A book about forests and my wooden flute

The Treeline: The Last Forest and the Future of Life on Earth ~ by Ben Rawlence, 2022, environmental science, 320 pages

For the last fifty years, the trees of the boreal forest have been moving north.  Rawlence takes us along this critical frontier of our warming planet from Norway to Siberia, Alaska to Greenland, Canada to Sweden to meet the scientists, residents and trees confronting huge geological changes.  Only the hardiest species survive at these latitudes including the ice-loving Dahurian larch of Siberia, the antiseptic Spruce that purifies our atmosphere, the Downy birch conquering Scandinavia, the healing Balsam poplar that Native Americans use as a cure-all, and the Scots Pine that lives longer when surrounded by its family.

It is a journey of wonder and awe at the incredible creativity and resilience of these species and the mysterious workings of the forest upon which we rely for the air we breathe.  This is a story of what might soon be the last forest left and what that means for the future of all life on earth.

November is designated as Native American Heritage Month to honor the culture, history, and contributions of indigenous peoples.  The month serves as an opportunity for public education and celebration, with events, exhibits, and educational programs taking place across the nation.  The official designation was established by President George H.W. Bush in 1990, and the celebration is also known as American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month.

Decades ago, I bought this 6-hole cedar flute in Cherokee, North Carolina.  I'm the one who added the beaded feathers to the green felt bag, but the leather strap to hold the "bird" in place over the hole to adjust the sound was there when I first bought it.  The indigenous people who made it are the Cherokee, of course.

I noticed how Google is celebrating this month, and that reminded me to mention it on this blog.  I'm smiling because Google also used wooden flutes, and the brown one through the second "G" looks like mine.

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