I have a hard time planning a week ahead, but the Earth Sanctuary has a 500 year plan. When I took a walk there last weekend I felt like I was connecting with something ancient. It could be the large stone dolmen, or the labyrinth, the colorful prayer flags or prayer wheels that spin prayers out into the universe. After traveling and encountering such things in the British Isles and in the Himalayas, these features are familiar though rare here. The Earth Sanctuary is owned by Chuck Pettis, visionary, designer, land artist and author of the book, Secrets of Sacred Space: Discover and Create Places of Power. Pettis was recognized in the September 2008 issue of Science of Mind magazine as someone making a difference in the world. He vows to restore this 72 acres to mature old growth forest actively working to increase the biodiversity of plants, animals and fungi. Besides the man-made features, there are standing snags that provide habitat for a variety of wildlife, the nurse logs that hold moisture for native plant nurseries, and a huge glacial erratic sitting among the trees. Wood duck boxes and other habitat enhancements make this a wonderful place for bird life. The ponds and wetlands provide a great place for waterfowl, and the upland forest offer homes to song birds, woodpeckers and raptors. On my walk in the late afternoon, I heard tree frogs, a hairy woodpecker, flickers, crows, red winged blackbirds and an eagle. With binoculars I watched ring-necked ducks and the white flags of hooded mergansers swimming across the pond. The golden crowned kinglets, bush tits, pacific wren and sparrows were up close and personal in the brush by the trail. When I met other bird watchers we compared notes. It’s a good place to sit quietly and wait for the wildlife to come to you. Benches are positioned with a good view of the water. One chair next to a small stream offered a place to sit and listen to the soft cadence of moving water. Cairns of every shape and size appear along the way. As the afternoon leaned into evening, I came upon a tall circle of standing stones harking back to Stonehenge, a place of solemn stillness. Quiet, sacred places have been created throughout the forest. I offered my prayers, spun the prayer wheel and made my way back along the trail thinking “What is 500 years to a cedar or a stone?” Please leave your dog at home, but bring your binoculars. For more information visit: earthsanctuary.org/ Mb Directions:
The Earth Sanctuary is 1 mile south of uptown Freeland on Newman Road. Or if you're coming north from Bayview on Highway 525, turn right on Newman Road and drive about 1 mile until you see the sign for the Earth Sanctuary. It's directly across from Island Art Glass on a narrow dirt driveway. There is a $7 fee for entering this privately owned forest sanctuary.
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Maribeth Crandell has been a hiking guide in the Pacific NW for over 20 years. She's lived on Whidbey and Fidalgo Island for decades. As a frequent bus rider she easily makes connections between trails and transit. Archives by date
April 2024
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