I must admit that I have been impressed with the fact that communing with nature has been glaringly omitted from most historical texts relating the great explorations of our continent and are barely if ever mentioned even in modern writings concerning excursions to our great forests, rivers, and plains. This omission must be eliminated, and is hereby done so.

Each participant will have their own and private way of communing with nature, as would be expected, of course. What follows is what I have worked out as satisfactory; you may commune with nature as you like.

The best time for communing with nature is the warmth of an afternoon, with the sun as bright as it may be for the season in which you find yourself called. The cheer of the sun's rays and the caress of the breeze on your cheeks marks a well-chosen place and time.

A fine log of pine or oak, or indeed, of any tree native to the area visited, is essential, to my mind. Some may choose any mundane location or any common rock, but who can deny the many advantages of wood? So aromatic, so abundant, at hand whenever at need, not to mention it's lovely roundness and smoothness. A rose is a rose and none could be sweeter, but a fine log would always be sweeter for me.

The best boles for communing with nature are old and ancient ones, matured with age like a fine wine, with bark naturally peeled revealing its true essence, smooth and soft as the rest of nature that meets with it. Avoid at all costs rough bark or stubs of branches, as you would shun a sliver, or your moment of communing may be pricked like a floating soap bubble upon a needle and ruined.

Communing with nature is something to be planned, like Hannibal before the Alps, with the precision of an engineer about to do his duty to God and Country. The error of finding what you need just out of arm's reach, at just the moment of service, will be remembered long after the event has passed. One should also show respect in one's planning for the great Isaac Newton and his discovery of gravity, or the gravity of the resulting situation in every respect will depress you beyond any recovery.

There is some discussion of the marking of our passing through nature, leaving it as pristine as before our entrance upon the stage of life, or leaving uncovered the truth of the moment. Fie be to all who would leave nature sullied by human intervention! As Adam and Eve were commanded by God to cover their nakedness after their act, so we all should cover our sins. Nakedness before God and nature reeks, of sinfulness, and more.

So to all who go about in the glories of the world untamed: enjoy the glory and pleasure of communing with nature! May it ever be so!