Blue Ghost Fireflies - Terra Nova Center - DuPont Forest - High Falls

I don’t often or ever describe something as magical but these couple of days have earned that title. We don’t over plan and just start off doing something to see what the Universe might bring us and time after time the experience has been nothing short of Amazing.

It was Sunday, we’ve developed into a habit of going to Bell Falls and Green River BBQ which has been wonderful but I thought, do we want to try something different? How about Hooker Falls in DuPont?

Jennifer agreed but then asked if I knew of a place called Terra Nova which is near there. I had not but looked it up. She had adopted her beloved dog and companion Gracie from Terra Nova some 20 years ago.

We didn’t know exactly where it was but Thanks to Google Maps we were soon on our way. Terra Nova is now a nature preserve so we left Zeke at home as lord of the manor.

We found Terra Nova after making a U-Turn at Cedar Mountain Coffee and Moonshine, where we met James, an incredible animated and engaging pastor of the Lighthouse Chapel 

It was during our conversation with James that we ,earned more bout the Blue Ghost Fireflies and went home on a mission to sign up to witness the celestial event.

Blue Birds flew all around us as we sat in comfortable rockers on the Lighthouse Chapel deck while visitors for the Blue Ghosts arrived for our orientation. I’m a little weak on names but we met a guy name Free, as in Jeff Free, who was very welcoming. The official orientation was done by Director Chrys Graham, I think. In any case she gave a great historical summary of Terra Nova, the geography and nature with historical connections to what is now Scotland during the supercontinent Pangaea ages. 

The Blue Ghost Experience 

We were given lanyards with a tiny red bulb to help illuminate our way through dusk to total darkness. We were lead down the gravel path, to the road, to a gated field, across the field and into the woods where we were neatly seated facing into the woods.

We sat in near silence and waited, our minds racing with anticipation and wondering… would this actually happen as she had described? The visions of Tinkerbell dancing, spinning and darting about? Or would this be a dud? That would still be ok I consoled myself. It was still great to be here.

Then the silence was broken by the drums in the background… drums echoing though the distant hills… then the chanting, much like I would imaging native Americans chanting to the gods deep in the dark and mystical forest forests before the invasions of our modern world… so this was the drumming in that they had talked about.

Darkness, darkness, darkness…

And then, a tiny sparkle of light… I clutched Jennifer’s hand. Did you see that, I thought silently but my hand spoke its own language. Is this really going to happen?

The forest answered with a resounding Yes! The fireflies come dance of the fireflies commenced as if on cue. As if by actually summoned forth by the drums, they emerged in fairly rapid and full display filling our field of vision and causing us to follow and seek out individuals. Their little lights streaked around us sometimes in groups like headlights on a highway and sometimes like the cascades of the High Falls where we had just been. They seemed to be talking to us. Seemed to be saying we are here, like the ocean, we are always here but tonight we are here with you. The woods in front of us had become a canvas of pitch black. The browness of trees and brush was gone. Now there was nothing but space. Space where only the little streaks of light told us we were not alone. I was staring straight ahead but it was like staring into an endless night sky. Then when I arched my head back and looked upward they still filled the sky. 

I tried to meditate, to be here now, but the efforts of that thought interfered with experience. I had to clear my throat, I took a sip of water. I tried again to breathe in… to breathe out. I did have those moments… Then the drums… the distant drums, the chants. The awareness that I am just a tiny speck in endless depth and darkness of space and time. Our lives, so busy and complex are just an instant. Just a flicker. But are we, as they, a tiny part of a bigger constellation?

I watched one little firefly just stop and stay still only a few feet away in front of me. He didn’t zoom or swoop or twirl he just stood there still and alone in the darkness. Just think about that.

Getting up and out was awkward and funny. The voice behind us said we looked like two drunk sailors. We could laugh because it was all in good humor but I did cling to Jennifer by intention I wanted to help her but by sensation, she was helping me.

This was a lifetime experience. It was beautiful it was mystical it was magical. It was beyond words… I thought I might be silent driving home but I was not. We talked much of the whole way but I know we also know the silence. We know we feel and appreciate the peace of the dark and the quiet. We know we are a small part of a bigger constellation of nature. In my way I know that god has given me this new experience of someone to love. Breathe in… breathe out… Love ❤️ 

Before heading home on that Sunday afternoon, I asked Jennifer if she would join me in doing one last thing… walk/hike to High Falls. Jennifer obliged me and I thought maybe I had pushed things just a little too far. But… But we did it and it was just Beautiful!!!

https://www.terranovacenter.org   

Last night we participated in witnessing the natural phenomenon of the Blue Ghost Fireflies … this is something I heard about years ago but never followed through to do it until… Jennifer … this is such a gift that I have found her, that we have found each other at this age and time in our lives.

This is the Terra Nova Center website. I am inserting the link https://www.terranovacenter.org/ right here.