Carolyn McDade – Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area. George Genereux Urban Regional Park.

A song of enchantment I sang me there
In a green green wood by waters fair
Just as the words came up to me
I sang it under a wild wood tree
~ A song of enchantment

It was fitting and magical that the afforestation area with the namesake Richard St. Barbe Baker, was truly blessed with the repertoire of the Sacred Web Singers SWS singing tree songs in the forest. The Sacred Web Singers sing in the style of Carolyn McDade. The lyrics pay tribute to Gaia, and the verses adapted to the afforestation allowing the pure and encompassing spirit of the moment to resonate

The song Drift like a breath and learn your way down through the trees captured the essential elements of the forest. Imagine sitting within the canopy of the forest, hearing the breeze tickle the Trembling Aspen leaves, smelling the fresh woodland Rose bloom, listening to We of Earth^{You Tube} or You Tube caressing the branches by the singing circle^{You Tube} as the Black Capped Chickadees kept time. The melody, O Beautiful Gaia ~ Love Songs to Earth truly captured the essence of St. Barbe Baker’s mystical experience.

“I became intoxicated with the beauty all around me, immersed in the joyousness and exultation of feeling part of it all….I had entered the temple of the woods. “Richard St. Barbe Baker.

The forest and the trees capture the enchantment of the moment, and the songs celebrate and rejoice. To immerse oneself and listen to the Sacred Singers’s songs, brings one home again to the forest no matter where the journey takes you.

“We wait, starving for moments of high magic to inspire us, but life is full of common enchantment waiting for our alchemists eyes to notice.”
― Jacob Nordby

Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area in the fog

White-tailed Deer Fawn. Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area. Saskatoon, SK, CA

Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth. They do not preach learning and precepts, they preach, undeterred by particulars, the ancient law of life….
So the tree rustles in the evening, when we stand uneasy before our own childish thoughts: Trees have long thoughts, long-breathing and restful, just as they have longer lives than ours. They are wiser than we are, as long as we do not listen to them. But when we have learned how to listen to trees, then the brevity and the quickness and the childlike hastiness of our thoughts achieve an incomparable joy. Whoever has learned how to listen to trees no longer wants to be a tree. He wants to be nothing except what he is. That is home. That is happiness.”
― Hermann Hesse

For directions as to how to drive to “George Genereux” Urban Regional Park

For directions on how to drive to Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area

For more information:

Blairmore Sector Plan Report; planning for the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, George Genereux Urban Regional Park and West Swale and areas around them inside of Saskatoon city limits

P4G Saskatoon North Partnership for Growth The P4G consists of the Cities of Saskatoon, Warman, and Martensville, the Town of Osler and the Rural Municipality of Corman Park; planning for areas around the afforestation area and West Swale outside of Saskatoon city limits

Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area is located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada north of Cedar Villa Road, within city limits, in the furthest south west area of the city. 52° 06′ 106° 45′
Addresses:
Part SE 23-36-6 – Afforestation Area – 241 Township Road 362-A
Part SE 23-36-6 – SW Off-Leash Recreation Area (Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area ) – 355 Township Road 362-A
S ½ 22-36-6 Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area (West of SW OLRA) – 467 Township Road 362-A
NE 21-36-6 “George Genereux” Afforestation Area – 133 Range Road 3063
Wikimapia Map: type in Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area
Google Maps South West Off Leash area location pin at parking lot
Web page: https://stbarbebaker.wordpress.com
Where is the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area? with map
Where is the George Genereux Urban Regional Park (Afforestation Area)? with map

Pinterest richardstbarbeb

Facebook Group Page: Users of the George Genereux Urban Regional Park

Facebook: StBarbeBaker

Facebook group page : Users of the St Barbe Baker Afforestation Area

Facebook: South West OLRA

Twitter: StBarbeBaker

Please help protect / enhance your afforestation areas, please contact the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. (e-mail)

Support the afforestation areas with your donation or membership ($20.00/year). Please donate by paypal using the e-mail friendsafforestation AT gmail.com, or by using e-transfers Please and thank you! Your donation and membership is greatly appreciated. Members e-mail your contact information to be kept up to date!

QR Code FOR PAYPAL DONATIONS to the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. — Paypal

Payment Options

Membership : $20.00 CAD – yearly
Membership with donation : $20.00 CAD -monthly
Membership with donation : $50.00 CAD
Membership with donation : $100.00 CAD

1./ Learn.

2./ Experience

3./ Do Something: ^***

What was Richard St. Barbe Baker’s mission, that he imparted to the Watu Wa Miti, the very first forest scouts or forest guides? To protect the native forest, plant ten native trees each year, and take care of trees everywhere.

“We stand in awe and wonder at the beauty of a single tree. Tall and graceful it stands, yet robust and sinewy with spreading arms decked with foliage that changes through the seasons, hour by hour, moment by moment as shadows pass or sunshine dapples the leaves. How much more deeply are we moved as we begin to appreciate the combined operations of the assembly of trees we call a forest.”~Richard St. Barbe Baker

Songs enchant the breeze.
Songs enchant the breeze rhythm
Songs bring souls together
Witnessing the world was never easier.
Its the songs that make it easy.
~Satish Chandra

For the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area clean up, it is wonderful to welcome Ellen, and Laura, who are part of the Saskatoon Singing Circle, an affiliate of the Sacred Web Singers. They are taking the time to connect and bring together singers for an absolutely delightful singing circle to join the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area Clean Up on Saturday, July 9, 2016.

The Sacred Web Singers [SWS] are networks of Canadian singing circles in North America. The SWS mission is:

We are a circle of compassionate women,
renewing our spirits through singing beautiful and meaningful songs
about the earth, justice, and peace.
We are transformed through song and ritual, good company, good food, good fun
—then we share ourselves and our songs in our communities.
We connect with the larger web of women inspired by
Carolyn McDade, Norma Luccock, and others of song and action.~SourceFor instance, the singers will introduce two songs to start us out for the clean up;
Drift Like A Breath adapted from the poetry by William Stafford. Words to the song are a part of Carolyn McDade’s New Music Widening Embrace, Music arising from the energies of the Earth.

The words to the Trees Chant by Lori Fithian and Eric Fithianis online at the Panbolla – Pambula Wetlands and Heritage Project Inc. ” Today the words of a song come to me as I sift through the soil at the foot of trees that are meant to support life for the animal species that we hope will return: O Standing Nation We sing to you We breathe with you We standby you.”

The song written by Carolyn McDade, O Beautiful Gaia [meaning earth], O Gaia calling us home has had two verses added by Saskatoon Women;

O Beautiful Gaia, O Gaia calling us home
O Beautiful Gaia, calling us on. [twice]

Poplar bending in wind storm, O Gaia Calling us Home
Trees reflected in water, Calling us on.

Smell of Pine Trees Consume me, O Gaia Calling Us Home
Leaves Rustling Beside Me, Calling us on.

Seeking new birds and flowers, O Gaia Calling us Home
Neighbour to Chappell Marshland, Calling us on.

As those who gather disperse to clean the forest, the singers will choose to join or continue singing Carolyn McDade and friends type songs

“Carolyn’s recorded music dates back to the early 1970’s. Over the years she has organized 13 recording projects that grew out of her singing circles. Each project involved activist women and a growing body of gifted and accomplished professional musicians. Thousands of women have touched into these circles and projects. The depth of their living – profound and ordinary – stirs and sustains this music.” Caroyln McDade biography

In Prince Edward Island, the singing circle is named Gaia singers after the Earth, relates Laura who participated in the Nature City Festival Tour at Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area.

“I often wonder what it would be like if we dared to love this life — the fragile and the vulnerable, the endangered, daring to be humble before the magnitude of our beginnings, daring to learn our species into a stubborn and pliant wonder, until reverence shines in all that we do — until we live an economics of reverence — until it permeates education, development and health care, homes and relationship, arts and agriculture — a reverence for life, for planetary, social and personal wholeness. This is our purpose now. May we do it well, with thoroughness and love.” ~ from Through the Moons of Autumn by Carolyn McDade

Inspirational tree songs bring the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area volunteers courage and resolution, to cheer them, to fire them with new confidence when they grow dispirited, to strengthen their faith that THINGS CAN BE DONE.

“We are members of a vast cosmic orchestra in which each living instrument is essential to the complementary and harmonious playing of the whole.”~J. Allen Boone.

Additional Links

The Ancient Love – Carolyn McDade & Friends You Tube.
Carolyn McDade biography
Carolyn McDade Music Inspiration, Sustenance, Celebration, Celebrating the Long Road of Music.
Carolyn McDade Singing Circl CCS 120th Annivesary You Tube
Carolyn McDade’s Spirit of Life.
Coming Home LIke Rivers to the Sea. book written by Carolyn McDade. A Women’s Ritual
EcoSpirituality Resources. “Born of a Star” from We are the Lane We Sing Carolyn McDade lyrics and video
Serpent Song: Carolyn McDade Singers You Tube.
Spirit of LIfe by Carolyn McDade sung online
The view from Kevin’s corner: Carolyn McDade’s “Spirit of Life”
We of Earth – Carol You Tube

“Gladness begins with the first person, with you. But it may spread far, like the ripples when you toss a stone in the water.

Sing a song, sing a song,
Ring the glad-bells all along;
Smile at him who frowns at you,
He will smile and then they’re two.

Laugh a bit, laugh a bit,
Folks will soon be catching it,
Can’t resist a happy face;
World will be a merry place.

Laugh a Bit and Sing a Song,
Where they are there’s nothing wrong;
Joy will dance the whole world through,
But it must begin with you.

~Joseph Morris.”

Black Capped Chickadee. Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area. SAskatoon, Sk, CA

Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, Saskatoon, SK, CA

Canada Geese West Swale Wetlands. Chappell Marsh. Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, Saskatoon, SK, CA