The Path Not Taken

Where two trails meet in Robert Frost country you want to take the path least taken; only in this case, two Class VI roads in early March, both are fairly untrod, at least by people. We found moose, deer, some very large turkey and coyote tracks, all using the former farm roads as trails. Michael and I went out scouting in the Mink Hills. He wants to try hunting, so I'm thinking of getting a muzzle loader and taking part in next fall's deer hunt. Numbers of hunters are falling in this country. I think they stand at one percent of the population, but if there's ever a crash, the big one, then the knowledge of where to find game could be very useful.

I used to think this was the realm of wing nut survivalists, but increasing numbers of experts are saying that the globalized economy leaves us vulnerable to major system shutdowns in the future. Also, the idea of eating meat becomes increasingly repulsive considering the ethical and ecological dimensions of our factory farming.

On the walk, our senses sharpened, observing the fresh tracks, the sharp cloves digging deep into the melting snow, marking trees for possible stands, stripping bark off the old, scarred beech, it wasn't hard to imagine a different, older consciousness taking its place in our brains and hearts beating faster with an expanded joy.

Photograph by Michael Caplan March 6, 2010

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