I heard about it on the radio.
Many of us have written about forest bathing, but this guy was a Wild Church leader. There is a Wild Church network, as well. It is basically the same thing, only you have a leader to tell you what to look for, and how to find God! And, yes, there is a book about it!
"The Wild Church Network is here to encourage and support people who are starting Wild Churches. The Church of the Wild book offers inspiration for those who feel the call from Spirit and Earth herself to create a spiritual community that reconnects us to the rest of the alive and sacred world."
I'm not part of organized religion anymore. Between my social anxiety, and COVID, I am happier toodling around in the forest by myself. That's just me! Numbers are going up, poor Isabelle, has to stay home as the school is having trouble getting teachers. A restaurant in Ottawa had to close temporarily due to staff absences.
Tuesday the outdoors called me. Cinnamon was exhausted looking for his squirrel friends. We've 3 red squirrels and two black ones.
Outside, I spotted a cricket, awake after sleeping through the cold winter. A sign of spring!
Even though we've snow, the sun is warm and wonderful.
I took myself down to the meadow. As I walked across it to check out the dock, I sunk down into the water under the snow. It was a bit of a shock, and I screamed with the surprise after I sunk down. You'll have to imagine it. I snickered afterwards.
I looked down, and found a lot of meltwater under the snow cover.
The frogpond is melting on the shore line, where the trees reflect and/or retain the heat. I saw something move in the water, too. I'm not sure what it was, maybe a bullfrog tadpole? They spend two years as a tadpole, unlike other frogs.
This is for reference, the water is quite high at the end of the dock, with lots of melt water on top.
Speaking of frogs, we are getting set to do the Western Chorus Frog surveys again. They cancelled it last year, but we are excited about it. I was sent my 4 locations, and mapped them, but I am sceptical about a couple of them. Here is where they have observed them.
Back at the house, my squash, pumpkins and zucchini are coming along. I did begin too early, but I needed the distraction.
In this photo, I managed to capture some buds on the orchid cactus.
I moved the trailcam, as it can no longer sit in the snow, and the ground is frozen. I have 75 videos of Butch raccoon to process!
These are from Wednesday, after even more snow melt.
By today, after 20 mm rain, things are opening up.
And, the crows are still frequent flyers. We'll see if they nest in the yard, again.
crows March 18 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
18 comments:
...I find God in nature.
Hari OM
Spring is properly started, it seems! YAM xx
The Wild church sounds really wild to me.
I think it strange that someone has made an organized religion out of a wonderful free appreciation of the spiritual in nature. Enjoying nature doesn't need to be organized! I did change the millimeter count to inches (US ways) so I could think of the amount of rain you had...we probably had that much on Wed. Yesterday I checked the flow of our local creek, and it was a bit fast and high.
I heard that guy on the radio talking about the wild church.
Your seedlings look terrific. Still a lot of snow, though! I'm like you -- I grew up in a religion (Congregational) which is fine and if I had to pick one, I'd probably do that. But I'm not big on organized religions as such. My church is in the people I see, the deer, the cat, the water, the sky. I've seen too many people who faithfully attend church and are oh, so religious, and then do or say the most hateful, spiteful things. (I've seen plenty who are genuine as well). It's not a lack of faith but perhaps a deeper one.
When I first heard of forest bathing I thought they were writing about taking baths in creeks in the woods. Nope, just walking through the forest taking it all in. I guess have been forest bathing most of my life. I don't need a church to help me out.
Our church, a methodist church, is getting all homophobic and quitting the united methodists so the wife and I going somewhere else.
Spring is springing up here also. Still kind of cool though.
interesting on forest bathing!
You and I are both very lucky people to be in beautiful restorative places and to be able to distance as we need to. Hang in there. My friend. Change is a foot but I think we are in for better days ahead. Aloha dear
It's a shame how churches are getting all political and forgetting about the love and tolerance and spiritual growth that Jesus talked about.
Nature is where I see God's creativity, and I am part of a local congregation, too. The Wild Church is something I've not heard of before - sounds interesting.
I have a very elderly German friend. Some years ago, he dropped has wife to mass, then came out to our house until it was time to pick her up. We walked to the top of the hill behind thenhouse. He raised his arms to the sky and said, This is my church. I've never forgotten that some 30+ years on. When I'm in nature I see God say thank you for sharing this glory with us. Are we any less a Christian than those who choose to worship indoors at an alter?
I saw a moth fluttering around the back light when I put the princess pup out for her bedtime pee!
A lot of the remaining snow here is going.
I am surprised to read about Church of the Wild. I don't live anywhere near wild, so this interested me.
Looks like you are getting a good start on your garden. I will be container gardening this year again.
I miss our trees that we had on our prev ious property. I hope the trees were just what you wanted. The crows, maybe a murder, a horde, a mob, a muster or a parcel, but "murder" is the most common.Hope the nest again for you. Slushy snow, and water below, did your gumboots keep you dry?
i love crows. i might not be like others but i think all black birdies are way cool. so fun!! unique. ( ;
They are excellent boots, Jean!
I love that story, Karen!
I was about to say the same thing as Christine that Wild Church is very like forest bathing. I do love being in a forest, but haven't done it in such a long time.
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