DARK FOREST

Inspiration

I spend a lot of time in the forest at night, picking the plants and flowers that smell best after dark.  Accompanied by my white dog, named Oliban, I walk the winding forest paths to my harvesting sites. In order to immerse myself in the atmosphere of the forest at night, I try to use my flashlight as little as possible. I know that after a few minutes, my eyes will be flooded with the chemical rhodopsin, which will enable me to see better in the dark. But it is my nose and sense of hearing that guide me best in the dim light.  Each plant has its own scent and sound, whispering pines, fluttering balsam poplars and rustling sweetgrass mark my progress along the trails.  Furry animals skitter in the undergrowth, awakening the scents of the dark earth.  The earth smells pheromonal, so moist and ready for life.  I often lie on the moss-covered ground or on the grassy path and just breathe.  I watch through the Moon through the dancing trees or the constellation of Cygnus and the Milky Way, deeply immersed in the dark forest.