In the woods again
Published: Wed, 01/02/19
If you have been reading my posts for a while this message might give you a slight sense of deja vu. Venetia and I spent Christmas just gone with her family in Norfolk again. Very pleasant it was too, and on Boxing day afternoon we had another big fire in the wood just across the road from the house. In 2018 Venetia’s father had cut down and relaid two hedges so there was a lot of stuff to burn. And the weather has been pretty wet, just as it was two years ago. So, some of the fire burned quite spectacularly and a lot of the wood hardly even seemed to get warm. The next day I spent some time in the wood encouraging the rest of the intended firewood to burn by stacking the damp branches onto the hot embers from the evening before. As I stated two years ago, finishing off a substantial bonfire is a pleasant way to spend a winter afternoon. Even if you you go back into the house stinking of woodsmoke.
I find it fascinating that a fire can turn a huge pile of dead wood into a quite small pile of white ash. In the process a huge amount of heat is generated. In fact, if you just leave the wood where it falls it will still disappear as the fungi break down the structure of the wood and absorb the nutrients for their own purposes. Either way, a wood or forest is an extraordinary place where tiny seeds, acorns, hazel nuts, beech mast etc, germinate, grow, and some flourish as trees and are eventually cut down and burned or just die naturally. And how does a tree grow? Well, apart from a few trace elements, and some proteins it makes itself, and tree creates its mighty trunk, roots, branches and leaves from air and water. The process, known as photosynthesis, is powered by sunlight. Trees are basically made of different forms of starch and sugar which are hydrocarbons. The hydrogen comes from the water, the carbon from carbon
dioxide. The spare oxygen molecules go back into the atmosphere which means we can breath. In the process of breathing we put carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere which benefits the trees and all other green plants. Okay, you already knew that, but when did you last stop and think about the processes which make life possible on our little planet? Anything made of wood, even the huge roof structure of Beverley Minster or a wooden ship such as the Victory or the Mary Rose are basically made from air, water and sunlight. In fact that simple combination can meet most of the needs of life, including food, fuel, structures, fabrics, medicines, tools, implements and weapons. We so often take trees and other plants for granted, but I think an acknowledgement of what they do for us, and even a thank you, would be in order from time to time.
The other reason I was happy to spend some time in that particular wood is that it is the setting for the Runes and Trees retreat coming up at Midsummer this year. Yes, the days might be short now, but why not come and spend the longest days with us in Norfolk? All the 18 trees associated with the runes are present on the site or nearby. We will have the opportunity for: Tree recognition, discovering the characteristics and uses of each tree. We will be making simple artifacts such as walking stick, tein and runes from appropriate wood. We will also do firelighting and maintaining a fire, again by choosing and preparing suitable timber. I am working on the details of the programme but the important information is here http://rr.stavcamp.org/
Don’t miss this opportunity, we are very blessed to have access to such an environment to explore, learn and practice basic skills in.
regards
Graham
PS Happy New Year and do make the most of 2019. Yes the year will have its ups and downs, nationally, globally and personally. Just don’t take too much notice of the mass media, very little that gets reported will affect you personally. Most of what you get out of the year will depend upon you efforts, dreams and willingness to engage with the opportunities in front of you. I have some interesting plans which build on what I accomplished in 2018, will keep you posted on those.