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I'm recently back from Dayton Ohio (on the other side of the state from where I live). Steve Cox and his wife Susan Hall had
arranged an 'Equinox' Pantheist Picnic in a local park (Sugarcreek). It actually took place not on the Equinox but on the
more practical date of Sept. 23.
Driving to Dayton I encountered some of the worst rain I have ever driven through, and was sure the picnic would be rained
out. But we lucked out after all. It was well worth the overnight trip (Steve and Susan were gracious enough to put me up
for the night). Not only did I meet the Coxes, but also encountered three charming 'alien intelligences' that have taken over
their living room --- a cockatoo, an African Grey Parrot and a Peach-faced Lovebird. No bird-brains these bird-brains!
At the picnic, in addition to Susan and Steve and Steve's son Daniel (who is quite a naturalist), were Steve's parents Royal
and Celia from Columbus, Ohio, Steve's sister Sandy from Gahanna, Ohio (whose proudly handcrafted soap seemed to be a surefire
yellow jacket attractant), Joel and Billie from Farmersville, Ohio, and Tom and Doug from Columbus Indiana. Because Susan
hails from Columbus, Georgia, we had picnickers from three different towns named Columbus!
The day was cloudy, and unexpectedly hot and humid. But a refreshing drizzle cooled us off at times.
Everyone brought food which was shared by all. And Tom and Doug brought wine. There are a lot of good cooks among the Pantheists.
Perhaps we should start a Pantheist Cookbook!
The highlight of the trip was a short hike to a stand of three pre-Columbian oak trees known as the 'Three Sisters' - immense
ancient White Oaks whose branches join far overhead. A squirrel can walk from one tree to another. And later on during the
hike we did see an albino squirrel!
In this part of the country there is hardly any old growth forest left (although there is a lot of third and fourth growth
woodland), so really ancient oaks are a rarity. [Editor's note: See the April 2001 page describing Highlands Nature Sanctuary,
an attempt to preserve and restore old growth forest.] Looking at the trees, in the congenial company of other Pantheists,
was a spiritual experience for me (and I think for some of the others). The trees seemed to communicate a sense of the immensity
of time. Of a slow vegetal patience. Of living through five hundred cycles of winter, spring, summer and autumn. Tolkien's
'Ents' came to mind, for the trees really did look positively 'Entish'. It made a visit to these Entish trees even more appropriate
that a pagan family (Steve's friends) - Jim, Kay, Andrew and Marie had joined us for the picnic and the hike. And Jim is a
Druid. So we had a Druid with us for our visit to the ancient trees!
After seeing the Three Sisters, we walked through a 'Tunnel' of Osage Orange trees. The atmosphere of the dimly lit Osage
Orange glade was spookily Gothic. Osage Orange has thorns that can grow from the trunk or branches. It has tangled arching
branches that can look like the wooden groining of Gothic cathedrals. The tree gets its name from its large hard, heavy, inedible,
lime green fruit, which looks like a gigantic orange, although it's also sometimes called a hedge apple. When walking under
Osage Orange trees watch out that an 'orange' doesn't fall and conk you on the noggin. Cuttings of branches can be planted
to grow into living fence posts, and the Osage Indians made bows from Osage Orange wood.
After walking through the gothic 'Tunnel' we hiked along beautiful Sugarcreek, in which sandal-wearing Tom waded.
It was a very pleasant picnic, and it seemed to me everyone liked everyone else. I felt privileged to finally get to meet
nice people who had only been names on a list to me. It makes a difference to meet Pantheists in the real world rather than
just online.
We're all talking about getting together for a mid-winter gathering sometime around New Years. Maybe some of us can get together
before that to walk in the woods, when the leaves put on their brightest colors. Any Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Indiana,
or Kentucky Pantheists interested? If you are, let me or Steve know.
Walter Mandell, September 2000
Contact Walter Mandell
Go to Sugarcreek MetroPark Web Site
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