Chapter 71 Baker Grange - 1

Sometimes I wander under the dense forest of pine trees, they are like tall temples, and like a fully equipped fleet on the sea, the branches sway like waves, and sparkle like ripples. Even Droid gave up his oak groves and went to worship under them, and sometimes I went to the fir groves by Flint Lake, those towering trees covered with gray and white berries, and they grew taller , even transplanted to Valhalla without shame, and the juniper's coiled vines, laden with fruit, lay on the ground; hang from the same spruces, and mushrooms, which are the round tables of the marsh gods, set in the ground, and more beautiful incense sticks like butterflies or shells dot the roots; where pink carnations and dogwoods grow The red alder-berries shine like goblin eyes, the wax-bee carves deep grooves in the hardest trees and destroys them in their climb, and the wild holly berries are more beautiful to look at; There are also many wild unknown forbidden fruits that will dazzle him, too beautiful for man to taste.I did not visit any scholar, but I visited trees, which are also rare in the vicinity. They either stand far away in the middle of the pasture, or grow in the depths of forests, swamps, or on hills. the black birch, for example, I have seen good specimens two feet in diameter: and their cousin the yellow birch, loosely clad in gold, scented like the aforementioned one, and like the beech, There is such a clean tree trunk, beautifully painted with the color of moss, it is wonderful everywhere, except for some scattered samples, I only know of one such small forest in this township. Seeds sown by some pigeons, attracted by the fruit of the nearby beeches; admirable for the silvery fine-grained web that shimmers when you split the trees; also, linden, hornbeam; and Celtis the false elm of occidentalis, only one of which grows well; and the tall pines for tall masts, and the trees for shingles; Fir, standing like a pagoda in the forest; and as many other trees as I could name.In summer and winter I visit these temples.

Once, by a perfect coincidence, I was standing on the pier of a rainbow which covered the lower layers of the atmosphere, and which tinted the surrounding blades of grass, dazzled my eyes as if I were looking through a colored crystal.It became a lake of iridescent light, and for a moment I lived like a dolphin.Had it lasted longer, the color might have stained my career and life forever.And when I walked on the railway causeway, I was often amazed to see a halo around my shadow, and I couldn't help thinking that I was also a chosen person of God.A visitor told me that the shadows of the Irishmen in front of him did not have this halo around them, and that only the natives had this peculiar marking.Benvinuto Cellini tells us in his memoirs that when he was imprisoned in the Palazzo Sant'Angelo, after having a terrible dream or vision, he saw a bright circle The wheel is on the head of his own shadow, whether it is dawn or dusk, whether he is in Italy or France; especially when there is dew on the grass, the ring of light is more clear.It's about the same phenomenon that I'm talking about, and it's especially clear in the morning, but it's also visible at other times, even in moonlight.Although this was often the case, it was never noticed, and for a man as imaginative as Cellini, it was enough to form the basis of superstition.He also said that he was only willing to show it to a few people, but are people who know that they have such a halo really outstanding?

One afternoon I walked through the forest to Fair Harbor to get Jun fish to make up for my lack of vegetables.I passed Pleasant Meadows along the way, which adjoins Baker Grange, and a poet once sang about this secluded place, beginning thus: "Entrances are pleasant fields, There are some mossy fruit trees, Give up a red stream, By the water's escaping muskrats, And quicksilver trout, Swim around. "