Monthly Archives: October 2023

First Hike: WMR Pt.8

2023-06-25

White Mountain Retreat (WMR).

Sun’s going down between the trees. We ate earlier today to align with the sun’s light and warmth. I’m lying in the pink canvas hammock feeling satisfied, looking up at the canopy of evergreen trees. The sun has gotten lower in the sky and light shoots through the deep forest. I’m fascinated by the golden green light. There are streaks of golden green color and the glitter of sap on pine needles. Below, in some places, the glowing grass looks much the same, like a reflection of the canopy. The pine needles high above spike out almost crystalline against a deep grey in the azure sky.

Up at 10,000 ft. the dark depth of space tints the bright turquoise. There’s a deeper more infinite depth than I’m used to. I’ve been noting spots of it while looking up and out through trees opening along the road’s route in of the forest and then when standing in the open Great Field.

We’re just back from what might have been a short walk after dinner, but one thing leads to another and it extended to a three mile exploration around the great field. We have rambled through the forest, which looks like enchantment decorated by pine, aspen and spruce, with a plethora of smaller treasures along the way. This is our story:

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Squirrels

White Mountain Retreat 2023 Pt.7

Whah da? Squirrels!?! I recently read on the internet that these feisty rambunctious critters “were once the most popular pet in America…Throughout the 1700s and 1800s, they were viewed as ideal pets for children…One even made it to the White House as President Warren G. Harding’s pet. A photograph from 1922 published in the Library of Congress shows the 29th President kissing the squirrel on its cheek as the animal cuddles toward him affectionately….”

“The attraction to them as pets was reserved mostly for the upper class, since they had more time and money to spare. Adorable pictures from the 18th-century show high-class children were posing with their squirrels kept by their sides on gold leashes. Benjamin Franklin is even credited for writing the eulogy of a friend’s squirrel that was bitten by a dog in 1722, saying, ‘Few squirrels were better accomplished, for he had a good education, had traveled far, and seen much of the world. Thou art fallen by the fangs of wanton, cruel Ranger!’”

I’m finding the idea stunning, but ask, https://www.naturalstatewildlife.com.

Arizona Squirrels I have Known:

During other visits to the White Mountains, about a mile away at the spring, we have been harassed by belligerent squirrels. As I walked through the forest, out to enjoy a pleasant barefoot all over spiritual oneness experience, several sat just above me in the trees, chattering, seemingly threatening me. It appeared territorial. A nut fell behind me. After evaluating my position, I didn’t feel threatened, but their tone was amazingly vehement.

Still, all of my life, it has always been a treat to watch squirrels play their games and display their agility.

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From a Pool’s World

Fall 2023

It’s a quiet evening. The moon is not due until way after midnight. We arrive at the big pool of mineral water. There are several friends sitting and laying about comfortably. Some are ghostly orange nude figures in the fire light. The white grey bodies are better hidden, submerged in the glistening basalt black waters. Earlier, I bumped into a fellow invisible soaker, who unbeknownst, lay next to me, resting in the dark.

We are ready to dip. We are actually still ready after a pair of days. We haven’t been anything but wholly naked since before we arrived. At this time, the warmer days, grace us with lovely nights. The air is a similar temperature to the waters themselves. It is comforting warm bath.

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The Library

White Mountain Retreat: Pt.6

We took reading materials to our sojourn in the White Mountains. Several things on that reading list needed to be read.  We had a couple of Naturist Society magazines from the 80’s. A workbook that we study together to improve life as “Spiritual Warriors” and as a couple. “Gong Hee Fot Choy” is fortune telling for fun, good for a couple of evenings in the warm tent. A couple of Archeology mags were a good short read.

I took “Naked in the Woods” by Storm Moon, quite appropriate for what we were doing. It has a framework to it and is filled with good meditative and experiential exercises to do whilst naked in nature. We tried most of them.

A couple of quotes out of the book:

“To be naked in nature is to be totally unconstrained by symbolic clothing and to be at one with Heaven and Earth.”

“To be at one with nature is to be our true selves and vanish without a trace.”

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