And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: >X-Originating-IP: [24.92.0.22] >From: "Karen Mitchell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: Back to Nature Column: Uninvited Guest Part 1 >Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1998 14:07:11 PST >> >Dear Ish, >Here's my Christmas present to all. This is the Part 1 of the column >that just appeared in the papers today. I will also be sending Part 2 >that although is at the printers has not been read by anyone but you >guys. Happy Holidays to Everyone. I wish I could send you the >illustrations too. If anyone wants them (a raven and a grizzly bear) I >can send them as JPG in private. Just let me know. If I get industrious >I will put the whole thing on a web page...if? >G<) Enjoy! >(BTW as always..is a true story) >********************************************************************* >Back to Nature Column by Karen Mitchell >An Uninvited Guest-part I > >Wearing only a sweater, I gathered cedar branches to decorate our little >cabin for the holidays. Jennifer excitedly ran behind me stacking the >boughs in a pile on the front porch. As the sun fell on the foot-deep >snow, it melted the surface like a pan of diamonds sparkling >multi-colored rays of light. The snow on the pines hung heavy on their >boughs sounding with soft f-thumps when the large clumps slid to the >ground. Grishka, our year old husky-malamute, was busy digging for >buried treasures, leaving large holes dotting the landscape resembling >craters on the moon. > >"When are we going to cut down the tree, Mom?" Jennifer repeatedly kept >asking me. "When are we going to cut down the tree?" She had picked >out a small fir tree, three and a half foot tall at the edge of the >woods earlier in the summer. "This is the one I want for Christmas," >she�d announced. She�d pampered it through the seasons, even going so >far as to decorate it with peanut butter smeared pine cones for the >birds. I�d promised her that after we put up the garlands we�d go and >get the tree. Then it began to snow. At first it was just a dusting but >within twenty minutes the snow fell thick in large, multi-faceted >flakes, quickly changing the landscape into a smooth, white blanket. The >clouds covered the sun adding a damp chill to the air. We put on our >coats, then our scarves, then mittens and eventually our hats in an >effort to keep warm while we made the final touches to our woodland >cabin�s holiday decor. "B-r-r-r-r-r," I shivered, "Let�s get inside for >a while and warm up with some hot chocolate before going about getting >your little tree." Grishka flopped down in front of the fireplace. >Lumps of ice melted from his thick, white coat in the warm, glowing heat >of the low fire. The snowfall grew into a squall battering the windows >with high winds, as it wailed through the forest that surrounded us. I >made a pot of soup for my dejected three-year old in an attempt to try >and lift her spirits, but it was of little use. In her mind the tree >she wanted so badly to decorate for the winter solstice was being >bombarded by a "mean storm". As the night grew upon us and the storm >hadn�t subsided, I stoked the fire, wrapped us up in warm blankets, and >settled in for the duration. > >The call of ravens woke me at the light of dawn. Loud and boisterous >they frolicked from tree to tree. Although I couldn�t see any apparent >reason for this raucous behavior, I knew better than to ignore it. >Ravens often warn of enemies in their territory or of dangerous weather. >The raven is the focus of many legends. They are surrounded with >mythology and folklore in cultures around our world. Referred to in the >Bible, it was the raven that Noah was said to have sent out after the >floods, but never returned. Ravens have been said to be messengers from >the spirit world, bringing us warnings and possibly foretelling of >omens. Native Americans believed that the raven was part of the spirit >world, the human world and the animal world all mixed in one. Whether >you believe in any of this or not, it is true that the highly >intelligent raven is a loud vocalizer, warning of predators in the area >and often will fly in groups ahead of a violent storm cautioning >everyone in their path of the impending weather. The weather it seemed, >had subsided with drifts as high as four feet against the cabin and the >trees, even so the ravens vocalizations seemed more than idle chatter as >they swooped from tree to tree leaving me with an eerie feeling of >uneasiness. > >Jennifer and I got dressed for the ceremonial cutting of the tree and >set out for the edge of the forest. Grishka whined and doubled back to >the cabin. The ravens were making such a racket that I assumed his >sensitive ears just couldn�t take it anymore. Looking all around us I >could see nothing for miles except this feisty group of black birds that >were following us through the woods. The little tree was no match for >my sharpened ax so in no time we had it tied and dragging behind us in >return to our cabin. The ravens followed. Starting to feel nervous, I >was glad that the day would be spent safe and sound inside, honoring our >tree with hand-made decorations. Grishka sat waiting on the porch, >which was not in his nature and quickly retreated indoors to his place >by the fire. The ravens settled down in the trees, apparently intent >upon joining our winter solstice celebration. > >The cold and dreariness outside, made the cabin seem all that more >inviting and warm inside. Jennifer peeled an onion, as I prepared a >deer roast with potatoes in the Dutch oven to cook over the amber fire. >Peculiarly, Grishka wouldn�t go out for his customary walk that evening, >even after the ravens had quieted. I was concerned that he was falling >ill with something. At the same time, my instincts were tense with an >uneasiness that I didn�t understand but I knew I�d best be watchful >through the night. Next week: An Uninvited Guest-Part II > > > > >______________________________________________________ >Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com > <<<<=-=-=FREE LEONARD PELTIER=-=-=>>>> If you think you are too small to make a difference; try sleeping in a closed room with a mosquito.... African Proverb <<<<=-=http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ =-=>>>> IF it says: "PASS THIS TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW...." Please Check it before you send it at: http://urbanlegends.miningco.com/library/blhoax.htm
