Season 2 (Spring) Episode 11 (Daniel's Peace)

On Today’s episode of Adventures with Gary The Wood Sprite: Season 2, (Spring) episode 11 (Daniel's Peace). It’s May 10, 2026. We started at Daniel's Peace Memorial Park in Germantown, OH. From there we took the only trail straight into the woods. This was my very first-time at a Memorial Park! Yay!

Grab your tissues. Your gonna need them.

So far, I have taken you to the following areas. State Parks: 4, Wildlife Areas: 1, Nature Preserves: 3, Arboretums: 1, Natural Area in a township: 1, County Park: 1

This one is different.

I am taking you here to show you that nature can be found in so many different places.

Since I am a type of magical fairy, I am also connected to angels. This place is a hub of spiritual angel energy so I was quite comfortable. It was all familiar. The lesson for today is use nature for your mental health healing!

You can read about this place here: https://danielsstory.org/

Upon entering, the amount of love is so thick it’s like walking in Jello. I could feel so many loved ones connecting to souls who have crossed over here. More so than any cemetery.

When white pines are planted in lines that’s a very magical place. White pines symbolize peace. When the breeze travels in the long needles of the white pines it makes a soft whistling hum. A shushing. The sound helps you slow down and be quiet.

There are fae specific to pines! The pine fairy is depicted as a protector of the evergreen canopy. Pine fairies are often characterized as wise, ancient, and grounded, watching over the needle-strewn forest floor where the veil between the mortal and magical worlds is believed to be thin. Although I didn’t meet any pine fairies today, I felt them for sure!

I loved the “everyone is welcome here sign” because I know that meant wood sprites like me. Aww.

There were tiny surprises tucked into trees just like I like to do. I even saw a little toy cow stuck in a tree. I sat next to a tiny Jesus. I sat in the wings of an eagle. I sat on my first ever hammock!

The one nature aspect that I have never notice before which you would think I had was the clouds! Duh! From now on, will notice them. The clouds today were altocumulus which are also called “mackerel sky” because they look like fish scales.

Inside the prayer chapel I wrote a letter to Daniel about my deceased family. It was sweet. I miss them. Hanging on the walls of the chapel are tags where so many other people wrote notes to their loved ones. It’s a great idea. The wind chimes outside the chapel make a pretty sound.

In a separate area is my absolute favorite part of this place. There is a vintage style rotary dial wall mount phone where you can “call” and talk to your loved ones. Even though I am magical and don’t need to call I was overwhelmed with how powerful this must be for humans. My lovely guide was in tears. But happy tears! Laughing all the while. A few steps from the phone are lists of mental health resources which I thought was brilliant.

I also saw a cute real-life cow. She (?) was so fluffy.

When I found an empty bird nest on the ground, I marveled at its engineering but didn’t get in. That would have been disrespectful.

We saw and heard a song sparrow which is the most familiar of the north American sparrows. The brown and white stripes are distinguished.

We also saw 3 large bird boxes which I am guessing is for owls. On the little pond, on a post was a wire mesh structure that I am guessing is meant for bird nests.

I was impressed at how the nature at this place was well cared for and not just the memorial parts. I suppose they are the same.

On to the plants!

There was a gorgeous arbor with sweet smelling wisteria. The open prairie had lots of milkweeds (one of a pollinators favorites). Bright pink dianthus. (which is in the carnation family, which is the state flower for Ohio the red colored one), lesser celandine (that had not taken over thankfully)

Those "pineapple-looking" growths on the white pine are male pollen cones (sometimes called catkins). When they mature, they release massive amounts of yellow pollen into the wind to fertilize the female cones.

There was some Virginia creeper. I have never mentioned this plant before but it has probably been in almost all of my other nature visits. It can get up to 50 feet tall. The good news is that it doesn’t kill the tree it climbs and it’s a very pretty bright red in the fall.

There was a regal stand of cottonwood trees next to the pond.

I found apples getting filled out on an apple tree (yum), an oxeye daisy, pink clover and cat tails.

I am so glad I came, both for the nature finds and the memorial. Daniel is clearly a well-loved person.

How do you remember your loved ones who have died? How do you connect with them?

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