Michigan Forest Life - October 18, 2025

Good morning, friends.

Welcome back to Winterfield Pines Nature Sanctuary (Photo 1).  The sun has not yet approached the horizon. The sky is dark. The forest sleeps. 

I hear the beginnings of rain on the Treehouse's metal roof. A gentle drumming that comes in waves. We need the rain. I wish for a full morning of it.

The forest is lovely now, painted with fall colors (Photo 2-4). 

Can you smell the fall forest air? If you spend enough seasons seeing fall colors and smelling the fall forest aroma, it is easy to convince yourself that you can smell the colors, or at least the complete collage of colors. 

Fall is a complete sensory package. Not just one thing. It is the cooling temperature, the breeze across your face, the sound of leaves and acorns dropping, The

browning of the forest's understory. The thick blanket of brown pine needles softening the ground under the pines. Under other trees a collage of shapes and colors covering the forest floor. The sound of walking through crisp leaves. The dreamy whisps of milkweed seeds clinging loosely to their open pods, waiting to fly with the wind. A complete package.

Now the rain is a driving force, pelting the roof. Charming. It will wash away chances of a colorful sunrise. 

I was quite happy to receive a printed proof for FOREST LEGEND: THE TALE OF OL' SPLIT TOE this week (Photo 5). The project is really real!

Permit me to include another teaser from the book. Snippet 4 of 27 (Photo 6). 

Context: Mukwoh, an Ojibwe boy, stalks Waawaashkeshi (Split Toe) through the vast white pine forest.

EXCERPT FROM CHAPTER 4:

AD 1409 - Mukwoh watched a large shadow pass between two trees not far in the distance, certain it was Waawaashkeshi. He slowed from the steady trot he had maintained for some time and shifted into a silent, deliberate walk.

“Be patient,” Mukwoh told himself.

The shadow moved again. This time closer. The large deer stood on a heavily trodden deer trail, sensing impending danger. Waawaashkeshi seemed alert.

           How does this deer know I am here? Mukwoh frowned, puzzled by the thought.

Knowing Waawaashkeshi had highly developed senses, Mukwoh moved carefully as he slipped through the trees. Mukwoh considered himself a stalking expert, more skilled than the older hunters in his band. That he, with his finely tuned stalking skills, had triggered Waawaashkeshi’s alarm astonished him. Mukwoh knew Waawaashkeshi was on guard. But he misjudged the reason.

Copyright @ 2025 by Daniel S. Ellens

Praise for FOREST LEGEND:

“A captivating, gritty tale that blends folklore with raw, emotional depth, leaving readers both enthralled and moved by its unforgettable characters and powerful storytelling.”

– Michael Gabrion, Chairman, Muskegon River Watershed Assembly.

Wishing you a fall day in the forest. Breath in the colors. Open the fall package.

Until next time,

Dan