Morning Meditation

“...Algonquin...
To some of us the word itself is an expression of emotion. A word that evokes priceless memories…the fragrance of campfire smoke, the squeak of snowshoes at thirty below, the golden mists of September steaming under the bow of a silent canoe”
(To the wild Country by John & Janet Foster)

To me it is a lifetime of memories. It is family. It is home. This week I am "Uncle sitting". I am so blessed to spend each day with my wonderful 92 year old uncle…Dr. Tay!

Our time together is going by too quickly. Every day is project oriented, and together Tay & I have accomplished a great deal. Most of our time has been spent collecting birch for picture framing, stripping the bark to a smooth, soft finish, followed by careful varnishing of each branch. On Monday, we spent the entire day searching for the perfect birch trees…now it is the only tree I see when I look into the forest. I have learned a lot these past few days. Who needs Wikipedia when you have Dr. Tay?

Like the birch tree, our time is limited. The white birch has a lifespan of approximately 45 years. As I searched for a slender white birch tree, it became evident that…like us…the birch are unique. They "stand out from the crowd". They grow tall and provide a safe perch & wonderful lookout for their feathered friends.

Perhaps because of its beauty, the birch was considered a magical tree in Northern Europe. Brooms were made out of its twigs to sweep away evil.

Birch bark has a special quality…it resists water and decomposition. Because of this resilience, our forefathers traveled the lakes and rivers in the birch bark canoe!

Nothing is cozier than the crackle and warmth of a birch wood fire. Birch bark can last for years on the forest floor and still burn long after the wood around it turns to mush.

This tree is a leader. It is the first to signal the change of the seasons. The leaves turn yellow before the maples turn crimson. The birches stand out before the other trees…then blend with the multitude of color in the woods…their silent strength ever prominent. The birch is the first tree to take root after a forest fire!

And so, Dr. Tay and I share our days together gathering & preparing birch bark frames for Dr. Tay's wonderful oil paintings.

These birch bark frames will last a lifetime…or longer…the birch bark frames will surround precious memories of the enchanting August moon whose light dances on the waters, outlining a green and orange canoe floating peacefully, side by side, on the shores of Canoe Lake.