As part of National Wildlife Week, the home school workshops will also look for wildlife here at The Cabin Path!

Celebrate National Wildlife Week Starting March 15 - Children & Nature Network (C&NN)

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A recent event featuring Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods, was held in Atlanta. I found his speech very interesting. I realize that places like The Cabin Path are quickly becoming a thing of the past, and it makes me more grateful for having lived here for over 50 years.

http://blankfoundation.org/news/webcast.html

Snow at The Cabin Path......

American Beech Tree
Scientific name: Fagus grandifolia
Pronunciation: FAY-gus gran-dih-FOLE-ee-uh
Common name(s): American Beech
Family: Fagaceae
Origin: native to North America





In winter, identifying trees can be more of a challenge than in spring, summer, or fall. There are two main types of trees, Evergreens and Deciduous. The Evergreens include the pines and cedars. Most have needle like leaves that stay green on trees throughout the winter. The wood of evergreen trees is softer, and it is easier to use for building materials. Deciduous trees are the hardwoods. They have broader leaves that usually fall in autumn. The wood of the Beech is almost white and is used most often in toys, cookware, furniture, and for barrels that age beer. The tree is very resistant to decay under water, so it was used to make water wheels in Colonial times. The wood is also used for tool handles, chairs, cuttings boards, and charcoal.

There are some deciduous trees that do not shed their leaves in the fall. One such tree is the Beech. In the fall, the Beech leaves turn bronze but weather to a light tan color (top pic). Some leaves remain until late into the winter if they are not blown off by the wind. The new foliage will push the crisp older leaves off in spring, but until spring, they are easily identified among the bare branches of winter.

I enjoy the Beech trees here at The Cabin Path. They are easy for workshop groups to identify in every season. I've never seen the Quaking Aspens out west, but I imagine the Beech trees here are very similar. In winter, when the wind blows, the Beech leaves shake in the wind and sound like raindrops.

The bark of the Beech is thin and smooth, and it looks like elephant skin. Our older trees have carvings or arborglyphs of hearts and initials. Many old Beech trees are living recordings of events, mapping, and even poetry! We have arborglyphs here at The Cabin Path...including some of my early art work!

Cranefly Orchids
Family: Orchidaceae (or-kid-AY-see-ee)
Genus: Tipularia
Species: discolor (DIS-kol-or)

I took a walk today…a little nippy, but a welcomed change from yesterday’s cold, rainy day. It’s early for my wildflowers, but there are a few to see. The Cranefly Orchid is easy to spot in the winter. The leaves remind me of the annual, Coleus because of their colors. The top of the Cranefly Orchid’s leaf (in winter) is a mottled green, and the underside is shiny purplish red. They usually grow in colonies. There will be several leaves—each a single plant. These late fall-winter leaves are called “hibernal” leaves. The leaves will wither and die in spring, and a 12-18 inch stalk will grow. When the orchid blooms in mid-July, no leaves are visible. The flower of Cranefly Orchid’s flower is very delicate and inconspicuous. It is a towering spike of pale green and purplish tan flowers. Interestingly, it is pollinated by night flying moths.
Other common names are Elfin's Spur and Cripples Cranefly. Cranefly Orchids are not usually available in nurseries since, like all native orchids, it is dependent on fungi in the ground. Another reason it isn’t found frequently in nurseries is the fact that all parts of the plant not considered “showy” enough for gardens.
I once read a quote:
“What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.”
~Ralph Waldo Emerson~
No, Cranefly Orchids aren’t weeds; in fact they are on some state’s rare and endangered plant lists. I enjoy finding the Cranefly Orchids, and they are a welcome sight in the dead of winter here at The Cabin Path….especially after the winter we are having!

I recently found a site on Facebook called "Trees" very interesting!
I decided to post some of the unusual trees at The Cabin Path. I have been reading articles and books about the meaning of trees...just might be a new workshop!

BRRRRRRRRRRR...it's been cold! The Cabin Path Workshops will resume in March!

As many of you know, I lost my only sister to ovarian cancer in November. I cancelled all fall workshops to help with her care. It has been a slow healing process for both me and our 93 year old Mother. Cheryl was my best friend...and a huge believer in my projects here at The Cabin Path. I miss her...and I am planning a Butterfly Garden in her memory down at the labyrinth cove. A few days after her death, I read a quote: "If there were no changes, there would be no butterflies."
That quote surfaced four more times in totally unrelated places, and a very late season butterfly was on the doorknob of the Gathering Room one morning in December.
I felt as though she was sending me a message. Several have made donations to The Cabin Path in her memory, and all funds are going to the butterfly garden.

New workshops are coming! A group of photographers have been meeting regularly, and The Cabin Path has a Flickr Group! Talk of photography workshops are in the works, as well as music workshops! The Cabin Path Pickin' Group is sounding better every
month! We plan some nursing home concerts, a Caregivers Day concert, and a Gathering/Picnic on Jan 23 here at The Cabin Path. Our monthly (2nd Thursday Night) practices (6 PM -8 PM) are open to any that want to play or listen! I am also going to start a Loss Support..or I may call it a "Life Support" Group!... and the regular Thursday Home School Workshops will resume in March! (11 AM - 1 PM)

Plans and projects are coming together. Much work on the trails will need to be done after this winter, so if picking up sticks is your therapy, please let me know!
I can vouch that it is very healing.

Watch for more updates! 2010 will be an exciting new year for The Cabin Path!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays...

Robert Bateman is regarded as one of the world's greatest wildlife artists.
http://www.gettoknow.ca/us/index.php This site has some very interesting information about children and nature. Take a few minutes to explore it. It also features a contest open for youth ages 18 and under. The theme: "Forests"



Look at this link for information!

While watching the rain today...a surprise!

Fall at The Cabin Path....

For the past 2 weeks, the Home School Thursday Workshops have been learning about insects. Since insects make up 95% of all critters, we learned how and why they are so important! We learned about some invasive Fire Ants, and we even found an underground Yellow Jacket's nest..luckily before they found us! We finished our workshops with Build a BUG.

Every week as I walk the trails, I watch for plants that catch my attention. Usually it's a bloom, or the fact that it seems to be a food supply for one of the critters, but this week, the Sassafras Tree spoke the loudest! I discovered new Sassafras Trees in several new places. Today as I sat at in the rock circle on the hill, I gazed up at a passing Pileated Woodpecker. The wind made the leaves of the Sassafras look like hundreds of waving hands. I knew then, it would be my plant of the week!

Sassafras belongs to the Laurel Family. Its leaves resemble a hand with three extended fingers. All parts of the Sassafras were important to Native Americans and pioneers. Infusions were made from the bark of the roots and were taken internally to treat fevers, as well as a remedy to treat diarrhea, rheumatism, measles, and scarlet fever. An infusion of the roots was used as a blood purifier, and it was even used as a dietary aid for those overweight! Infusions of the plant were used as a cough medicine, mouthwash, pain killer, and gargle for colds. Root infusions were used as a wash for eye problems. Decoctions made from roots were used to treat heart troubles. An infusion of the plant was mixed with whiskey and used for rheumatism, tapeworms, and as a blood remedy to purify the blood. The leaves were made into a poultice that would be rubbed onto bee stings, wounds, cuts, and on sprained ankles.

In addition to this variety of medicinal uses, Sassafras was used for food, construction, and other purposes. The leaves were used fresh as a spice, much like bay leaves, for flavoring in meat soups. Leaves were dried and pounded and used as a thickening agent and to added for flavor to foods and soups. “Filé”, made from the ground roots or leaves, is an important spice still used today in Cajun foods, such as gumbo. The white or red roots, made a pleasant-tasting tea, although the red roots were preferred, young leaves were also used. The wood from the Sassafras tree was used to make furniture and boats. The flowers were used as a fertilizer when planting beans. The plant was used as a fragrance to scent soap. The bark contains oil of Sassafras, an important flavoring. The bark was used as an emetic purification after funeral ceremonies. The roots were often used as a brown dye. A Sassafras in your yard also helps to keep mosquitoes and flies away! It was also used to make root beer, but because it has been linked to cancer, it is no longer used for it.

Wildlife is attracted to the Sassafras, and I have noticed that it is a favorite of the beaver. The fruit of the Sassafras is quickly eaten by birds, squirrels, and deer. Early settlers thought that the tree's wood had magical qualities to ward off bad spirits. Beds were often constructed from the wood of the Sassafras to protect them as they slept. Author Albert Constantine Jr., in the book Know Your Woods, wrote that Sassafras has had a peculiar history. "It was once supposed to possess miraculous healing powers, and people believed that it would renew the youth of the human race. The production of sassafras oil is perhaps the largest industry dependent upon this tree." A Fountain of Youth???

Sassafras Trees grow on the rock circle hill at The Cabin Path. I wonder if they sprouted from the roots of those used by the Native Americans in their ceremonies long ago. Their leaves will soon turn a beautiful orange and gold...and then fall and cover the ground with a carpet of little "hands". They are a favorite of the Tree Workshop groups because they are so easily identified, but they are a favorite of mine for all of their mystical history and beauty.

Plant of the Week:

Saint Andrew's Cross (Hypericum hypericoides)

There is a little bushy plant that grows at The Cabin Path. Its leaves are soft to the touch, and most of the year, it goes unnoticed. In the fall, there are little yellow "X's" that sprout and bloom. Hence, the name, St. Andrew's Cross. I find that it is a close relative to St. John's Wort. Many of the early herbalists used St. Andrew's Cross for many of the cures of its cousin. One of the earliest cures was for snake bites! It was often boiled in milk, poured on the bite, and the rest was consumed. Other uses include crushed leaves to treat nosebleeds, roots and leaves boiled to treat fevers, colic, sores, and as an eyewash. The bark of the plants was often chewed and packed around an aching tooth. The most interesting remedy using St. Andrew's Cross was used by the Native Americans. The roots were boiled and cooled, and then it was used to bathe the legs of babies that were slow to walk. It was believed to strengthen the legs and make them stronger. Older NA also used it as a treatment for rheumatism. (I may look into this one a little more!)

In researching and learning about wildflowers, I am fascinated by the old remedies. A Cherokee friend once told me that, "the remedies you need will grow in your backyard." I know that the forest was the early pharmacy, and I remember my Grandmother using plants for coughs and colds and everyday scratches. I wish I had paid more attention! I am taking it a plant at a time, and learning a new plant each week that catches my attention... a weekly blog makes me stick to it! I'm blessed to have a big backyard, so it should be a pretty good learning experience!

Senses in Nature Part 2 Workshop for the Home Schoolers! We had a great group, and the rain held off for our trail walk! After looking for ways that animals use their senses in nature, we headed back to the Gathering Room for our Senses Masks! Too wet to use many of our trail finds, so we used materials found the the art boxes. Creative minds and a little glue, scissors, and yarn helped us to construct masks (with a secret compartment on the back!) It will be a place to keep favorite finds from The Cabin Path.

Elephant's Foot! A strange, but very descriptive name for this wildflower. It is identifiable in all seasons because of its big, flat and fuzzy leaves that hug the ground, but in the fall, it shoots up stalks of purple flowers. They are not rare, but very fun and easy for children to identify. There are other names, Devil's Grandmother (I never found out why!) and Wild Tobacco Plant. I thought perhaps with that last name, it was used for smoking, but the large leaves and the fact that it commonly grew next to large tobacco fields was the answer I found for that one. The Lumbee Indians call it Wood’s Mullein and describe a poultice of it held on the chest to treat pneumonia. For centuries, Mullein has been hailed for many healing abilities. Research indicates some of Mullein's uses are "analgesic, antihistamine, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, antiviral, bactericide, cardio-depressant, fungicide, hypnotic, sedative and pesticide"!! A "heal all" remedy! Elephant's Foot caught the attention of drug manufacturer Parke-Davis in the late 1890's when they marketed a liquid extract of the herb as an expectorant. The interest in the herb did not last, but many Native Americans and old timers still use the large leaves and roots for treatment of sores and even staph infections..as well as for respiratory problems.

Elephant's Foot is a perennial, and it commonly grows in the southeastern United States. It is found in dry, open woodlands. There are similar species that have smaller leaves and clusters of flowers.

The Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina) is a terrestrial turtle found throughout the eastern United States, and is one of the longest lived animals in the world. Box turtles have a high domed carapace (top shell) and hinged plastron (bottom shell), which allows these animals to completely close up their shell to protect themselves from their enemies. The decorative shell patterns of box turtles are extremely interesting, and each box turtle is unique. The eyes of the male are usually red, and the female's eyes are a yellow brown. The male can also be identified by having a concave shape on the under side shell (see pic). Box turtles are omnivores with diets consisting of anything from slugs and snails to mushrooms and berries.

The turtle is very sacred to many Native Americans. In fact, many tribes attribute the creation of the world to the turtle. One NA legend believes that a sky girl fell to our world, which at the time had nothing but water and water based animals. The animals took her to the wise turtle. The turtle told them to put sand grains from the bottom of the ocean on his shell. They did this and soon the land grew and grew until the sky girl could live on this land. Many NA tribes believe this new land is North America.

Many box turtles have been found at The Cabin Path, but I have noticed a decline in their numbers over the years. For the last three years, I have been photographing and keeping a journal of the box turtles. Early fall seems to be a very active time for them, and they can also be found after a rain. Fire ants will disturb the nests of box turtles and eat the eggs, and I suspect that they are the single most cause of their declining numbers at The Cabin Path. I use chemical insecticides for very few things here, but I do treat the fire ant nests.


The Cabin Path is a certified animal habitat, and every effort is being made to help our Box Turtles to thrive.

Fall 2009 will offer more workshops with Dr. Clifford Blizard and his wife, Valerie. I worked with Clifford and the Hill Country Montessori School last year. He is a walking encyclopedia with many degrees in geology and environmental science..and education. Valerie is a talented photographer, botanical artist, and student.
His BLOG is http://chattahoocheechorography.blogspot.com/ and you can read about some of the workshops that he is offering this fall...some of them at The Cabin Path.

Looking for a BIOLOGY project???
What about MYCOLOGY?

There are many wonderful field guides available at your book store or the public library! Bring your camera, nature journal, and field guide and explore the mysterious world of mushrooms!