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.

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