Warner Corner - January 2009

A Natural Beginning
Julie Grecian, Assistant Director

Last month, a special event marked the calendar on Sunday, December 21, 2008. Many people think of the day as an astronomical event that occurs only twice a year, and December 21 is the darker, shorter day of the two. I tend to think of it as a new start, a natural beginning, or a resetting of my internal clock that isn't tied to the Gregorian calendar. The winter solstice has many meanings to different cultures around the world and throughout time. In astronomical terms, a solstice occurs when the tilt of the Earth's axis is most oriented toward or away from the Sun, causing the sun to reach its northernmost or southernmost extreme.

This passage of seasons was celebrated at Warner Nature Center the day after the solstice because on December 21, we were all at home spending time with family and friends or preparing for the holidays. We wanted to celebrate the event in some way and while brainstorming as a staff, remembered the pile of downed trees out in our field that needed burning. The pile of cleared trees and branches from our forest was due to the tornado that hit our property on May 25 earlier in the year. The pile had been created in the field clearing and I was secretly delighted at the idea of having some time away from my desk to celebrate the beginning of the winter season.

We spent time preparing the pile of dead trees and branches with dry grasses, birch bark, a bit of kindling and recycled paper. We spread out around the pile and identified the best spots to start burning. To me the trees represented all that was weak in the forest, that couldn't sustain 110 mile an hour winds or a year of rain, snow, hail, heat and cold. The pile was large, at least 10 feet wide and 5 feet tall. All of the staff came out to help prepare and tend the fire, our own belated celebration of the shortest day of the year.

Each staff member brought a few small pieces of paper representing worries from the past year, or more optimistically, promises for the coming year. An entire year ahead of us—a cycle of winter, spring, summer and fall before next year's winter solstice would occur. Three hundred and sixty-five days of sleeping, waking, eating, working, playing, laughing, and yes, worrying sometimes. As the fire began to roar, staff took a quiet moment and added their concerns or pledges to the burning flames. I enjoyed watching the small promise for the new year burn and dissipate into the atmosphere through the smoke and ashes. I imagined them becoming a part of the larger universe, making it a true promise to live, work and play better in this new year in nature. Despite the temperature well below zero with the wind chill, we stayed out there for a long time, feeding the fire, taking pictures and talking about the year. For me, it was a time of reflection and celebration, a passage into a new season begun with a fire burning bright and hot on such a cold, short day.