There is something about being able to walk out in a gentle rain that is relaxing. The day was warmish, with heavy air, enveloping us as we strolled under the canopy barely feeling the drizzle that was more noise than wet. We wandered up and across the little mountain east of the cabin, exploring familiar territory with new eyes. No need for a trail, these are old woods with trees that are showing their age by fracturing large segments of themselves. The wind has been abnormal lately and even these sturdy multi-century giants sometimes succumb The woods are a comfort to many eastern people, so they tend to get used. They are easy to be in, are full of useful plants, fungi, animals and resources in general. This excursion yielded some evidence to back up those statements. I can just imagine our forefathers/mothers and native americans walking similarly and coming upon sights that intrigued them and perhaps lead them to socialize with the frontiers folk. I am reading "The Trees" by Conrad Richter about this very topic. They were tough men, women and children who pushed the frontier westward. It wasn't all Davy Crockett adventure. One of our favorite creatures in these woodlands is the red eft. The juvenile stage of the eastern red spotted salamander. After a rainstorm, they seem to litter the forest floor. We love them because they speak of the good health of the ecosystem and eat mosquito larvae. They can live well over a decade. Their bright orange color is purposeful, letting predators know that this little morsel could affect their health. The eft secretes a chemical through its skin that is poisonous. Let's hope these amphibians continue to thrive.
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