October in the Pine Barrens -Franklin Parker Preserve

I found myself visiting Franklin Parker Preserve back in October 2025. It seems that whenever I experience a lull in my artistic expression, whether in writing or photography, I rejuvenate my inner muse by returning to this land that speaks to so many of us.

Those who have grown up in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey understand that there is a presence in the woods that calls to each and every one of us. Some might feel this presence is a real being, as folklore tells us, beware of the creatures in the woods. Yet for me, even though I understand the spiritual tales found in the folklore of the pines, on this specific day, it was a connection to the earth that grounded me.

When I stepped into the woods, a silence overcame me. Time stopped. I felt as if I could breathe, and the stress of my daily hectic life slipped away.

I found myself standing among the forgotten cranberry bogs, and I watched how nature has taken back what is hers. The birds, which I can only see, sing as they move from Hollybush to blueberry bush. The birch trees stood tall; their golden leaves slowly drifted back to the earth.

Standing just outside the reach of the Birch trees, a magical presence filled the air.

In some cultures, there is a belief that Birch trees symbolize the idea of a new beginning, a purification. The Birch trees were thought to ward off evil spirits. The leaves were even used as medicine for congestion or headaches. As I stood there admiring my favorite tree, I wondered if the trees themselves were portals to another realm. That might have just been the writer in me and my imagination running free.

Yet, the Pine Barrens are just that, a magical portal to another time.