Sweet Smell of Summer

Kai atop an old stone wall.

Seventy acres of woods stretch across the ridge in front of our farm. The owner promises to never build a house on the land. Instead, he wants to build a sugar house and make maple syrup and manage the timber. We enjoy the extensive logging trails that meander through the trees. The trails lead you through a red pine plantation, maple sugar woods, past long forgotten fields, stone walls of long ago, and even a small vernal pool black as night. Kai (our border collie puppy), and I venture into the woods every day.  Kai runs along the trails, darting back and forth across the path, dragging sticks, and stopping to dig in the dirt and to wait for me to catch up. I follow along drawing deeply upon the cool fresh air, the scent of pine and wild flowers, and the occasional skunk.

One trail leads you to the back side of the property where the woods give way to an untouched meadow. Wild flowers abound and the sweet smell of raspberries and milkweed flowers fill the air. Meadow grass, daisies, black-eye Susan’s, and St. John’s wort spill over onto the path with wild raspberries on either side. Glimpses of the next mountain range can be seen over the tree tops and an old stone wall divides the forest from the field.

Anna takes many pictures of the meadow.

Wild flowers

Chuck picks flowers for the dye pot.

Each week, we take the puppy, Kai, for a walk to the old meadow. We spend at least an hour meandering through the flowers, picking as we walk to create bouquets and dye baths-the sweet smell of summer all around us.  

Raspberries warmed by the sun