Michigan Forest Life - November 2, 2025

Greetings from the Treehouse at Winterfield Pines Nature. 

The sky is still dark and filled with brilliant stars. Through branches of these large white pines, I see Orion in the sky - my favorite constellation. Outside the air is cool. Crisp. Still. 32°F.

I roll out from under the quilts and wool blanket on this Treehouse bed. My muscles are sore from yesterday's work. I cautiously feel through the darkness to touch familiar obstacles.  One step to the table. Two more steps to the counter. Don't bump the woodstove on the right. 

I feel for the corner of the counter, and then along its edge. I remember leaving the box of matches at the edge of the counter last night, about eighteen inches from the corner. There it is. I pick it up, holding two sides with fingers of my right hand and using the thumb of my left hand to slide the box interior out a bit. Just enough to pluck out a single match. I feel for the match. Don't drop the box - the thought circles my mind. I slide the box closed. 

Holding the box and the match in my right hand, I slide the match between the rough, calloused index finger and thumb of my left hand ... feeling for the lighting end of the match. My fingers are too rough to easily identify the match detail. I turn the match around and feel its other end. There it is - the small dab of lighting material on its end. My eyes are closed. The room is dark. I strike the match and hear its spark. 

Opening my eyes I see the room around me in the glow of the match’s tiny flame. I lift the glass chimney of the antique oil lamp on the table and lower the match to the wick slot. A flame springs up. I carefully replace the chimney. 

Cupping my left hand around the burning match I take two steps to the bed's headboard and light the second lamp, then gently raise the match to my lips as its flame burns closer to my fingers. A gentle puff and the match is out. Just in time. Lamplight illuminates the room. It is time to start a fire in the woodstove.

Life is good.

Some of you will be interested to know that yesterday Nick (oldest son) and I successfully

leveled the cantilevered end of the Treehouse platform and installed columns under the three trusses (Photo 1). It is the Treehouse's 19-year improvement and the final structural change after disconnecting the Treehouse from the trees (two years ago?) There are still a few holes to drill and bolts to install today, but the lion’s share of the work is done - the heavy lifting - and the results are good. Particularly for rural conditions. 

Let's finish with another teaser from FOREST LEGEND: THE TALE OF OL' SPLT TOE, preview snippet 6 of 27 (Photo 2). Enjoy!

I wish you a warm shelter and light in the darkness.

Until next time, 

Dan

Excerpt from Chapter 8: 

Context: Waawaashkeshi (Split Toe) is talking to the flea who has been living in the fur on Waawaashkeshi’s hip sinch his journey began.

9000 BC - 

“I feel weak.”

The flea shifted around in his fur. “You’re right. Unless you eat something more, we will both die.”

The flea knew Waawaashkeshi was slowly starving. Blood did not flow as it had. The flea needed to work hard for its own blood meals.

Waawaashkeshi’s skin stretched tightly across his bones. The contour of each rib showed under his fur. His body longed for the long grass of his tag alder swamp, or perhaps the acorns and beech nuts that littered the ground in the sacred circle.

At this moment, Waawaashkeshi thought little about what the natural spirits might be trying to teach him in this unfamiliar age of ice and wind. He thought little about the flea. Waawaashkeshi thought only of survival.

Copyright @ 2025 by Daniel S. Ellens

Presale Release date: November 25, 2025

Publication Date: March 31, 2026

Praise for FOREST LEGEND: 

“Dan Ellens has written a novel of impressive quality, gleaned from 2,500 solitary nights spent in a remote forest sanctuary of his own design. Within the midst, the author’s spirit blends with that of Ol’ Split Toe, a timeless forest presence since the last glacial recession and a giant force, purveyor and critic of mankind’s clever ways, with an imposing survivalist storyline fortified by a strong didactic undercurrent. Forest Legend bridges an immense readership gap, from the adventurous needs of young adults readers to the varied callings of serious minded adults.”

– J. August Lithen, Author of The Road to Marion Town: The Settlement of Osceola County, State of Michigan.