.

Life Can't Get Any Sweeter

My MooseBoots journey continues even though I haven't put anything up here.  As you know, if you've been here a while, it does slow, even crawl, from time to time.  Spring has come, breathing a bit of new life and energy into this path.

Today, I spent the whole day outside.  I had a few goals in mind, and succeeded in achieving them.   They were simple ... boil down the last of the maple sap, pull all of the taps and buckets, and harvest the rabbits that should have been in the freezer last fall.  Of course, there was a little extra excitement.

I hurried out the door at about 08:30 and headed straight for the woods.  I use only foraged wood for boiling sap and I was almost out.  I grabbed a few pieces of barn rope on the way out.  I am always amazed at how much dry wood I can gather in a short time, without tools.  Using only my hands and some closely spaced trees, I put together my first bundle and headed back.  I dropped it and grabbed two more pieces of barn rope.  True to my nature, the second bundle was too large to carry the whole 0.25 miles (0.4 km) back to the house.  While gathering, I did take the time to notice the Wintergreen peeking up through the forest litter and to sample one of the delicious berries.

The fire was lit by 10:00 and the games began in earnest.  While tending to the whole affair, I was serenaded by the cardinals, pileated woodpeckers, the northern flickers, the black-capped chickadees, and the crows.  As soon as the barrel was empty, Precious started gathering the taps and buckets from the trees.  I took the time to wash the barrel, the buckets, and the taps before storing everything in the barrel for next year.  As the levels in the pans dropped, I consolidated into fewer pans and washed the empty ones.  By 14:00, the boiling was complete and the syrup was in jars, bringing our total for the year to just shy of 3 gallons (12.4 liters).

About the same time, Little Fire Faery ran up to me shrieking that I needed to go look at the beehive.  We had cleaned the hive out a few days ago ... the bees did not survive this winter, in spite of the fact that there was plenty of honey.  But, I will put up a post about the clean up some time in the next week or so.  I went to look and saw hundreds of honey bees flying in and out of the hive.  I can only assume one of two things ... they are swarming and looking for a place to live or they are stealing the little honey that I left in the hive.  I hope for the former.  If the later is the case, I already have a new package of bees on order for delivery in May.  Regardless, they were fascinating to watch.

Wendy and I then harvested rabbits, thanking each for its gift.  We did try some new things ... keeping the faces on the hides during the skinning process and cleaning one of skulls.  We will have to wait and see how these things turn out when they are finished.  After all was said and done, we have put five rabbits and the hides in the freezer, for processing another day.

This has been, by far, one of the busiest days I have had on this MooseBoots trail.  It was also very fulfilling to know that I have provided for myself and my family.  It am so grateful that the Universe provide and abundance of both opportunity and beauty.  I think I should celebrate with a nap!

It Was A Good Day!

The last week, or so, has been busy.  The girls' dance competition season has started adding to the list of things to do.  For instance, knowing that the competition next weekend will basically eliminate sap boiling.  Ordinarily, my MooseBoots journey tends to slow a bit during these crazy busy times, but today, we found ourselves in an uncommon lull in the frantic pace of life.

With an abundance of free time, a relatively small amount of sap to boil, and a very satisfying boil rate, I took my time getting the fire started.  First, I wandered into the woods to gather wood for the fire.  I greeted the woodpecker who was chirping at me, while I looked for fresh tracks in the snow.  I only walked a short way in because the fresh layer of snow is deep enough to wear me out when carrying my normal loads of wood.  I have finally figured out how to gather the wood in a reasonable sized bundle that I can actually carry back.  So, I made two trips.  I was amazed by the amount of wood that I could gather in this one spot that was not more than 10' (3 meters) across.  I didn't even gather all that was there, just enough for the short burn.

When I returned, I decided to try my hand at the bow drill to start the fire.  I haven't really practiced much with it, and not at all in the last 6 months.  I built the fire under the pans ... the wood was slightly damp from the recent rain after the snow.  Everything went fairly well until I broke the notch in the hearth ... no coal.  At that point, I gave up and used a match.  Note To Self:  play with the bow drill more often!

The burn only lasted about 3 hours to boil the 20 gallons of sap down to about 1 gallon (3.8 liters).  While I was tending the whole thing, an old friend stopped by with some barrels.  Wendy wants to plant more containers this year, in addition to all of the existing garden beds and buckets.  It was very kind, and unexpected, of him to deliver them.  It was nice to get to spend a few minutes chatting with him. 

When the pans got low enough, we brought the sap into the house to finish.  Less than an hour later, we had another beautiful 1.75 quarts (2 liters) of dark amber syrup to add to our stores.

After cleaning up, I went back to check on the Blue Oyster Mushrooms.  Earlier this week, I noticed that they are fruiting.  Today, they were much bigger.  By this time next week, I think I will have harvested the first harvest from the bag.

You may have noticed the cardboard box under the bag in the picture.  I put it there to catch any spore that may fall.  First, I don't want to "seed" the carpet.  Second, I am hoping to catch the spore to start a new batch.  Wendy and I have discussed the idea of innoculating some of the hardwood stumps around the neighborhood.  I don't know if it will work, but like everything we do, we are playing with ideas and techniques, experimenting to see if we can learn what works and what doesn't.  Worse case, we don't succeed and we lose a bit of time.  Best case, we sprout more Blue Oyster Mushrooms than we can possibly eat and we share with all of the neighbors.  Oh, by the way, the two pictures were taken a mere 3 days apart.

I am grateful for days like this ... for the beauty around me, for the abundance the Earth offers, and for the opportunity to share this, my MooseBoots path, with my amazing family and wonderful friends.  May your day be filled with beauty, happiness, joy, and the wisdom to recognize it even in their smallest forms.

Rabbit Mittens ... Not Moose Boots

This time of year, I don't spend as much time outside.  It has not been cold, not even seasonably, which is very unsettling for me.  This time of year, for indigenous cultures, was spent crafting ... making and repairing equipment and clothing.  I have started a few projects, worked on a few projects that had been started before, and thought of several other things that I'd like to do.

Wendy and I started raising rabbits for meat years ago.  Of course, not wanting to waste anything, I also started to learn, using Back To Basics, to tan the hides.  I have saved the hides for years.  I find they are easy to work and the finished product is lovely.  I have even shown other how during our skill share last summer, which also resulted in writing a short e-book about tanning rabbit hides.  Of course, I have just stored them in the closet.  Over the years, I have talked about making different things with them.  I finally decided to act on the impulse.  Over the last week, I made a pair of rabbit hide mittens for myself.  I was really easy and very satisfying for the need to craft something useful for myself.

There a many tutorials around cyberspace on making mittens.  Most lean toward chopper mittens.  Regardless of the benefit, for my first pair, I decided to go with the seemingly simpler method of tracing my hands, adding an inch or so, cutting out the patterns, and sewing the things together.  My sewing is nothing too fancy and is limited primarily to whip-stitching, which it just what I needed.

Wendy and each of the girls has staked some kind of claim on them.  I will need to put them away somewhere until it is time to use them.  Before I start using them, though, I need to waterproof them.  It turns out that we have, from our Army days 15 years ago or so, some Sno-Seal, a beeswax based sealant.  I will probably apply this tonight to be ready for using the mittens, if the weather ever dictates the need.

Making these mittens satisfied a need to learn and create.  I am so grateful for the gift that was given so many years ago.  I also appreciate the length of time, and the cosmic coincidences and events, that have gotten me to this point on my MooseBoots path.  Each little step, or lesson, is amazingly rewarding in so many ways.

UPDATE:  Here is a picture after waterproofing.  They didn't change much.

Small Steps Forward

This weekend, Wendy and I had a bunch of stuff to do around the house.  Of course, as you know, I've been busy and lamenting the slow down of travel on my MooseBoots path.  The biggest thing on the list was to burn all of the scrap wood in the backyard (insurance guys don't like that kind of stuff).  I thought about trying to light the fire with a bow drill, but we were on a tight schedule because the girls needed to be picked up within 2.5 hours.  In spite of the "need to get it done quickly", I chose to add in a bit of practice.

I have, much to Wendy's dismay, a lot of "bits of nature" laying around the house ... milkweed stalks, birch blanks for spoons and bowls, Jerusalem artichoke stalks, grass ropes, etc.  Among my "treasures" is a bunch of birch polypore that I had picked to make medicinal tea.  I have tried it, but still have a bunch laying around.  I broke a piece off of a large chunk and lit it with a match.  Of course, polypore does not really burn with a flame ... it smolders.  I ran around the house excitedly (it is almost Christmas, so I can) showing Wendy the smoldering  fungus.  She, not so enthusiastically, pointed out that it stinks.  I guess that is a matter of opinion.

I took the ember outside to light the fire.  It was glowing very slightly but a few breathes showed that it was very much alive.  Skill 1 - carry fire from one place to another - CHECK.  It would have easily burned for 30 minutes, but a larger portion would keep going for hours.  This is an important piece of wisdom, if one would be moving from site to site, rather than trying to light a fire from scratch.  It would be even more important in a situation where it had been raining and things were damp (like your bow drill hearth and spindle).

I looked around the back yard searching for something with which to make a tinder bundle.  I spied a few corn stalks that had no been pulled from the garden bed.  I stripped some leaves off of one an fashioned a tinder bundle.  I have never before used corn leaves for a tinder bundle, but figured it was worth a try.  They were a bit damp from the frost melting off of them, too.  I blew my breathe into the bundle ... slowly the smoke started to billow from the tiny package.  I had seen someone on YouTube, video linked below, whirl the bundle around in his outstretched arm rather than blowing it.  So, I tried it ... it worked amazingly well.  The bundle got very hot in my hand.  Then, I few quick breathes and ... voila ... flames.  Skill 2 - make a tinder bundle and create a fire from a coal - CHECK.

Of course, in my haste, I fell prey to one of the classic survival mishaps ... do not expend all of the effort to make a fire until you have all of the materials on hand.  If you do, you make create a coal, or fire, only to watch it go out because you were not quick enough gathering the rest of the material for the fire.  In survival situations, it is important to be as efficient as you can in everything.  So, I spent a few minuted running around picking up dead sticks, more corn stalks, and other material for the fire.  Luckily for me, the polypore was still smoldering.  I retrieved it, wrapped it in more corn leaves, and began the process anew.  The flaming tinder bundle was then placed in the somewhat damp tee pee.  Slowly, the little flame grew from a single match sized flame to engulf the whole tee pee.  Skill 3 - built a fire and light it with the flaming tinder bundle - CHECK.

Sadly, that seemed like the end of my play.  I spent the next 2 hours piling on scrap wood, raking, and generally cleaning up the yard.  I must admit that it was nice just to be outside for those few hours, even only ion the back yard.  I doused the flames, came into the house, and changed my clothes just in time to run out to get the girls.  I commented several times, with a stupid grin (no doubt), that I smelled like smoke.  I love the smell of wood smoke ... for me it is soothing and calming.

Later, I did the unthinkable ...gasp... I continued working on a project that had been on hold ... I poured off the Japanese knotweed tincture into dropper bottles.  I have been asked about Lyme disease several times over the past month.  Interestingly, I made think tincture, ahead of all of that, because I felt like I needed to start applying these skills.  I also wanted the experience of creating medicine ... tinctures ... before I needed to do so.  Since then, I have taken a group, including my Shamanic Teachers, my mother, my family, and some of our nature group friends, out to harvest more.  It turns out that there are several of cases of Lyme that have occurred.  I also purchased "Healing Lyme" because it occurred to me that I was recommending it based on a recommendation from a trusted friend, but no first hand knowledge of its contents.  I have not gotten very far into it ... I had to finish up a few other books that I have been reading.

It turns out, I guess, that even when things seem so frantic, there IS time to inject some of the desired growth and learning.  I am eager to continue making medicines, helping people heal, and learn more survival skills.  As a matter of fact, I recently purchased a copy of Brewing Sacred and Healing Beers.  It looks like an interesting study of indigenous recipes for healing tonics.  A quick skim showed that I had already made one of the recipes by instinct.  Of course, I will also be making non-alcoholic medicines, using home made apple cider vinegar, for those who can not, for one reason or another, use those that are alcohol based.

I am blessed to be on this path, following the MooseBoots trail.  I continue to be amazed at the little synchronicities that occur, things I learn that become relevant, things that I make that are needed shortly after, opportunities to continue to grow and learn, opportunities to make a real difference in a genuine way.  As always, I am grateful for this journey and the abundance that Nature offers.  I simply hope to use these gifts wisely, to make a positive difference in the world, to help people heal or continue their journey beyond this dream, and to help other learn about and respect this bountiful, generous Earth.

A Break In The Routine

Life is busy.  Wendy and I spend much of our time running around, much of which centers around the girls classes.  So, when we get a day to spend around the house, it seems like a blessing.  Perhaps, it is.  Today was one of those blessed days.  A day to work around the yard and prepare for the coming Winter.  It was really a freebie ... it should be cool, Fall-like, not 50-60F.

I decided that today was the day to get some of the chicken yard cleaned up.  The ducks and hens have left a 4-6" (10-15 cm) layer of waste on the ground.  So, I was mucking out the yard.  I took the opportunity to use this fertilizer to fill all of the garden bed ... some of which still needed to be cleaned out. 

As I worked around the yard, a friend arrived with a rooster for us to "put in the stock pot."  She and Wendy have been online friends for years, but had never met in person.  So, the rooster provided the impetus for the face-to-face visit.  We sat and talked for a while.  Then, I begged out and returned to work knowing that at some point we'd need to take care of the rooster.  Wendy and she had a nice visit.

He, immediately, went into his his dance ... dropping one wing and strutting in circles ... peddling his wares.  Having never seen this mating dance, I watched as he moved and swayed trying to attract the hens to his wiles.  The hens were not impressed in the least.  As a matter of fact, they began attacking him.  Eventually, he took the hint and wandered off to explore on his own.  I kept working.  He was beautiful.  He was also loud.

As I finished filling all of the garden beds, our visitor decided that it was time to go.  So, we all said goodbye.  No sooner had the dust cleared on the road, we started a pan of water to boiling.  We would need it for the rooster.  Neither Wendy Nor I had ever cleaned a chicken, but we were committed.  As the water neared boiling, it was time to begin.  As always, we held the chicken and talked to him, thanking him for the gift he was giving.

I decided ahead of time that I was going to try to break his neck by pulling his head and feet in opposite directions.  I think it worked, but we were not certain ... he did appear stunned at least.  We took the opportunity to use a knife to remove the head.  There was surprisingly little flapping and blood ...  we've all heard the horror stories.  We, then, plunged him into the hot water and began plucking.  Now, I have often heard how difficult this part is ... requiring a machine or hours to complete.  Really, it took 5-10 minutes at most.  Finally, we cut the feet off, and one wing to be used for shamanic purposes, and gut him.  It was not really much different than harvesting a rabbit.

Dinner was Wendy's famous chicken noodles, a family favorite.  It is a form of chicken noodle soup, using egg noodles which she makes from scratch with eggs, spices, and flour.  So, aside from the spices, the only ingredients we did not harvest was the flour.  That, we hope to remedy next year with acorns or cat-tail pollen or some such substitute.

While dinner cooked, I mowed the lawn.  After, I tried to start a basket using some of the grapevines I cut a few weeks ago.I have a long way to go in this endeavor.  I have decided that since the raspberry brambles have produced some lovely, tender young leaves, that I should harvest some of those for tea.  I'll need to do this sometime during the week.

Right now, I am sitting here, typing this, sipping some Birch Polypore / Japanese Knotweed tea.  If I am going to learn these things, I must use them.  And, I can't suggest anyone use something, if I haven't used it myself.  The tea is delicious ... we also harvested both of these.  The Earth is abundant and provides all we need, if we only look.  I am grateful to be given the opportunities to learn, and grow, in this knowledge and in these skills ... to travel this MooseBoots path.  It was a good day!

Late Summer Gathering Stroll

Today, I spent some time harvesting some of the wild plants near our home.  I woke up a few days ago with my head filled with thoughts of gathering some Japanese Knotweed root and some Stinging Nettles.  Unlike our previous experiences with knotweed, I intended to make some tea with the root, and maybe a tincture.  The nettles are for cordage.

I have been reading a lot about knotweed for the last few days.  I already knew that it is used for treating Lyme disease.  The most common reservatrol supplement, the compound thought to be effective against Lyme, is actually derived from knotweed. It is my belief, however, that one is better served eating the whole plant rather than a derivative. While science has been able to isolate specific compounds, I can not help but wonder if the other supporting nutrients do not make the natural form more effective. It is certainly less processed.  The book Healing Lyme discusses the protocol, using the roots of the plant, in detail.  Of course, I also discovered that knotweed, and its derivatives, is useful for treating heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's, high cholesterol, and constipation.  All of this is in addition to being a nutritional power house - it contains vitamins A and C and trace minerals.

I brought the Japanese Knotweed home and rinsed it off.  I have watched several videos about processing knotweed roots over the last few days.  I decided that our teacher's, Mike Dimauro's, method was the best choice for me, because it used the least technology ... a knife, water, and some elbow grease.  I simply cut it into little pieces with my Mora knife.  Some I dropped into a pan of water to make a tea.  The rest I put into a canning jar and covered with vodka to make a tincture.  The tea was delicious with no sweetener or anything else.  Wendy thought it tasted like potato tea.  Additionally, we now have 1 quart (~1 litre) of Japanese Knotweed tincture in the cabinet (right next to the pint of rendered raccoon fat).

I tend to go overboard sometimes.  Now, while harvesting the Stinging Nettles, I cut a bunch of stems.  When I stopped I realized that I had gathered way too many to carry.  Besides, my arms, bare because it was too hot for a sweatshirt, were already burning with the sting of the nettles.  I needed some cordage or a rope. 

Alas, I did not bring one.  So, I made one with materials on hand.  I looked around  and decided the most likely candidate was the tall grass.  I grabbed handfuls of the grass and started twisting.  I have never made a thick piece of cordage before.  Most were yarn sized or thinner.  Today, I wanted to make a rope.  So, much to Precious's dismay, I twisted and twisted, and twisted for a while.  I ended up with a rope about 7 feet (2.5 meters) long and about and 3/4 inch (20 millimeters) in diameter.  It was perfect for tying the bundle of nettles. 

Wendy and the neighbors were impressed.  The neighbors actually commented that their boys had all been in boy scouts, one even an eagle scout, and none of them could make a rope like I had.  Have I mentioned that I like making cordage?!

It felt like a productive day, in spite of the fact that it only took me a total of an hour or so.  I find on this, my MooseBoots, journey that I need to do things.  I feel the need to act, not just research and read.  I satisfied that need for today.  I have been watching the vines growing nearby though ... feels like a basket is in the future.

Thank you, Universe, for your abundance, your beauty, and your support in my growth and development!

Seredipity or Spiritual Guidance

Yesterday, I was wandering the house and grabbed Weed of The Northern US and Canada off of the shelf.  It sounds like a great read, right?  We have had this book on the shelf for years and not really used it much.  When we first got it, it did not seem like it was pertinent ... we were looking for books on edible plants, but it seemed helpful to be able to identify some of the "weeds" in our area.

The authors define weeds as "a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered".  As I leafed through, I could not help but chuckle at this.  The natives in my area, and I even with my limited skill and knowledge, knew of many practical uses for many of these plants.  Indeed, simply reading some of the common names for these plant suggested uses.  Arctinum minus Bernh., for instance, is known as both beggar's buttons and wild rhubarb, as well as the more common, Common Burdock.  So, if you knew this, how would you try to use this plant?

Enter serendipity.  I thumbed through until I found this ... Galeopsis Tetrahit L.  I have this plant growing wild in my yard ... as a matter of fact, I pulled a bunch of it last weekend and threw it in the compost pile.  The common name that caught my eye was wild hemp.  Al1 of you who know me well know that I like to make cordage.  And, I know that hemp is often used in textiles.

According to this site, the are several know virtues ... medicinal and utilitarian.  According to WikiPedia, it is a pioneer plant and helps to build poor soil for succession plants.  Wendy was particularly interested in its use a fodder for the rabbits.  Given the fact that this plant is native to Europe and Asia alone suggests that it must be useful enough for someone to introduce it here sometime in the early part of the European settling of North America.

So, next time you are wandering through your yard and see a "weed", you might want to try to see what it is.  It just might be the Universe providing something you didn't even know you needed.  As for me, my MooseBoots journey continues to surprise me in unexpected ways.  I am grateful for all of the guidance and abundance provided.

Ravens Vs. Crows

I stumbled upon a web site, eNature.com, a while ago, when I was looking for some plant identification stuff.  I also found they have a lot of good information about animals.  By entering you zip code, you can get specific listings about the plants and animals in your area.  Check out the site. Leave a comment here, at MooseBoots, and let me know what you think - maybe you know of similar sites specializing in certain topics.  I would appreciate the link.

Regardless, I signed up for their mailing list.  I just received the latest mailing and thought I would share this article, because I mentioned Ravens a few posts ago. 

 
Raven, if you did not know, is a trickster like Coyote in many traditions.  Here are a couple of stories I found to demonstrate this point. 

Have I mentioned that I want to learn to tell stories?  I am convinced that storytelling will be important for my growth and subsequent sharing of this wisdom, especially healing stories.  I would enjoy any stories you might have and wish to post here to share.  And so, my journey continues.

My Latest Amazing Gift

It is so easy to fall into old habits, especially when things get busy.  Our month, since my last post, has been filled with birthdays, anniversaries, dance competition, play auditions, ballet shows, a book signing, and building a raised garden bed at the library for the summer reading program.  It has been a month of celebration, for sure, but has left us all exhausted from the effort.

With the bustle, it was easy to fall off track, or, perhaps, to take a slight excursion off of my MooseBoots path.  I have not been foraging everyday.  I have not been working forward.  While there have been brief, too brief, moments of progress and exploration, I have paused..  When I find myself in situations like this, I have a tendency to become very critical of myself and disappointed, frustrated, with my progress.

I do try to keep things in perspective.  Let's face it ... I spent 40 years learning to "play the game."  I have been taught the "rules."  I am good at the game that we, as a culture, play.  One would be hard pressed to find anyone who would not consider me successful.  I work hard and typically achieve the desired results in the expected time frame.  I am honest, have a strong sense of fair play, and value my personal integrity very highly. 

I was a great student, achieving above average grades with minimal effort.  I graduated high school with the ninth highest GPA out of 200+ students.  I  attended Worcester Polytechnic Institute on an 80% academic scholarship.  I graduated with a BS in Electrical Engineering in 4 years, while working a full time job to pay the bills.

I was an exceptional soldier.  I was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal after only 5 years of military service as a Sergeant (E-5).  This was in addition to several Army Commendation Medals and numerous Army Achievement Medals.  I was given a lateral promotion to Corporal.  This is unheard of in non-combat arms units, but it happened for me because of my work ethic and my ability to fill a position (E-7) several levels higher than that worn on my collar (E-4/E-5). 

While some may look at my achievements and argue that I have it all, it is not very satisfying.  What does it provide for my spirit?  How does it support my soul's purpose?  I am a leader, perhaps a "natural born" leader, and I fill the role well.  This is, quite possibly, the only piece of the "game" that is important on my future personal growth path.

I have spent the last 2 years trying to become more in-tune with myself, spirit, and nature.  In essence, trying to unlearn the rules that society has given me.  Anyone who knows me will recognize that I have always liked to bend the rules and stretch them.  I don't always conform to expectations - I guess I never have fully.  Actually, the effort for the last 2 years has been to re-learn what I knew as a child.  I see that my children hold this knowledge.  They, as homeschoolers, have kept their sense of wonder, their passion for learning, their zeal for life.  It is more difficult for me, who has been through the standard training.

A few weeks ago, at nature class, we briefly discussed bird language, and since then, I have been trying to be more aware of what the birds are saying at different times. I am by no means an expert, but I have become aware of the concept. I have tried to use it to locate Wendy in the forest, and I try to pay attention to how the song changes when I let the dogs out.


Other discussions/lessons in our nature group have prompted me begin plotting about manipulating my environment - in particular the discovery of a huge patch of stinging nettle, and my plan is to gather and scatter the seeds on a hill nearer the house.  I want to encourage the plant to grow close at hand to facilitate my foraging efforts.  So, you see, I have been aware of the need to forage and have been thinking about this journey.  I researched nettles a bit and found that they are prolific in almost any spot, shady or sunny.  So, I chose this hill on the side of our road that had been cleared, a few years ago, and sprayed with that green goop the road crews use to seed disturbed soil.

As I turned to return home, I heard a cacophony.  Several crows were squawking loudly.  I looked and saw them chasing something, a crow periodically swooping at it.  It looked like a large cat, but I could not be sure.  It turned into a driveway up the road a bit, so I ran to try to find some tracks or get a glimpse of the mystery creature.  I looked into the driveway and saw no sign of the animal.  I knew it was still around, because the crows were still causing a ruckus, but it was not moving.

I figured that whatever it was was hiding and I would not get a peek.  So, I began to scan the ground for tracks.  Of course, the road, although it is dirt, is well packed and finding tracks is difficult at my current ability level.  I did not find any, but if I had, they might have looked like this.

At some point I looked up, perhaps I was trying to look for a pattern to show me where the track might be.  Perhaps, I felt something.  I can't say for certain.  When I did, however, I saw a gray fox standing at the other end of the driveway.  She (I don't know how I know this) was watching me.  I crouched down and spoke to her.  She stood.  Then, I decided that the moment was a precious gift and words were not appropriate.  She and I shared this experience for at least 2-3 minutes.  Just watching ... connecting.

Gray foxes are crepuscular.  It was well past any time she should have been out.  I have not gone to look, but clearly she was trying to take something the crows wanted.  I believe, on only a gut feeling, that she was out trying to gather food for her kits.  I have not seen them.  I have not seen any remains of food that the crows and foxes would eat.  But I know.

There have been many crows around lately ... more than I have seen before.  Wendy and the girls maintain that they saw a raven the other day, and seeing a gray fox in daylight is not a normal occasion.  Is there a message here for us?  I guess I will be reading, in Animal Speak, what message, medicine, each of these brings.  I will have to see if I can piece together a meaning that makes sense to both my logical brain and my intuitive feel.

And so, I continue down my MooseBoots trail.

The End Of The Season ... And Yet ...The Beginning

I have observed, as I look back through the archives, that I have gone full circle.  The wheel has gone full circle and yet it turns.  My MooseBoots journey has followed suit.  The sugaring season, for instance, is done for the year.  I have every reason to be thankful.  We were able to forage nearly 4 gallons of syrup.  Our boiling technique has improved ... it took no longer to process 4 gallons than it did to process 2 last year.  We learn and grow.  We plot and scheme to improve upon our success.

I mentioned, in previous posts, that we ran out of wood in the middle of February.  The neighbors has a surplus and offered us some of theirs.  The supply is now out for both homes.  Our neighbors say they don't care because they saved over 700 gallons of oil this year.  Heating oil is currently $3.50 per gallon (for those who don't use it).  They decided to get a wood stove because they watched us and saw the benefit.  They refuse to accept compensation of any kind.  Perhaps, there is a way ...

The evening, while Wendy and the girls were at dance class, I took some time to go into the woods.  I didn't go far.  I stopped near the edge and started gathering wood.  I had thought to bring along some twine.  I strung the four pieces of twine together in two parallel sections.  Then, I gathered the fallen branches.  These I stacked on the twine segments.  I wandered and listened, enjoying my time in the quiet of the forest.  I noticed the wintergreen is alive and well.  I am anxiously awaiting more growth - I really want to expand our foraging efforts.  Before I knew it, I had a large pile of branches.  I strung the twine through itself and lifted the bundle.  It was a little too big ... I staggered through the snow and managed to get to the road.  Then, I lifted it again and started down the 0.1 miles to the house.  I am ashamed to say that I didn't make it.  I ended up coming home and getting a wagon to cart it the rest of the way back.

The branches were too long for the stove.  So, I untied the bundle and broke the sticks into pieces.  These I carried into the house.  I also gathered the little splinters to use as kindling.  I felt like I had accomplished something ... I gathered enough wood for the night (and maybe a bit extra).

The fire is blazing, now.  All that remains is to sip the wonderful Wintergreen tea.  Oh, did I forget to mention the foraging effort ... oops.  It was certainly an hour (all total) well spent.  As a matter of fact, there are few things, I would rather have been doing.

I love taking even the smallest step towards being self sufficient and free, even for a moment, of the artificially valued things culture.  I am grateful to have found my MooseBoots path.  And, I am thankful that you have chosen to join me along the way.

Signs of Spring!

The taps are finally running.  The snow is quickly melting, exposing the lush full scents of healthy earth (spelled here M...U...D...).  The animals are waking up and getting active.  Flocks of birds are returning ... cow-birds, geese, ducks ... singing their "We're home songs!"  I am eager to follow this MooseBoots path back into the woods and see what is growing.

Other signs are the dance competition seasons frenzied pace and confirmation of ... the 6th Annual Maine Knap-In on April 17th at the University of Southern Maine.  Last year, we had a blast!  There is so much to do, see, and learn.  If you live close, I recommend stopping by.  If not, you might consider it anyway.  Here is a link where I am assured they will be posting information.

I do look forward to boiling more sap down this weekend.  So far, we have been able to harvest 2 quarts of syrup.  One pint was done on the stove in the house, the rest outside.  You can really see the difference.  I will also be trying the freezing method I have read about.

It is shaping up to be a beautiful Spring.  My favorite signs are emerging, even down to the steak cooking over an open fire.  I enjoy hearing you favorite signs or recent observations.

And so, my MooseBoots journey starts another turn.  Happy Equinox!

Another Cycle Complete

I have recently realized that I have been blogging about this MooseBoots journey for a bit over a year.  The reminder was this itching little feeling in my whole being ... it is time ... time ... time to tap!  Last year, we tapped a bit earlier.  It was an early season.  We hope this one is better.  I must admit though that we did have enough syrup for the year ... even with our little backyard rig.  This year may be better ... I should have a bit more time to boil things with the job change.
So, how have I grown?  Where do I need to focus to continue this growth?  I leave it to you to reflect on the details.  I am trying to live in this moment on this path.  I find myself growing in incredible ways and along the way I find reminders, way points really, that I am moving in the right direction.  Sometimes, these can be merely a calm "knowing".  Sometimes, they are a reassuring passage in a book by an author I respect.  For instance, I just completed "The Vision", by Tom Brown.  While reading the last few pages of the book, I found myself shaking my head vigorously in agreement.

Where am I going?  Perhaps, the best way to tell you is to show you my plan.  Of course, plans have a way of being modified.  Here is the stack of books on my desk to be read, or re-read.

          

These books, coupled with spirit guides, have become my elders, my teachers.  While I have native ancestry, from both the Midwest plains Indians and, in all likelihood, more local tribes, I do not have contact and was not raised in these traditions.  In spite of this, I am always surprised to find how closely my beliefs parallel those in native cultures.  And with all this, I agonize at the pace of learning, but know that it is as it should be.  At some point, I hope to expand out and work with actual elders, but for now I do as I must.  Perhaps, I will have to opportunity to work more closely with the folks at the Maine Primitive Skills School.

I intend to continue working with our nature group(s).  I have been pondering for some time that there must be some basic skill set that allows one to live with the Earth for extended periods.  This was confirmed for me when I ran across this video.



This simple project uses several skills (coal burning, cordage making, carving) combined to achieve a goal.  That sounds exactly like I was thinking.  So, what are these skills?  I am working on it.  I reviewed Tom Brown's description of going into an extended survival situation in the back of Tom Brown's Field Guide to Living with the Earth.  I started making a list of the tasks.  Then, I will break those down into skills.

I will continue learning to braintan.  I still have hides left in various states of completion that need to be finished.  These have been salted and stored.  Of course, I have already put out there the desire for more hides to work in the fall, including moose hides.  I also need to finish my series of posts on braintanning.  Perhaps, it will expand into using the leather as well.

In addition, I will continue working in all of the other things.  I will be continuing on to a more advance Shamanic Apprenticeship this fall.  We hope to expand our foraging efforts.  I need to work on integrating our herbal remedies into our daily life ... we were all recently sick and it completely slipped my mind to gather white pine tea to help combat the flu.  It appears that the knowledge is there, but the wisdom to use it could use some work.  We will be re-starting our hive this Spring.  We will continue brewing, perhaps even a bit more of the maple stuff.  We are working on learning to make soap, tallow candles, and incense.

As you can probably see, there is a lot to do, much to learn, and a lot of growing to do in this next year.  I  find myself so fulfilled on this journey.  I am doing what needs to be done and am much happier for it.  Wendy and I have created many good things in our life together, her book, Surviving the Apocalypse in the Suburbs, our amazing children, our growing wisdom, and, perhaps, a small change for the better in the world.  Thank you, friends, for sharing in my growth.