Searching and Singing! (3 of 3)

There is a great difference between knowing a thing and understanding it.

You can know a lot about something and not really understand it.

      Charles Franklin Kettering

The pounding rain has dwindled down to a trickling rain so I pull myself up off this rock and head back to the clearing before the next bush. I am not ready to leave the comfort of the bush yet. A Red Tailed Hawk comes swooping down from high atop an Oak tree screeching, I always love this. He is so beautiful; he lands back in a Maple tree keeping a close eye on my movements. I head into the trees with my eyes to the ground “Hello” (just in case). I pick up some Turkey feathers lying on the ground, a blogger friend Laura believes they are a message from someone, and I believe she is right. I always thought the Hawk sightings were a message too I need to believe this. I smile.

“If you go out in the woods today, dah dah dah dah” I smile I am singing it has not been lost it had been waiting for the weight to be lifted that had been holding it down inside. I just needed to forget about those challenging thoughts sitting up in my kitchen, waiting. “You better be dah dah dah”, maybe someday I will remember all the words.

This bush has always been here soothing my smallest and my biggest challenges in this life, I have always found the answers I needed. This bush shall be here when I need it even when what I am worried about is gone. It has gotten me through in spite of my own actions, I just need to seek it out and wait. It is like my secret weapon. It gives me the confidence to believe in what I am doing and thinking, and rids me of the doubts that linger.

I hop over the slippery rail fence and wander into my good friend NDF’s tree paradise. I can see where the top rail of the rail fence is snapped in a downward angle. I was told by a hunter that the Deer could not do that and that it is from a Bear climbing up, sitting, and then hopping off, their weight snapping the rail. I never really believed it back then, I do now.

All of a sudden it starts to pour rain again “I’m singing in the rain” there it is again. This seems to be working.

I take my time as the steady drops of rain drip off my hood and run down my face. I carefully pull out my camera and try to cover it with my hood while taking a photo of the most beautiful dead Maple tree. It is still here for me to enjoy, standing tall, and a little haggard looking but waiting for it’s time to come when it will fall and rest on the forest floor. The circle of life.

I walk down the lane and notice a retaining wall made of flat rocks that was built probably one hundred or more years ago. I imagine the hard work that went into this. I imagine the old machinery being pulled across this gully by an old horse. I climb down the slippery bank to get a better look. Why have I never done this before? Why have I never taken the time?  The moss covered rocks make me smile “If your happy and you know it clap your hands” A childhood song pops into my head and floats effortlessly across my lips. “Clap Clap”

I make my way through the dense bush, it is really raining now and I cannot see very far in front of me, it is like a misty fog. I stumble upon half of my cows hiding in the bush trying to stay dry and avoiding the rain. I talk to them as I make my way stepping between them into the clearing just outside the bush. The other half of my cows are standing and lying in the pouring rain oblivious, and happy just like me.

I can see the house now; the rain is sure coming down. My wool sock covered pretty painted toes slosh around in my hiking shoes. My cold wet pants cling to my legs. My orange wind breaker is barely stopping the pounding rain from soaking through and the water drips down my face as I walk.

“Singing in the rain, I’m singing in the rain”. “Oh what a glorious feeling I’m happy again”.

Happy 84^th Birthday Mom. I love you.

Later.

I will be taking a few days off, See you Monday. Hug B