It seems, at least for me, that society in general is draining both mentally, emotionally, etc. Just about daily, anytime I turn on the news, read a conversation on social media or simply go out in public, I find myself wanting to just run away to the woods and get some peace. The reason I titled this as I did is because I realize that it has been way too long since I went to the woods just to find nothing other than serenity. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed a very successful hunting season, but even during the hunting season I can’t be totally at peace since I’m focused on staying quiet, overly observant and hopefully putting meat in the freezer. If you’ve read my trip reports or social media posts before, you know that a lot of them included my labrador retriever and best buddy, Fletcher. Walks through our 15-acre property with the big knothead tagging along, that goofy “smile” plastered on his face, always calmed my spirit. Unfortunately, we had to lay Fletcher to rest on June 26, 2024. In a sad moment of self-awareness the other day, I realized I had not taken a peaceful walk in the woods or spent time in my camp since Fletcher left us. It was time to change that before he rose from the dead just to give me a bite in the butt.
With one day of vacation left for the year, I scheduled yesterday off simply to get some peace in the woods. The forecast was going to be cold yet sunny with no wind. Since camp is just a short walk behind the house, I could always bail if I got cold.
I loaded up my new to me Raging River haversack that I bought from a fellow member of the Bushcraft USA forums last April. Despite having it that long, I hadn’t used yet. Usually, this time of year I would also take my recurve bow, or my Walther P-22 pistol in hopes of a shot at a rabbit or squirrel. Not this day. Instead, I simply grabbed my old walking stick. A haversack, a tobacco pipe and a walking stick. The perfect tools to aid me in my quest for peace.
I walked out of the garage, took about three steps into the snow and a bedded whitetail deer jumped up from its slumber under the apple tree along the edge of the yard. That would be the only deer I would see all day.
I headed towards camp and as soon as I stepped into the woods I had to stop. I simply stood there taking a deep breath and looking at the beauty that is a snow-covered forest. I walked through camp and kept going up a small hill towards a large tree that had fallen earlier this year. I had seen it during hunting season but hadn’t paid attention to what kind of tree it was. Upon arrival I could see it was a huge monarch of a red oak. Mental note made as I’ll cut some firewood later. I thought about sitting on the ground beside the big old giant and fixing my coffee but walked back down to camp.
Once down in camp, I got my gear out of my bag and laid it out. Then it was off in search of a small piece of dry firewood. I only needed to boil water for coffee, so the Swedish torch method in my Firebox stove would work perfectly. I found a dry branch, cut it with the Silky Pocket Boy and then split it with my beloved Royer trapper’s axe. A few cedar bark shavings and some golden rod fluff took a spark from my ferro rod without hesitation, and soon the kettle was on. I lit my pipe and waited for the water to heat up. Despite the cold, it didn’t take long and soon I had a kuksa full of steaming dark roast. Nothing goes with a good pipe tobacco better than a good dark roast coffee, in my opinion. Yes, I know bourbon is a close second, but coffee will always be my first choice. Maybe I need to put some bourbon in my coffee and try that some time.
As I sipped my coffee, I could literally feel my mind and soul relaxing. I mentioned it earlier, but the beauty of the snow-covered forest is simply remarkable. The snow, untouched in some places and littered with wildlife tracks in others, is so pristine. It makes things, such as the greens of the cedars or the red of a cardinal, stand out so much more than usual. The silence of the woods is just as pristine as the scenery, only broken by the sound of a train in the distance or the busy chatter of a fox squirrel. I took another sip as I watched a chickadee fly from tree to tree nearby. I said a quick prayer of thanks, mindful to remember where all this beauty comes from. I said “amen” and when I opened my eyes, movement above me caught my eye. A bald eagle soared just above the treetops. The regal bird circled several times directly overhead and then glided away into the distance. I smiled, took the last sip of java and started packing up.
Once packed up, I grabbed my hiking stick and trudged my way back up to the house. By now it had heated up to a balmy 23 degrees and part of me was ready for lunch and a hot shower. It had been a beautiful morning, and my goal was met. Just as importantly as finding that peace I was after, I also made sure to promise myself that I would never again wait so long to enjoy the tranquility of a peaceful sit in the woods.
A Cranky Woodsman 