THE SOJOURN -

MUSKOKA AS WALDEN - RE-VISITED

I MUST ADMIT SADLY, THE BUSY DAYS OF THE CHRISTMAS SEASON, AND THE TRANSPORTATION DEMANDS ON AN OLD ROADIE, FOR THE FAMILY MUSIC BUSINESS, HAS KEPT ME AWAY FROM THE WOODLANDS, FOR THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS. THE AFTER-NEW YEARS RAIN, THEN SNOW, AND THE COLD DAYS AFTER, HAVE MADE THIS FOREST ABOVE THE BOG APPEAR ENCHANTED….SCULPTED. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL SCENE FROM MY OFFICE WINDOW, AT BIRCH HOLLOW, AND EVEN MORE SPECTACULAR, TAKING A WALK THIS MORNING WITH MY CANINE FRIEND BOSKO. MY MOTHER MERLE WOULD HAVE CALLED THIS A WINTER WONDERLAND. AND I WOULD HAVE TRIED SOMETHING LESS SENTIMENTAL, IN RESPONSE. BUT SHE WOULD BE RIGHT. THAT IS EXACTLY THE PROPER CAPTION, FOR A PHOTOGRAPH OF THIS FROZEN LANDSCAPE.

THE YOUNGSTERS ARE STILL OFF FOR THE CHRISTMAS VACATION, AND EVEN EARLY THIS MORNING, THERE IS THE SOUND OF LAUGHING AND SLEDS BEING DRAGGED ALONG THE ICE, TOWARD THE NEIGHBORHOOD HILLSIDE. IT'S NICE TO HEAR. IT IS A LITTLE MILDER THIS MORNING, AND THE ICE AND SNOW VENEER ON THE TREE BOUGHS, IS STARTING TO BREAK OFF, AND SHATTER DOWN ONTO THE BRUSH BELOW, MAKING A SOFT THUD, AND WHAT MIGHT BE CONFUSED WITH BREAKING GLASS AGAINST A HARD SURFACE. IF THE SHARDS HIT THE SOFT SNOW, THERE IS JUST A LOW IMPACT, AS IF A HAT FELL OFF A TRAVELLER, AND LANDED IN THE NEW SNOW FROM LAST NIGHT. NO LOUDER. IF THE LARGE LENGTH OF ICE HITS THE SMALL TREES AND SHRUBS BENEATH, IT MAKES A SIGNIFICANT NOISE…..THAT DOES MAKE YOU PONDER MOMENTARILY, WHAT THAT WOULD FEEL LIKE ON THE TOP OF THE HEAD.

THE WHOLE LANDSCAPE IS SO PICTURESQUE, AND EVEN IF IT WAS SUB-ZERO FOR A NUMBER OF DAYS, THIS SCENE IS JUST AS WARMING AS WHEN THE SUN BREAKS THROUGH THE CLOUD COVER, AND SPARKLES WITH DIAMOND LIGHT, DOWN ON THIS LOOSE LAYER OF SNOW-COVER. IT IS A GENTLE, QUIET PLACE THIS MORNING, THAT BECKONS THE PHILOSOPHERS AND POETS TO STAND WITH IT, AND LISTEN TO THE WIND RISING OVER THE FAR HILLSIDE…..SINGING THROUGH THE EVERGREEN BOUGHS.

AS ALWAYS, IT IS A PLEASANT RESPITE FROM THE BUSY WORLD, OF POST CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION.