A Quiet Fall Day
Life has been a bit hectic recently. With all that’s going on in the external world and my internal world. We are moving, and the day to move got pushed in a bit, meaning we are making the trek to our new home next weekend. Amidst the frenzy to pack and get things all organized and accounted for, I find time while Austin’s staining decks to go out and explore. That is after all one of my favorite things to do. Sparky let’s me know too when it’s time to go. His incessant pestering, let alone the subtle actions I take that trigger him into thinking we’re going somewhere. Right now, my foraging basket is on the same shelf as my purse and keys, and hygiene stuff. Every time I reach for my deodorant or hair brush he thinks we’re going somewhere, and begins whining and doing silly yoga poses around my feet.
I woke up knowing I’d be visiting a part of the Ice Age Trail, Wisconsin’s version of the Appalachian trail perhaps. Most of Wisconsin was bulldozed over with glaciers thousands of years ago, creating a unique geological landscape across the land. After fidgeting this morning with packing more things and getting packages ready for the post office, Sparky and I hit the road.
An important thing to note here is that it rained. All week. Sometimes it sleeted, others it drizzled. The weather even decided to leave microscopic bits of water in the air, almost suspended from time and space that clung to foliage and vehicles. Yes, it was very wet, and cold this week.
When I arrived at the trailhead, a man leaned against his car, almost deeming me invisible. Overhead I heard a whizzing and a bizzing and realized he was flying a drone. I couldn’t help but feel he was flying it over me and following me into the woods, as I heard it for some time. I’m conflicted about drones - I want to own one to add another element to my creative videos, yet I am annoyed of others who fly their drones in places I go to for solitude.
After awhile, Sparky led me down the mycelium network of trails, none of them I knew exactly where they went. As I followed the paths, mushrooms popped up everywhere. Kinds I’ve never seen before. Fungi, slimes, shelves, hell I even saw mycelium pulsing out of the ground and onto the moist stumps and fallen trees littered everywhere. My mind turned off and my awe turned on.
I brought my Canon along. Flower season is coming to an end, my favorite subjects to photograph, but mushrooms are in! I’m so glad I brought my camera as there was so much to capture. Like the autumnal colors above, the mushrooms reflected the leaves, glossy from the dew yet matte in texture, of lemon peel yellows, maple leaf reds, salmon pinks, burgendies, and persimmon oranges. I know I’ve seen this before, yet it all felt so new to me. Somehow all the colors became more vibrant and captivating than before.
Lately I’ve been immersing myself in the works of Dolores Cannon and other New Earth teachings. I feel so called to right now, as I feel something big and unexpected may happen with extraterrestrials this year. A paradigm shift is in effect as we speak, it’s time to build something new for humanity, and for humanity to wake up to who we really are. That missing link that ties us to our primate ancestors and current day humans? The answer is there, right under our noses, or perhaps above our heads. I feel this so deeply and feel new connections coming in. A couple of years ago, I was contacted many times by ETs in my dreams and meditations, and I feel a newer and more intense phase coming this winter.
Why is this relevant to the forest? Well, doesn’t it seem peculiar how all of the plants, fungi, animals, climates, soil, bacteria, and humans are ALL connected and reliant on each other? Knowing and feeling this makes the forest more vibrant for me, and hugging a tree and asking for healing feels so good in my heart and receiving that healing. A lot of these beings I feel know all about extraterrestrials and inter dimensional beings, as nature is on a higher frequency and can connect easier with these things. I’m reading Susan Casey’s book, Voices in the Ocean right now where she explores the relationships between humans and dolphins around the world. In one chapter, she offers a perspective about frequency and how the dolphins are like messengers between humans and other dimensions, able to be telepathic with us and others. It just makes me wonder about trees and insects, if they can too. I sure do get telepathic messages from nature around me.
As I contemplated these things, I stopped for a few photos of fallen branches, yellows and scarlets. Holding them up against the green forest floor with my warm autumn garb on made me giddy, knowing it’s just the beginning of this new season.
Sparky quickly became bored and ran several meters in front of me, racing to get to the car. I knew it was time to head back, as it was pretty cool today, being around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Somehow Sparky always knows how to get back to the truck even though we get lost in the spiderweb of trails, as we came out out of the main trailhead by the parking lot which I never take.
Once we got home, I made a warm cup of bitters hot cocoa: dandelion root, reishi mushroom, lions mane mushroom, cacao powder, and honey. If you wish to make it, grind up your mushrooms and roots in a coffee grinder and then boil some water on the stove. Add in all the ingredients except the honey and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Strain, then sweeten. Bitters are good for the liver and skin, allowing for the liver to be cleansed which in turn cleanses the skin.
Next week is going to be a busy one. Look out for a new video on YouTube on Tuesday, and perhaps a new blog post over the weekend!
Sending much love,
Ashley
PS, if you missed it, my book A Year Against the Rain is out on Amazon now! It’s about mine and Austin’s journey living on public land and in an off grid cabin on the Oregon coast. Find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Year-Against-Rain-Lessons-Off-Grid-ebook/dp/B08JCXZNNX/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=a+year+against+the+rain+ashley+lynn&qid=1601664960&sprefix=a+year+against+the+&sr=8-1
