The Silence
Listening to the landscape at Ravenwing Ranch
The land, the river, the silence.
This phrase is how we sum up the call of Ravenwing Ranch. In August, we wrote about the land, and the beautiful array of rugged, yet delicate, attributes that comprise our shrubsteppe landscape. In October, we looked deeper at the river, and why time spent around water is so valuable to our emotional and physical well-being.
As 2023 is drawing to a close, we are considering silence at The Ranch—what it sounds like, what it feels like, and what it looks like to be able to spend time in a naturally quiet landscape.
how silence sounds
Quiet landscapes don’t have an absence of sound. Rather, the preponderance of sounds you do hear are part of the natural world, and are generally subtle, varied, and seasonal.
In the spring, the sun warms the towering basalt cliffs across the river, and small pieces of rock occasionally break loose, clinking to the water below. Meadowlarks sing, and rain falls. In autumn, wind rustles through sagebrush and drying grasses. Winter brings at least a few instances where freshly fallen snow, an amazingly effective sound absorber, blankets the Ranch in pillowy quiet. And all year long, the river provides a layer of sound dampening that allows human voices and activities to stay localized, and not carry far.
The result is a natural, unforced hush with movement and life and a distinct seasonal rhythm. And while the value of these sounds might be intuitive to many, science also proves it: natural sounds people enjoy, especially water and birdsong, bring an array of health benefits.
how silence feels
People who are called to this type of landscape find the silence captivating, and deeply restorative. There is room to think, create, and strategize; to rest, linger and look.
It’s not particularly easy to describe the feeling of arriving home to the quiet at The Ranch, and everyone has a slightly different take. The common thread is this—you can actually feel the silence. It has a bit of weight to it. Combined with the landscape, it truly puts you at ease.
Take a silent walk
This fall, the internet was briefly abuzz about silent walking—the restorative practice of solo, headphone-free, contemplative walking, especially in quiet outdoor surroundings.
Some people undoubtedly shook their heads. For many, this is just, well, walking. But for people who routinely use headphones to carve out space for themselves in crowded public environments, or take meetings while commuting, or live too far from safe, well-maintained interurban trails, the concept of silent walking has real value.
And Ravenwing has miles of silence to walk in—all you have to do is step outside. A four-mile trail system loops down to the river, up to the Dry Gulch footbridge, and back again, with many scenic stops along the way. There are over 300 acres of protected open space waiting in the backcountry, and a private, sandy beach on the Columbia (when water levels are lower.) These integral, land-based amenities offer owners the ability to experience restorative silence on a daily basis. You can learn more about wellness at The Ranch here.
Looking east at the entrance to our newest model home in The Bluffs
see a silent sky
Where there is silence, stars often follow.
Fewer people mean less noise, and less light pollution. This simple math adds up to something profound: night at Ravenwing is dark and quiet, and the sky is full of stars. Ravenwing’s robust Design Guidelines are compliant with Zone E1 standards set by the International Dark Sky Association, ensuring current and future owners have a front row seat to the ancient wonders of the night sky.
A west-facing, time-lapse view of Ravenwing’s newest model home
TAKE A PRIVATE TOUR
Every season offers something new to see and explore, and we’d love to show you around Ravenwing this fall. Get in touch to schedule a private tour of our newest model home in The Bluffs, as well as available waterfront and riverview lots.
