I have just caught up with your journals... I don’t always catch them in Notes so these updates are perfect.
I imagine studying the stars in such an unpolluted part of the world to be something akin to celestial, not only that the stars are that but that which you felt also. Here we have about as little light pollution as is possible in this part of France, helped immensely by recent attempts to save energy, the street light is now off from 10pm. But, like you in Scotland, the hill(s) block much of the sky. Still, it is something I can sit and gaze at for as long as my neck allows, out there in the silence must have been pure magic.
I was thinking about your deer video, perhaps, by this point in your adventure and I truly don’t mean this in any way to be derogatory, (I doubt I would strip down and wash every day in icy temps with limited hot water) I think you may have smelled like the forest. That is to say all trace of artificial had been eradicated by force of living as you were. Deer have scent receptors about 1000x more powerful than ours, your deer almost definitely caught your scent but was so unconcerned she didn’t bother her pretty head any more than she would have done had you been a rabbit. It must have been a truly remarkable experience!
Notes hasn't exactly been a perfect medium to share this story, but with the recap-updates it makes it easier for people to follow along.
One of the things I really noticed when I was out in the dark studying the sky was how much sound there actually is in a woodland at night! Even on those cold, still nights, where the sea was calm and the water freezing, there would be rustling and cracks, footsteps and owls, foxes and all manner of other things. I suspect, however, I heard most of this because I was tuned into it. Perhaps, had I begun to study the night sky earlier, not long after getting out there, I would have thought it more silent? It is strange, how even now I don't jump when an owl calls nearby, simply because I heard so many of them and my brain processes the sound instantly. I quite like that!
And I was definitely smelling just like a forest (it took three weeks back in a house, showering and bathing daily, for the scent and soot on my hands to go completely!)! What is interesting is that the skin, when wearing wool and essentially smoke bathing daily, is surprisingly clean and unscented (or non-human scented, at least, I definitely smelled of campfire). Likewise with tobacco smoke. At the time, and before this adventure, I was smoking handrolled cigarettes which, strangely, is a scent animals do not associate with humankind. Whenever I wanted to get close to animals before, especially something like badgers, smoke was a useful mask. Since it's now well over a decade since I quit, it is now sometimes harder to mask my scent!
That particular deer would have literally walked into me, had I not said hello. Even then, because it didn't register my smell, it looked up at me and stood there for what seemed like ages, before realising I was not a talking tree.
I think this is one reason I really, really need to work on a book proposal! I have so much more material I've simply had to cut from this medium, and I've also found conversations here have helped spark all manner of further thoughts, which have enriched the whole experience, even after all these years.
Haha, I wouldn't recommend starting smoking for this reason, but I do miss it in those situations! I have wondered whether burning something else, such as dried mugwort, might work too. Maybe I'll have to experiment at some point.
I would certainly be interested in reading an expanded version of your experience. I've shared your Substack with a few people I think would like to read about your time out in the wild.
Absolutely yes (YES!!) to the book! (And thanks for also publishing the notes in these recaps - I've had to catch up and these make for a terrific "index" of what I've missed.)
I really do need to do something bigger with this adventure, and a book makes a lot of sense.
I've enjoyed sharing the daily Notes but I know a lot of people just don't see them, which is a bit of a shame. Still, the recap is certainly useful, for me too! I've still got a bit of a way to go, but between you and me, I'll be glad when the series is finished, as it has definitely taken time away from being able to read and comment on the work of others. Still, I think it's a positive, over all!
What an incredible experience, thank you for sharing 🙏🏻
I will be sharing your Substack to my readers, as you kindly have mine. I tried to find a way to message you, to thank you, but ended up unsubscribing by accident 🤦🏼♀️
Thank you! I always read your posts and mean to comment, but often run out of time (probably at least partially due to two-year-old Ailsa!).
For example, I wanted to ask you about the Plantago lanceolata, and whether you had found a decent local supply? Here where we live there is just so much of it and I have a decent bunch drying at the moment, to turn into a salve. It is a remarkable plant.
At some point soon, I really would like to add a note to recommendations, explain why I like a publication and why others might too. It's on the never-ending to-do list!
Hey Alex, thank you for your reply! And yes, I actually have found some growing in a few local spots!
Oh a salve? Would you mind sharing how you do that? I would love to be able to contain it to keep handy as a sort of oil/balm, it would be especially handy to have when travelling.
And like-wise. I have a two year old so I know how you feel about time :)
(I do the four week version, rather than heating it, but I'm tempted to try that now! I think one of the most important things is to remember to really, really squeeze every drop of the oil out when wringing the leaves!)
I haven't made any for a few years (being slowly nomadic/globally feral didn't really allow me to carry lots of things!), but I have a decent supply of now-dried leaves which will be converted into magic salve soon.
Can't wait to hear about your results-the salve really does work well and, as you say, you can carry it around really easily.
I have just caught up with your journals... I don’t always catch them in Notes so these updates are perfect.
I imagine studying the stars in such an unpolluted part of the world to be something akin to celestial, not only that the stars are that but that which you felt also. Here we have about as little light pollution as is possible in this part of France, helped immensely by recent attempts to save energy, the street light is now off from 10pm. But, like you in Scotland, the hill(s) block much of the sky. Still, it is something I can sit and gaze at for as long as my neck allows, out there in the silence must have been pure magic.
I was thinking about your deer video, perhaps, by this point in your adventure and I truly don’t mean this in any way to be derogatory, (I doubt I would strip down and wash every day in icy temps with limited hot water) I think you may have smelled like the forest. That is to say all trace of artificial had been eradicated by force of living as you were. Deer have scent receptors about 1000x more powerful than ours, your deer almost definitely caught your scent but was so unconcerned she didn’t bother her pretty head any more than she would have done had you been a rabbit. It must have been a truly remarkable experience!
Notes hasn't exactly been a perfect medium to share this story, but with the recap-updates it makes it easier for people to follow along.
One of the things I really noticed when I was out in the dark studying the sky was how much sound there actually is in a woodland at night! Even on those cold, still nights, where the sea was calm and the water freezing, there would be rustling and cracks, footsteps and owls, foxes and all manner of other things. I suspect, however, I heard most of this because I was tuned into it. Perhaps, had I begun to study the night sky earlier, not long after getting out there, I would have thought it more silent? It is strange, how even now I don't jump when an owl calls nearby, simply because I heard so many of them and my brain processes the sound instantly. I quite like that!
And I was definitely smelling just like a forest (it took three weeks back in a house, showering and bathing daily, for the scent and soot on my hands to go completely!)! What is interesting is that the skin, when wearing wool and essentially smoke bathing daily, is surprisingly clean and unscented (or non-human scented, at least, I definitely smelled of campfire). Likewise with tobacco smoke. At the time, and before this adventure, I was smoking handrolled cigarettes which, strangely, is a scent animals do not associate with humankind. Whenever I wanted to get close to animals before, especially something like badgers, smoke was a useful mask. Since it's now well over a decade since I quit, it is now sometimes harder to mask my scent!
That particular deer would have literally walked into me, had I not said hello. Even then, because it didn't register my smell, it looked up at me and stood there for what seemed like ages, before realising I was not a talking tree.
Many thanks for your comment.
All these asides and expansions of the entries is fantastic. I enjoy them almost as much as the entries themselves. 😜
I think this is one reason I really, really need to work on a book proposal! I have so much more material I've simply had to cut from this medium, and I've also found conversations here have helped spark all manner of further thoughts, which have enriched the whole experience, even after all these years.
Me too Susannah!
Thanks! I really enjoy the conversation, it helps me clarify and think in different directions.
I must remember to pinch one of my husbands rollies next time I go badger watching! 🙏🏽
Haha, I wouldn't recommend starting smoking for this reason, but I do miss it in those situations! I have wondered whether burning something else, such as dried mugwort, might work too. Maybe I'll have to experiment at some point.
I would certainly be interested in reading an expanded version of your experience. I've shared your Substack with a few people I think would like to read about your time out in the wild.
Thank you so much, that means a lot to me. I love it when readers share my words.
I shall certainly be doing something more with this project. I've been considering it for a long time, so it's high time to do so!
Absolutely yes (YES!!) to the book! (And thanks for also publishing the notes in these recaps - I've had to catch up and these make for a terrific "index" of what I've missed.)
I really do need to do something bigger with this adventure, and a book makes a lot of sense.
I've enjoyed sharing the daily Notes but I know a lot of people just don't see them, which is a bit of a shame. Still, the recap is certainly useful, for me too! I've still got a bit of a way to go, but between you and me, I'll be glad when the series is finished, as it has definitely taken time away from being able to read and comment on the work of others. Still, I think it's a positive, over all!
What an incredible experience, thank you for sharing 🙏🏻
I will be sharing your Substack to my readers, as you kindly have mine. I tried to find a way to message you, to thank you, but ended up unsubscribing by accident 🤦🏼♀️
Thank you! I always read your posts and mean to comment, but often run out of time (probably at least partially due to two-year-old Ailsa!).
For example, I wanted to ask you about the Plantago lanceolata, and whether you had found a decent local supply? Here where we live there is just so much of it and I have a decent bunch drying at the moment, to turn into a salve. It is a remarkable plant.
At some point soon, I really would like to add a note to recommendations, explain why I like a publication and why others might too. It's on the never-ending to-do list!
Thanks again!
Hey Alex, thank you for your reply! And yes, I actually have found some growing in a few local spots!
Oh a salve? Would you mind sharing how you do that? I would love to be able to contain it to keep handy as a sort of oil/balm, it would be especially handy to have when travelling.
And like-wise. I have a two year old so I know how you feel about time :)
Thank you and tc
Oh that's great news that you found a local source! The method I use is more or less the same as I found at this link:
https://hedgecombers.com/plantain-salve-recipe-how-to-make-it-why-youd-want-to/
(I do the four week version, rather than heating it, but I'm tempted to try that now! I think one of the most important things is to remember to really, really squeeze every drop of the oil out when wringing the leaves!)
I haven't made any for a few years (being slowly nomadic/globally feral didn't really allow me to carry lots of things!), but I have a decent supply of now-dried leaves which will be converted into magic salve soon.
Can't wait to hear about your results-the salve really does work well and, as you say, you can carry it around really easily.
Thanks!
Wow, love that thanks for the link! Def going to try the salve and oil. I will create a post when I do it :)
Brilliant! I'm really glad you're going to give it a go (I've yet to make mine, but soon, I hope!). I'll look forward to your post.