What does niska mean when she says "war touches everyone and winding is spring from the earth"

I'm not at all familiar with this novel, but I will try to find some information today. You might want to google the novel (or the quote) to see if information is available. My first instinct is to say, "war touches everyone," because it doesn't matter where the war takes place...... everyone is touched. Mothers, fathers, sweethearts, children; whole areas, whole cultures, or even those sent away to fight in foreign countries. War moves and isn't contained.