Spring is a great time of year, when the dull brown of winter gives way to fresh grass, soft greens of newly opened leaves, and lots of flower blooms. Actively seeking out wildflowers in their varying habitats is an enjoyable way to spend warming spring days, roaming the woods and fields for some fresh air, exercise, and the challenge of the hunt. An additional challenge if you’re so inclined, is wildflower identification.

Each Spring many lawns, gardens and pasture fields grow a crop of wild onions, a plant considered by most to be a weed. However, to the American Indian the plant was considered an important food, using it both as a seasoning and a staple.

By Steve Roark
Volunteer, Cumberland Gap National Park

March is considered a blustery month, with winds being kicked up by the seasonal changeover. And you probably haven’t thought about it since 8th grade science, but it might be interesting to review why we have wind at all.

All jobs come with stress of some form during the day: deadlines, equipment breakdowns, something. And if you have the iconic “desk job” where you sit all day inside a building, those mental stresses are even more pronounced. Your lunch break should be a recharge time, but a lot of folks are working through lunch while swallowing a sandwich or doing non-restful things on their phone.

With state Arbor Days coming up (TN-March 4, KY-April 1, VA-April 29) I thought it appropriate to reflect on how intertwined our lives are with trees. We not only use forest derived products multiple times every day, but their constant presence is inspiring enough to be used in literature, poetry, and music. A time tested form of writing to teach wisdom is the proverb, a brief statement that expresses a general truth. The Bible is full of them, and they are used by about every culture on the planet. A way to juice up a proverb is to use figurative language, like: “He is like a tree planted by streams of water…”. It makes for imaginative reading that will be remembered. What follows is a listing of wise sayings where trees are expressively used.

Folks that burn wood in stoves or fireplaces have the added chore of disposing of the ashes. It can be a valued organic fertilizer and insect repellant if used properly

Wood ash contains 1-2% phosphorus, 7-10% potassium, plus micronutrients such as iron, manganese, boron, copper, and zinc. The largest component of ash is calcium carbonate, making it useful as a liming agent to neutralize acidic soil.

Pines can offer a dab of color in a winter landscape, and provide lumber, wildlife habitat, pleasing views, and erosion control. The native pines that grow in our area include Shortleaf, Virginia, Pitch, and White Pine. Though not a local native, Loblolly Pine has been widely planted and does well in our area.

Humans must have a hardwired wanderlust. For generations our ancestors were always moving on to new places, and this continues today.
On average, Americans will live in five homes in their lifetime, and in between we take vacations to see new places. Nowadays we have road maps, phone apps and global positioning system (GPS) devices to show us how to get to anywhere we wish.

By: Steve Roark
Volunteer, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park

Many birds remain in our area during the winter and don’t fly off to warmer climes. Songbirds (also called passerines) have a normal body temperature of 105 degrees Fahrenheit and yet appear to go about their business on cold days in comfort. They have several adaptations and tactics to make it through the winter, mostly involving maximizing calories consumed while minimizing calories spent.

Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) needs no introduction around here. There's no place you can go without seeing it in some fence row, abandoned field, or empty lot. It can also be found growing on rocky areas where the soil is very thin.

With these harsh cold snaps we’ve been having, staying warm has become more of a challenge. Wearing the right clothing when getting outside can make all the difference between a pleasant outing and misery. The phrase "dress in layers," is used by Moms the world over, but remains good advice. Layers of clothing help trap air around the body and insulates it from the cold. Layers can also be removed to adjust to temperature changes or physical activity. Clothing layers are broken down into three parts: inner, middle, and outer.

Even though I like winter, when the view in the forest is more open and the air crisp, one does get a craving to see something green. It gives your subconscious satisfaction that things still look alive in the forest and spring is coming.

You can learn a lot from talking with elders. In a conversation about Christmas with my mother some years ago I learned that the Christmas of her childhood had an extra bit of celebration. Her father Sillus Day would always hold back some candy from Christmas in a big, locked chest and would give it out on January 6, a day he called “Old Christmas”.

Christmas has been well entrenched in our culture for centuries, with most of our traditions coming over from Europe with the early settlers. It’s not surprising that superstitions about Christmas worked their way into the holiday. Here are a few that have hung around

By: Steve Roark
Volunteer, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
Our connection with trees goes back a long time, and during the holidays it shows up in just how interwoven forest plants are with Christmas symbols and traditions.
The Christmas Tree: An evergreen tree, sparkling with ornaments and lights, is probably the preeminent Christmas icon.

By Steve Roark
Volunteer Interpreter, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park

The “hanging of the green” is a Christmas tradition that has been around for centuries. Sprays, garlands, wreaths, and trees from evergreen trees such as pine, fir, holly, and laurel have decorated homes at Christmas time since the days of Martin Luther in the early 1500s. Many Churches begin their celebration of the Christmas Season with a ceremony called the Hanging of the Green (or Greens).

After the thrill of autumn coloration is gone, those who have yard trees must deal with the bushels of leaves when they fall off. An acre of trees in a forest can produce over 2 tons of leaves each year, and I think my yard trees can beat that estimate.

As cold weather settles in you may end up with an influx of mice wanting to use your house as a winter retreat. There are several mouse species in our area, but thankfully only a few pose a problem for humans.

Bird watching is a favorite pastime for many nature lovers, but it’s often hard to find time to get out and see them. You can enjoy them at home by setting up a feeding station or two. This will also give you the added satisfaction while helping the birds through severe weather, especially extreme cold and snow. Before you begin feeding, keep in mind that once you begin winter feeding, you need to keep it up regularly. The birds become dependent on you, rather than natural sources, and it may prove a great hardship for them if you suddenly stop.

By: Steve Roark
Volunteer Interpreter, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
Deer are social creatures and they need to communicate with one another. Sometimes it’s one-on-one trash talk, while other times it’s an alarm to an entire group.