The scent of autumn

 It is here. That time of year when the year draws to a close. As with old age, things start withering, but there is also an air of one last violent flourishing, of ripening fruit and flourishing herbs, of sprouting mushrooms, violently pushing out from the dark. It is here. That time of the year, when mists waft through the darkening woods, and the sounds grow silent, until silence is all that remains.

I went out in the woods, following narrow trails seldom trod, relishing in the silence and the twilight as in a precious dark red wine long dispensed with, enjoying all those colours becoming so much more vivid and elegant.

 European Rowan berries (Sorbus Aucuparia, in German: Vogelbeere, Ebereschenbeere). They are rich with Vitamin C, but also with Paraascorbin acid, which is laxative. Therefore rowan berries should not be eaten unprocessed.  I collected some for gin. Take two handfuls for one litre of Vodka, cover with Kandis sugar or honey. But first let them rest in watered vinegar for three days. Then take them out, rinse them with water, and process them further. You can also make jam from them! If you suffer from mild food poisoning and are absolutely sure of your diagnosis, you can use them as a purgative.

 On I wandered through the darkening woods, still in their green dress. Ever so powerful, this tree grew through this pitchfork. The tree survived. The pitchfork is falling prey to the tooth of time, and its rusty colour is becoming more and more becoming a part of the fallen leaves in colour and substance to give nourishment to all those creatures of the underground dwelling on the decay of the living.

 Few if any consider that the mushrooming part of the mycelium is but the smallest part.

 Deep down in the darkness there dwells the root, and the human soul mirrors the sprouting mushrooms, in that mind and body are but protrusions of that which lies submerged...

 And thusly I wandered, deeper into the woods, where man does not tread. In stealth I went, barefoot and calm, into a realm where light is dim and strange the sounds that reach our ear. Here there is no modern man, and even the most civilized human being realizes with fear and terror that his well-mended world is but a surface embellishment. Reality there thrives violently and without mercy, and cares not for human care nor value.

 But paths there are for those who dare to tread them.

 And light there is, ever so much brighter in the dark.

 For woods come to a clearing, and there is rest... I sat down and had a cuppa tea and whittled some shavings and did some stumpsitting...

Near my resting place I came across this little caterpillar. Don´t know what it is or what it´s called, but beautiful it was.

 And a wasp spider building its net, weaving artfully and beautifully - the death of its prey. Such is nature: Beautiful and wicked at the same time...

 I came to the foot of the hills when the light drew to a close, and I ventured farther into the murky woods...

 Sloe (prunus spinoza, in German: Schlehe). I collected some for gin and jam...

 ´shrooms!!!! Bay boletus and boletus in fact, and quite some impressive ones... I took several home to dry. I use to dry them with a dousing of salt and some herbs. That way you have a great instant mushroom soup....;-)

I arrived upon the hill at dusk.

And while I waited for the bus my mind was racing brim full with the experience. I find it becomes harder to adapt to this funny postmodern society the more I venture into the twilight. But, this question remains to be asked: Which is more important?

From the garden of Drui to the deep of the woods;-) the spider´s lesson of survival

 We were at Drui´s home in Prichsenstadt for holiday, and I was very impressed. Her garden is full of wild herbs and plants and green, and it is always amazing how much love she gives those little green fellows. Most impressive was this beautiful evening primrose (Oenothera biennis, in German: Nachtkerze). Apart from being beautiful, it offers food for many insects, you can process an oil from the flowers that has a calming and antidepressive effect, the root can be eaten as a nourishing and tasty vegetable and pickled.

 Coneflower (Echinacea, in German: Sonnenhut). Great immune system stimulans, against bronchitis and illness of the lung area. Beautiful, too. This one was growing wild, but of course there also is one in Drui´s garden, but an Echinacea purpurea.

 Towards the forest we ventured. The acorns (Quercus robur, in German: Eiche, Eichel) are getting there. You can make meal from them, and even a coffee  substitute, but they are very bitter, as they contain a high amount of Tannine acid. To process them, you have to water them for at least 24 h. Do not eat too much of them unprocessed, for it will have adverse effects on your stomach! As is, they are a great survival food with a load of starch and protein.

 Some kind of bracket fungus, no clue what this is, or if it´s edible at all, but I found it to be beautiful;-).

 My lovely woman in the woods-two assets at once!*ggg*

 On we ventured into the thicket of the woods...

 ...and waiting there was this sparassis crispa, in German: Fette Henne or Krause Glucke, which, for the most part is a delicious edible funghus. This one was inhabited;-), and we left it be.

 Then we came across this fox´s den, where we found some bones. Drui sneered at them, for they were not suited for her tasks-or so she thought;-).

 At this beautiful grove we had a tiny rest...

 ...and it seems Nessie and her little sister could convince my woman the bones were indeed suited for her tasks... I made some bone needles for her and learned a lot in the process. Flowers are boring gifts...*ggg*

 Beautiful was the dew on this lady´s mantle!

 And then the magic troll tutored me and my dedicated readers on how to make cordage. We took purple moor-grass (molinia caerulea, in German : Pfeifengras). With our fingernails we split the grass shaft in two.

 Then the strands were drilled in opposite directions.

 ...more drilling and twining...

 Then everything should fall into place;-).

 The product can serve as a makeshift cordage. You can also take two and intertwine them to achieve more strength, for that dimension can work no wonders.

 It might be a better choice to take nettles.

 Then my favourite magic troll set out and made a basket out of sand couch strands ( Elytrigia truncea, in German: Binsen). I totally messed up braiding, so I did some carving. But she was so quick, I only could carve out an outline!

 Beautiful, again. It always amazes me, how skilled and clever my woman is...

 Then this little fellow came by on her evening jog... that snail was really fast!*ggg*

 We collected a load of mistles, and kissed under a mistletoe... what does that mean?;-) Anyway, it were great woods out there, and the sun was shining....

 In the field there lived a host of wasp spiders (argiope bruennichi, in German: Wespenspinne). They wrap their prey in silk and then inject them with a paralyzing venom.

 We were witness to such a process, a fact we were right grateful for!

 The prey, some poor grasshopper, being wrapped in silk and paralyzed.

 The spider waiting for more prey to be caught.

Nature might give an impression of being nice and peaceful, and indeed there always is an air of peace under the trees. But one should always be careful to imply our conceptions of good and evil to nature. Nature is never good or evil, it simply is. In my opinion, it is one of the most important aspects of survival to keep that in mind. Nature is impersonal. It does not "mean" anything. It happens, it is.
Just as well as it can provide for you, it can "use" you as a provision, but this term is incorrect. More exactly said, you can end up as hunter or prey.

So many survival concepts are all about the aspect of you fighting against nature. This, in my opinion, might be a wrong path. If you allow it to happen, you will learn that there is a place for you in the structure or, better, the process called nature. The wasp spider is a fierce hunter. We might sympathise with the spider or the grasshopper, but that does not change anything. The spider does not kill because it sympathises. It kills for food, and for its own survival, following the instinct that drives all animals, mammals as well as insects, reptiles or birds-the instinct of survival. It fights, but it fights FOR something, not against something. It is a fierce hunter, but prey to other hunters. My conclusion to this train of thought is:

In a survival situation, I will set my mind not to fight AGAINST the circumstances. I will try to blend into the situation. I will adapt to the task at hand. I will fight FOR my survival, my wellfare, my well-being and health. I will accept the fact that I can fall prey to other hunters, but that I am a hunter, too.

This, by the way, is an important aspect of the hornéd God, Cernunnos.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cernunnos The deer-like shamanic deity that propels modern paganism is hunter, but as a deer, at the same time prey.

Man can be more than a spider, if he / she gets to know the place suited for mankind. Presently, mankind is much less than a spider, for it is anlawful and destroys itself. Presently, mankind is the only species on the planet gone mad.

Bushcraft or survival could change something. But in my book, in modern-day- survival, one most important aspect is missing: Love. Not some silly affection, but a love that can forget about itself, to become a part of the process of naturedom. I want to learn, and this is what I want to learn first and foremostly.

Gnothi se auton.