A Christmas Memory

                         

                                         Merry Christmas!!!  

  As with most people my age, growing up we spent a lot of time in nature but didn't actual see it.

  

  Winter or summer my siblings and I wandered the hills and fields that surrounded our home east of Roxbury. We'd find things to occupy our time – often a creek/pond to get wet in, which caused a problem when we got home. Wild berries and apples that were picked would soon be turned into dessert for the evening meal. Wild flowers were gathered and brought home. The goat prairie on the hill behind the house was a great place to check out the boulders and ledges. It was a sunny spot to head to keep warm on cool spring and fall days. I'm sure that there were bald eagles around but they're not in my memory until much later in my life. 

    Now after living along the Lower Wisconsin River for thirty plus years I actually see and hear nature. This new-found ability was pushed forward by the mentoring of several people, like Jean Clausen. Who would have thought that I would drive out of my way to find interesting hills and fields that went unnoticed before. The lone bur oak tree in the picture (named "Hope") would have only been something to climb in. Now it became a highlight of an afternoon spent with a couple that shared my love of the outdoors. 

    I had been invited to celebrate Christmas Day with them. We had filled our bellies with a wonderful home-cooked meal and decided to take a walk out in their prairie. They have several acres that once were part of a much larger farm. Since purchasing the property a lot of energy has been put into restoring most of it into native prairie. A walk through it provides something new in any season. The oak is standing out in the open at the end of the prairie and surrounded by large fields. The sun was setting on our day together but before I headed home we took time to talk about our walk. We sat in front of the wood burning stove and had a piece of raspberry pie made from the summer’s harvest. Part of the conversion was about the oak tree. I had to admit that I couldn't usually tell one kind of oak from another. The pin oak is the exception because the neighbors have one in their yard. The pin oak holds on to its leaves until spring (more raking!). It's thought this makes the twigs less palatable, a defense against deer. Someone mentioned that long ago many Native American tribes would gather under large oak trees for council meetings. Being out in the open, any approach would soon be detected. Under the massive branches of the “Council Oaks” many talks would be of war or peace. religious ceremonies and dancing would end the council meetings.

    There's a legend that maidens of the tribes would brew a tea from its leaves during war and drink it for the safe return of the warriors. Another one involves the full moon and brewing young tender leaves (love tea) to insure that their mates would remain true to them.