Let There Be Light

Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. ~Maori Proverb

An age is called "dark," not because the light fails to shine but because people refuse to see it. ~James Michener

The padded cloths came off the windows yesterday, lifting all of our spirits. Yu-Ling now has his windowsill perch to sleep upon and a premier view of everything that passes our cabin. The cabin is no longer a cave in which to wait out the winter, but a cozy nest of warmth and light. The outside temperature is above freezing; melting snow is dripping from the eaves. We have heard that it will be getting colder again in a few days, but for the moment we will enjoy our reprieve from winter’s grip.

As Bob opened the front door yesterday morning, he called to me and said, “Come listen.” We stood on the steps and heard a wolf howl to our right; then an answering call off to our left. Back and forth. Then silence. In the fast-paced world that we live in, a minute or two doesn’t count for much. But when that minute or two holds within it the wild call of wolves, it is worth a lifetime. It is hard to explain to someone who has never heard wolves in the wild. I have mixed emotions, joy that our lives can include something that is becoming increasingly rare, and sadness that we may be the last to hear that call from the wilderness.

Blue sky and sun today as we watched a Fisher (Martes pennanti) with its fox-like face, come out of the woods toward the cabin. It rose up on its hind legs, looked around, and then made its way around the back to zig zag and leap across the snow-covered stream in the direction of the beaver pond. The popularity of its beautiful brown fur almost brought the fisher to extinction in the early 20th century. They and the cougar are primary predators of the porcupine. In our Mammals of British Columbia field guide, the author states, “For the lucky naturalist, meeting a wild Fisher is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The rest of us must content ourselves with the knowledge that this reclusive animal remains a top predator in coniferous wildlands.” We are indeed fortunate… warmer temperatures, sunlight, wolf calls, and a Fisher sighting. Yu-Ling now sits in a pool of sunshine. He looks happy.

If there is one spot of sun spilling onto the floor,

a cat will find it and soak it up. ~Jean Asper McIntosh

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