At this turning point in the calendar, we look forward and back. With all the turmoil and loss we’ve experienced in the last year, thoughts of death have been more on my mind. I lost my favorite uncle a few months ago. My elderly Dad told me last night that another close friend had died. The pandemic has taken so many. Most of us know someone. What do we do with the grief, sadness and pain? Doctor George Fairfax of Oak Harbor bought 50 acres of land in 1973 as an investment in the future. When his wife Del died, he donated it in her memory to the Whidbey Camano Land Trust. Investing in the future can take many forms: a 401K, teaching a child to read, buying and maintaining a piece of land. After such an incredible week of political upheaval I sought out a place of peace. Taking a walk on a quiet Sunday morning put me at ease. The 1.2 mile trail at the Del Fairfax Preserve weaves gently through Douglas firs. The tiny trumpet of a Nuthatch announced my arrival in the forest. The reception committee made up of cheery golden crowned kinglets, chickadees and juncos escorted me down the trail. I stopped as I came to a wide open meadow and took it all in. The rolling green field surrounded by evergreens and willows beckoned. A gentle wind pushed a few gray clouds aside to reveal patches of blue. A hopeful sign. A promise, perhaps, of better things to come. I turned to circle the meadow noting the signs labeling the native plants I passed, spirea, salmonberry, snowberry, Indian plum, willow and rose. A flock of pine siskins swept the treetops. As I walked I noticed deer trails, hoof prints, antler rubbings and pellets. The previous summer I’d visited and seen tall grass, daisies and deer throughout. At the east end of the meadow I recognized a tree with old claw marks on it. I’d seen that tree a couple of years before when the claw marks were fresh. I’d taken a picture and sent it to a wildlife biologist friend asking, “Bear or Cat?” He asked how high it was, if there were any bite marks, and determined it was a bear. A week later there was an article in the paper, “Wandering Bear Spotted on Whidbey”. The bear wandered on but the claw marks remain. I know there are farms and homes all around this property, but it’s nice to know that wildlife can make a home here, too. Sitting on the south-facing bench looking over the meadow, I felt peaceful inside and prayed for this peace to flow outward to others. This walk was good medicine for me. I finished circling the field at an easy pace and then turned back down the forest path. As I was leaving the meadow I passed a young couple. A minute later an older couple walk by. And just before I reached the gate two women with a child and a dog passed me entering the preserve. I was glad to see others using the trail. It seems like a small treasure for the people nearby. A place of peace for any age, at any time, but especially in these times. I gave thanks for the Fairfax family and their investment in our future. The sky was clearing with hints of blue. https://www.wclt.org/projects/del-fairfax-preserve/ Directions: From Highway 20, 4.4 miles north of Coupeville, and 5 miles south of Oak Harbor, turn north on Zylstra Road and drive 3 miles to the Fire Station. Please park alongside the fence and keep fire lanes clear.
This trail is not accessible for a wheelchair or mobility device and is not on a bus route.
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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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