The Free Radical

We’ve actually been back in action for a couple of days already. There were four days over Christmas when Sitka and I were out of town. The local Forest had been informed of our absence and upon the first day back I was somewhat surprised to see that very few animals had tracked our route during those days. The snow was untouched and pristine… except for a few deer tracks here and there.

By our second day back, once the Forest had learned of our return, our usual frequent interactions resumed. No sooner were our tracks laid down, then immediately followed those of Rabbit, Deer, Coyote and Elk among others. Here’s Sitka with an Elk’s foot she pulled onto the trail:

Elk’s calling card here wasn’t really enough to make much of an impression… although I did note that Elk had been largely absent from our adventuring so far. Perhaps that was about to change…

When we got to the Mesa on the second day the sure signs of Elk were everywhere. I know that my readers must be tired of all the tracks in the snow… so here’s an alternative sign:

There were also tracks criss-crossing all over the Mesa, and a few bedding down sites where the snow had been removed and the grass underneath flattened. It was rather obvious that a small group of elk had spent the better part of a couple of days on the Mesa.

Astute readers may recall that I had just recently buried a declaration of alliance with the Nature Kingdoms on the Mesa the week before. Elk’s desire to speak to that agreement was writ large in the snow of our favourite Power Spot.

“It is certainly a time of alliances and agreements, of co-operation and communication. The Wapiti Nation is powerful because of our natural tendency toward collaboration. We group together to share the duties and pleasures of Life.

“Throughout the year we tend to remain gender segregated– males with males, females with females. In the late autumn, our time of power, we come together for obvious reasons. We understand and honour the male/female dichotomy, knowing that it is sourced in egalitarian values.

“During the rut, the neck of the male thickens for impact. The neck symbolizes the Bridge between head and heart… between the body and Spirit.

“The time of the rut is done… the Bridge this year however, lingers in a new permanence. The Spirit refuses to withdraw or recede. We are all less “flesh” than we once were… We are a fresh new breath in the winter chill, warming to our further union.

“Invitation accepted.”

(The next Forest Report on Dec. 31 will be a look back at the previous year. Then on January 1st– the day of the New Moon– intentions shall be initiated… within the new framework of co-operation.)