Ol’ Burl & The Trumpet Call

IMAG0275Mornings are a glorious time in the Elm Creek Park Reserve. I started my walk the other day with a brief visit to one of the coolest trees I’ve ever met. What first caught my eye were the two huge burls that give it a feminine appearance (you know what I mean). In my attempt to get more attuned with nature, I walked off the paved trail to touch the tree and get better acquainted.

Apparently I had first viewed the back of the tree. What a sight to behold when I walked around to the front – this tree has a face! And it’s a wise old face at that (see photo below). The nose and eyes remind me of an elephant, or maybe a wizard. From this angle, the burls look more like hair. I haven’t learned how to talk to trees yet (a lot of people do – Google it and you’ll find a video and even a Wiki-How with photos), but I did hear this tree say, “I’ve lived through a lot of hard times, my friend.”

After a brief visit with ol’ Burl, I headed down the path and was treated to a rousing chorus of birds, frogs, geese and who knows how many other creatures. Pure joyful praises. No matter how pessimistic a person feels, no matter how low her spirits have sunk, these sounds of sheer excitement at the beginning of a new day of life can’t help but uplift.

Grateful for the concert, I observed a few birds along the way as I climbed a small hill. That’s when I heard a strange noise in the distance. It sounded like the muffled school teacher’s voice in Charlie Brown episodes. Now this freaked me out. I wasn’t sure what tune of nature I was tuning into. Was I getting a message from the Universe? Did the deer take up karaoke? As I crested the hill, the sound became clearer. It was voices singing The Star-Spangled Banner. Really? In the middle of a park reserve at dawn’s early light? The only thing I could figure was there must have been a race event getting an early start at the picnic pavilion off in the distance. Either that or the wild animals have a hilarious sense of humor. Well, pretty sure it was humans, and I have to say the animal chorus was much more “on Key” (does that qualify as a pun? you know … Francis Scott Key).

My final thrill for this walk: I saw the breath of a trumpeter swan when it let out a trumpet blast into the cool air. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Another heavenly morning in the park reserve.

IMAG0278

Trumpeter Swans Cropped