Light Rain, Dark Woods

photo by Susanne Vondrak

 

This March makes five years of leading Silent Walks at Black Rock Forest. I am so grateful to share these woods with so many walkers. Many of us already know Black Rock Forest well, but few have walked it at night, in the dark, and in this case, in the chilly March rain.  The colors and smells of wet woods deepened, and the fading light blurred any lingering sense of being apart from the surroundings. 

 After the walk, participants had the option of writing a few words about the experience for this blog. These notes follow along with photographs from the Silent Walk photographer, Thom Munterich, and, where noted, Rick Gioia and Susanne Vondrak.

Introductions

Walking to the Upper Reservoir with rocks for spring projects in the foreground.

"Eerily Grounding"

photo by Rick Gioia

Thought I saw glowing spots in the woods. Enjoyed walking in the dark.

 

This was one of the most scenic and beautiful hikes ever!

 

photo by Rick Gioia

An extended moment of beautiful surrender, individual, collective, to the beauty of the earth and the gift of being on it for a short time.

 The sky had more light than I expected. My eyes and ears felt so sensitive to the smallest details--a coyote's yip in the woods, a splash in the water, and the subtle brown, burgundy, and blue of the dark.

The sound of the stream, the rustling of the water, the crackle of the rocks beneath our feet, the raindrops on the ground, all murmurs of our connection.

the earth a pool of waters swimming between us

A perfect balance between light and dark, the equinox! 

 ******

Special thanks to the staff at Black Rock Forest, particularly Isabel Ashton, Susanne Vondrak, Aaron Culotta, and Matt Brady. Please support BRF's mission of advancing scientific understanding of the natural world through research, education, and conservation programs.

  Become a Friend of the Forest!

Summer's Humid Green

 

June 24, 2025 saw daytime temperatures in the upper 90s with "feels like" temperatures above 100 degrees. Fortunately, the shade from the green canopy, setting sun, and occasional breezes made the forest feel like any summer night. True, it was hot and buggy, but also alive with the season's industry. From the dazzling acrobatics of dragonflies above the water, the laurel blooms just starting to fade, to a distant barred owl welcoming the night, the flora and fauna went about their business, and we slowed down enough to notice. 

Thanks to the walkers who braved the heat, including newcomers, families, friends, artists, and SW veterans. 

After the walk, several participants wrote a few words of reflection. Excerpts from those are shared here along with photographs from the Silent Walk photographer, Thom Munterich. 

BRF Director Isabel Ashton welcomes the group to Black Rock Forest

Starting the walk

 

How lovely to disconnect with the day-to-day and reconnect with nature.

 

To slow down and feel time

 What a wonderful chance to take the time to walk, listen, and enjoy the golden trees from the last of the sun.

 

 Gratitude, appreciation, and awareness to let go of your thoughts and stay present

 

The rabbit, the turtles, the owl calls, the rainbow on the water, the many greens, the steps in tandem, the ancient rocks, the dragonflies, the silent smiles, the dust of steps, the ripples in water, the silence of humans in the landscape---for all these things and many more I am grateful.

 My walk was a prayer of gratitude.

 I felt good to be outside.

 

Saw a blue gill! The best hour I have spent all week.

A place unknown--are you thinking of me--I can connect to the trees-a tiny butterfly--my father's paintings----

The water's surface smooths like glass until broken by a rise, spin, or flick of a fin.

 

It was so nice listening to the sounds and seeing all the plants and animals.

 

 

Thank you for the quiet, deep evening.

The turtle abides.

Thanks to those at BRF who make this possible, especially Isabel Ashton, Susanne Vondrak, Aaron Culotta, and Matt Brady.  

My sincerest gratitude for Black Rock Forest, a living laboratory of field-based research and education. Please support their mission of advancing scientific understanding of the natural world through research, education, and conservation programs.

 Click here to learn more and become a member!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Gentle Solstice

 

     

     We gathered as the late afternoon of December 20th released its light into the soft hues of evening. The Silent Walk has often been at the end of an intense day, and it takes a few minutes for the buzzing of thoughts to slow down. The tenor of this evening was gentle--cold but no wind, clouds to catch the color, and the steady crunch of our careful steps along the path. 

      Sunday's flooding rain meant we had to reschedule the Walk to the day before the Solstice. While we lost some people, we were happy to welcome several first timers and many returning participants.

 Thank you to everyone who joined us! 

      Participants can share a few words (if they want) about the walk, and those words follow. The photographs are taken by Thom Munterich, and we thank him for his unobtrusive documentation. In combination, words and images suggest what it was like, but nothing compares to going on the walk. Please join us next time!

A perfect time to empty my mind and fill it with the beauty and peace of a silent walk.

Rush hour cares tumbling, rumbling. Water tumbling, rumbling. 

Time pauses. Life goes.

I felt disoriented seeing the sky below the land, a perfect reflection.

Enjoyed listening to my footfalls in the dark

The scary tree

Moonlight was very powerful.

White water ribbons dancing in the moonlight

Loved the symmetry. 

My favorite part is how the time slows.

The smallest shift of light, color, sound marks the moment. 

The cold air smells delicious, clean.

We ended the walk sharing some chocolate, oranges, and our thoughts. Did the holidays offer a lens through which to experience this night or was it the other way around?

My sincere thanks to

Black Rock Forest for supporting the Silent Walks! 

Special thanks to 

Brienne Chiadakis, Susanne Vondrak, and Aaron Culotta.

 Black Rock Forest is a research forest and biological field station. Their mission is to advance scientific understanding of the natural world through research, education, and conservation programs.

Please support their work by becoming a member!

      

 

Longest Day's Journey into Night

 

Elderberry flowers

    During the hours before a walk, I start craving the mental detox, the unknotting of threads that tangle my thoughts throughout the day. Sharing the experience of whatever happens along the path and at the water feels wonderful. Framed as art, we come together, each of us finding an opening to the sounds, smells, tastes, feel, light, and colors of this forest. 

  The evening of June 21st was breezy and clear. After the walk, we shared some chocolate and fruit, and participants wrote a few words for this blog if they chose. These follow with photographs and videos from the Silent Walk photographer, Thom Munterich. 

Many thanks to everyone who participated!

Click photo to enlarge.

One word to describe tonight-gratitude

pale beauty moth

Silence on the hike=all the senses kicking into high gear. 

A thousand shades of green, the smells and songs of the woods

wineberries in sepals

changing light-always wonderful

The diversity of the people matches the diversity of the leaves, the bark, the ground's texture beneath our feet. Our movements become one with the wholeness of nature, the complexity of our interdependence.

knapweed

I feel large and small. I feel calm and connected.

I want to follow the trails off the larger path.

Hearing the forest birds is lovely, different than other places--veery, wood thrush, phoebe, and a tanager. A meditative treat to listen to them talk instead of us.

remarkable

that heavenly cool breeze over the reservoir

sunset peeking through the trees--brilliant orange

the dry spillway looking like an ancient civilization

Beautiful tangerine sunset! I focused on a single dead tree, one flowering bush on the other side of the reservoir, and one lone bullfrog.

Day lingers into night

short video of Aleck Meadow June Solstice Silent Walk

I noticed I missed taking pictures more than talking...

...the wind noise, the tree leaves, birds chasing bugs across the water, straight trees, 

all the water captured by man

pink sky

crescent moon

the silence was just awesome

Nobody swam naked!

Note: Just before we started, we learned that June 21 is National Hike Naked Day.

dead ring-necked snake

The woods are full of life and death.

***

Sincere thanks to the staff at Black Rock Forest, 

especially Brienne Cliadakis, Susanne Vondrak, Aaron Culotta, and Matt Brady.  

This nearly 4000 acre forest is a living laboratory for field-based research and education that advances a scientific understanding of the natural world.  

Become a Friend of the Forest to support their great work!

The next BRF Silent Walk will be in December. Please join us!