The Green Owl (The Little Green Cabin)

We went to visit the Green Owl, our cabin in the enchanted forest this afternoon. The Green Owl was built by Sam’s grandparents in the sixties. Inside of our enchanted forest many types of plants grow. Two of these plants are bamboo and paw paw trees, they are very special to us. The bamboo works to hold the creek bank in place. The bamboo grows so quickly that it could completely take over the other trees and our enchanted forest. Therefore, we harvest the bamboo. Once we harvest the bamboo it will go back to our workshop to dry. When it dries it is destined to be drinking glasses, dream catchers, and didgeridoos.

              As we walked through the forest on the animal made pathway, we saw deer, bird, raccoon, and opossum footprints on the creek bank in the mud. We gathered paw paws as we walked through the Paw paw tree grove.  Paw paws are a fruit that grow in the Virginia mountains in early fall. We believe that a paw paw tastes like a banana and a mango mixed together. They almost look like a giant lima bean. We make many things from the pulp: bread, ice cream topping, and jam. We make many things from the seed: beads, runes, and earrings. We even harvest saplings that grow in the middle of the paths to make walking sticks. Paw paw picking for us comes once a year. It usually takes us an entire evening to pulp the fruit.

              We went from tree to tree collecting fruit. As we collected, we pulled grape vines, and honey suckle vines off the trees. The vines can wrap around the trees and harm them. We removed the vines and wove them into dream catcher hoops. We will let then dry out for about a month before we can finish them. They must harden so that they are not longer malleable.

              Our trip to the Green Owl was wonderful today and the enchanted forest was beautiful. Overall, we got to spend time in a beautiful place with family history and gather some fantastic treasures to share with you all.

Go have an exciting  adventure!

Be safe,

S&R