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Danger in the Woods

8/27/2018

3 Comments

 
Picture
        As you read this, pretend you are a child of summer again. Lying in the tall waving grass at the top of a favourite hill. One of your bestest things to do is close your eyes, let yourself go, and roll down the hill. See how far you get. Do you curve left or right or roll straight down?
        When you open your eyes, glance upward, catch some lazy time. Watch floating white fluffy clouds---in elephant or fish shapes---slowly drift by high in the sky. A fuzzy bumble bee, oblivious to your presence, buzzes around the chicory weed on your right. The bee lands on the plant’s purple flower to gather its pollen. You marvel at how close you are, yet how ignored by the insect. A grasshopper jumps nearby, landing on a blade of grass not far from your field of vision. Your eyes are like those in a giant head as you watch this not-so-attractive-but-fascinating bug sway on the blade in the breeze. In every direction you see green, green, and more green. You feel at peace.                   
        Maybe you didn’t know it then, but you were in perfect harmony with Nature.

Picture
        Fast forward to Summer 2018.
        Be afraid. Be very afraid.
      Today’s walk in the tall grass of a favourite wooded area harbours dangerous insects, eager to land on unprotected skin, suck your blood, and leave you with a debilitating disease. Like Lyme Disease, West Nile Virus, or the sometime life-threatening effects of a wasp sting.
        Like monsters hiding under our childhood beds or running rampant in fairy tales, Lyme Disease is our newest walk-in-the-wood villain; the disease is spread by ticks found worldwide.

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        West Nile Virus infected mosquitoes are rapidly taking away the pleasure of walking in the woods, too. The latest info advises you to spray preventive---and toxic---chemicals on your bare skin.
        As for bees and/or wasps---if their stings trigger allergic reactions---you have a hazardous health problem.
        Unfortunately, insects are not the only danger in the wild these days.

Picture
        This summer, noxious fumes from multiple forest fires rule the world. In Canada, the province of British Columbia is particularly hard hit. Family and friends from around the province complain of headaches, sore throats, respiratory difficulties, all caused by smoky skies.
A poignant prayer from our artist son lights up the apocalyptic scene and captures the essence of Nature’s fragility: these fiery hot spots---raging out of control--- are not natural nor beneficial for forest regrowth. Constant, licking flames deliver instant destruction to people, wildlife, and property.    Negative effects bombard the environment.

Picture
        As a child, my fondest memories are long hikes in Canadian woods with cool running brooks, tall erect evergreens, warbling bug-eyed frogs, stately standing blue herons, the haunting call of the loon on a quiet inland lake….
But these idyllic memories clash with today’s realities. A hike in the woods now is almost akin to mediaeval times when the very idea of going into the woods sat in the dark heart of fairy tales. Then, the forest was a threatening, mystical world, filled with unknown misadventures, terrible challenges, and life or death decisions.
        Sometimes, when my husband and I head out for a hike today, with necessary garb like long pants tucked into long socks tucked into hiking boots, wearing long sleeves in Sahara-sweat temperatures, protective hat on vulnerable head, carrying a backpack with water, energy bars, ointments, bug spray, sun protection from UV rays, and yes---a cell phone---I get the feeling there’s a big bad wolf or bug or fire out there somewhere just waiting to gobble me up.

3 Comments
PD Adolph
8/30/2018 08:34:23 pm

yadayadayadayada

Reply
Scott
9/2/2018 05:03:06 am

Hi Heather

This demonstrates the effectiveness of the establishment and their fear porn about west Nile disease etc, it's always on the radio or TV telling you not to go out into the woods etc. Well guess what, I've been out in the woods at the beach four times this summer, wish it could be more. I've saved dragon flies, and other bugs and have noticed for the first time in well over a decade that the monarch butterfly is in abundance. This tells me nature is recovering, despite the attempts to push out the people from the most beautiful parts of North America like BC and California through concocted land grabs by burning them out. It won't work, humanity is not falling for it and is defending their keep. Regardless, the walk in the woods is still there Heather, as biting bugs were always part of it, the only difference is the fear porn blasted on various media has made you fearful of getting outside, and since the energies of Gaia are upgrading humanity at the moment, that's exactly why they want you inside. So don't fall for their nonsense, get outside go for walks and the next time a sticky situation occurs, jump into ferns and not poison ivy!

Cheers.
Scott

PS Lake Clear is more beautiful than ever!

Reply
Heather Rath link
9/2/2018 05:42:16 am

Your comments ring true, Scott. Happy to hear about Lake Clear. No matter what, I always walk in the woods!

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Photos used under Creative Commons from Bazar del Bizzarro, roland, Mike Kniec