Overlooking The Spring

This was spotted on todays hike; we were having to climb over rocks the size of trucks in an almost inaccessible area located above "The Main Spring."  This three to four  foot shaped standing stone is wedged between a two huge boulders.    This is  well off the usual hiking trails or logging tails; it's at the top  of a Glacial Dump of gigantic proportions. 

Rock Pile, Directional Rock or Bear Effigy Stone?

Looks like a Bear Effigy to us. Close up signs of flaking on the "face," and under one of the eyes.
I pulled the woodland debris away from the base to see how many rocks were piled about; just two!
Love the paws!  

The Northern Perched Rock Location

Standing Stones with white quartz in center. There is at least one foot of woodland debris surrounding them. 

Today I  explored the area around the Northern Perched Rock, passing on the way this pair of short upright stones, with  a large white rock in the middle.  

  A Handsome  head and shoulder portrait...about12  inches tall!

And On the west facing corner:  More pecking. A Fish?

Who was this artist? Was he the same fellow who put a sliver of rock in  the "mouth" of the Razor Back Turtle for a tongue?
The one who pecked out the "eye" on the Bird Effigy?
The one who created the bear effigy near the spring?
Were they all of the same generation, or created over many seasons and years?

Bent Tree Trail

Going where it leads....

 On an old path,  on a hill,  overlooking The Lake,

An Old Bent Tree,  points west. To the west, The Perched Rock.

Was the  Perched Rock a Sunset Watching Spot? The Perched Rock faces  the setting sun.   About 40 feet back from the Perched Rock, a large circular Rock Pile.  Near the center of the pile, a short standing stone. 

" Winter solstice was of particular interest to many pre-technological cultures. Because the Sun rose and set at a very southern/low point, people were concerned that it might continue its southward journey, hence leaving the Earth in darkness. Ceremonies were held to encourage the Sun to resume its journey northward, or to celebrate the change to longer days."


The earliest Sunset at our Latitude occurs about 10 days prior to the time it sets on the Winter Solstice. On our modern calendar, at our latitude of 42• that date is December 8 & 9, 2015.

An early "sun watcher" wouldn't have a time piece, smart phone or calendar.  This shift wouldn't be obvious, so simpler methods were devised."  Therefore, we might expect that every evening following the Full Beaver Moon, Sun Watcher will  be found sitting in the same well-marked spot. (Full Beaver Moon this year is Nov 25, 2015.

Now, if this Perched Rock and adjacent Rock Pile (A Prayer Rock Pile?) are a Sunset Watching Spot, the setting sun should be directly in line with the Perched Rock and one of the viewing spots at the Pile of Stones. There are several stones arranged in the larger pile; one is a square standing stone.

If the sun is going to change it's direction,  as far as The Sunset Watcher at this particular site is concerned, it will  stop traveling further south when everything is in alignment , about 15 days after the Full Beaver Moon.   "Let the Winter Solstice Ceremonies Begin!"

   Read here for an explanation.


So that's my theory.  I've made a plan. Beginning twelve  days after  the Full Beaver Moon, I will sit   on The Stone, and point my camera  at the Perched Rock, (33• south of due west on a compass), and photograph the moment the sun "sets" on the line of hills far to the west. (Lots of trees in the way, but if there are no clouds, it will work. )

 Just saying. (Or, maybe, just trying to listen. )

Time and Date: Here

Tuesday Morning

Front Row Seat: 

Moose: The Front End

Finally! A Front view of a moose on my trail camera instead of the rear end...
Not such a good capture...but better than nothing!  These are clips from a video....

The Southern Perched Boulder

Perched Rock that has modern backfill.

This large boulder is perched on a piece of bedrock. Behind the boulder there is a space of about 10 feet  in which are a few small rocks.  pushed down onto them is a great deal of artificial landfill  which was brought in to level out a driveway. The perched Boulder is particularly curious because of a notch knocked out of the top. Pretty much a curiosity as there is no horizon line which would allow it to work as a calendar rock.

November Late Afternoon

November Light: The yellow sun cast the shadows a deep lavender. 

November 6

A nice Buck under the Oak Tree

End of October

Two Bucks : Scraping

Read more about what is happening HERE

In the Dark

Heading North: one very large bear!!!

Making a Scrape

Acorns

A Section of The Indian Foot Path

Remnant of Old Indian Trail in Massachusetts

Turned Around On My Hike Today

I left a worn trail, and heading confidently off  through the woods, to the south west, where there was a gravel road that would take me back home.  But the road seemed to be getting further and further away, and the landscape more and more difficult to navigate, with piles of rocks dumped by the last glacier. No Cell Phone Service, but I decided to trust this whimsical cairn, which pointed me back in the "other" direction.  Sure enough, several hundred feet down a hill was a spring,  and just beyond,  the road.

Rock Cairn with directional stone.

Small Buck, Big Fat Bear

I think I've finally found a good location for my Trail Camera!!

Cairn Images

A closer look at a Cairn I posted earlier in the month. This cairn is composed of a series of boulders of differing materials, aligned side by side, with rocks  tucked into the spaces between each rock. Near the "top" of this image..three "heads," looking left, or has my imagination run away with me?

A view along the length of the cairn: a ragged quartz -infused rock closest to the camera, then several boulder piled in a row.  At the "top," three stones, all "looking" left.  

Close up of one of the stones placed at the "top."
Looking left. 

Native American Cairn Hunting

Rock Shelter

Spring with lintel stone

Row of rocks under effigy shaped slab

Rock Shelter in the middle of a glacial "dump." I haven't been able to find a safe way to get closer.
Best not to go there. The huge black bear might be looking for a Den. Or, perfect habitat for rattle snakes. 

Looking for the Eye

MJ and a Bird Effigy

The Eagle

A Flash of White! An adult eagle  trying to catch a fish right in front of our house!
This is not my photo, but it represents the scene, exactly.

Not in my Backyard

Serpent Wall Massachusetts

But abut 15 miles away, in my friends backyard.   This is a magnificent "stonewall."  Gosh, everywhere I look, I'm seeing Cairns....and effigies.