Acair Fearann

I grabbed my lunch hour, and instead of having lunch, went for a quick walk on a project property I am supposed to be doing research on.  A lovely piece of old fields and high ridge woods, mostly oak and cherry and quite open.  Very pretty in the spring greens, with the warm scent of hay fern, the silence of the trees, and the grey stone walls stretched out in sleep.*  The fields had carefully tended bluebird boxes. I didn’t see the bluebird there though, not in the fields. But he was there in the woods.  A shining blue moment of life and time resting on the arch of a dogwood branch.  And then off into the shadows and the light. One living point in time.

*I can appreciate such an open forest, even though it means a very high deer population, too high.  It is very pretty.

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I don’t do product placement….but, we just got new work clothing* and I think I might just be a devotee.  Usually, insecticide makes me ill, which isn’t so great in the land of the tick**, but this stuff fits nicely, looks good, and Works.  Now will it last as long as they say? I don’t know, but if it does! http://www.insectshield.com/

Saw an indigo bunting today, must be doing something right around here.

New favorite singer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eQuej8pxg0

*I’m a contractor so no logos on my clothes, but my boss added me to the official order anyway, and my boyfriend in his own words: ‘I just found you, I’m not losing you to a tick.’ The combination means I’m well supplied.

** And if that isn’t symbolic of Connecticut’s politics, what is?

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Just coming up on a year on the project really getting underway.  (which is not my actual hire date, but the date we first got out there finding things in the woods)  A remarkable amount of learning, growth, a pair of boots, thousands of pictures, some bears, a few moose, and some very nice people met along the way.  And yes, a thoroughly unexpected, thoroughly wonderful relationship.  Where to next?

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A Cat: 1999-2016

It will be, I think, a long time before I stop looking for the second black shadow at dinner time coming with his tail high to get supper.  Even if in fact, it had already been several months since he had done so.  Or led the parade each evening to bed. Not sure why we have pets, we love them and they always, always break our hearts. I’m sure a philosopher or theologian has a reason, but it doesn’t make it any easier. I figure if a good Catholic-Anglican like C.S. Lewis can write the ‘Last Battle’ I’m not wrong in my belief, that soul with the golden eyes is still alive and still loved.

Good hunting, A, out there in wild woods.

A is on the left, B is on the right.

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a good lengthy spell of rain, a bit chilly, but just what was ordered for the plants around here, especially all those spring bulbs and other spring bloomers. This is the only time they have to prepare for next year.

It must be May too……the early bulb catalogue email alerts have popped up in my inbox!

Otherwise, not too much, we have a new (actually replica) lawn chair in a distinct variant on the Adirondack style all ready to go thanks to Dad’s carpentry this winter.  Now, will any of us have the time to sit in it?

The spring peepers are at it again, the rain having assured them that their pond won’t be drying out. These later guys aren’t quite as shy or as frantic as that first deafening March chorus, more contemplative and centered.  If a mating frog could be either of those things….

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and just whose right of way is it? Note the scale in this uncropped photo.

He eventually ambled off to the fallen trees over on the left side and we continued on our way.  I think we had disturbed his nap….

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In the pond, that is.  Now which ones? I haven’t a clue.  Something in the aquatic about to transform stage.  Along with the tadpoles and the eggs and the little water bugs. I saw six salamanders all at once, something of a record.

All happily, if skittishly, swimming about and blending in with the leaves.

It goes without saying that the water is crystal clear. Is there some algae clinging to a stick here and there? Of course.  Is there a lot of duckweed? Absolutely! But there is no floating algae, sediment, or other ‘muck’ in the pond itself.  Just the water, clear and cold, glinting in the sun.

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There was something almost surreal about the pair. I was watching them while pruning the Wolf River apple tree today, so a great sweeping vista to the west and south.  The two red tails came up low out of the east and spiraled up, almost to the vanishing point, heading west.  Doubling back and circling, ever higher.  They they turned and dove, heading back from where they started.  When they were almost overhead, they began their spiral once more.  Only, this time, it was directly into the sun (just west of overhead).  Which was neat enough, but what made it surreal? The thin, thin high cloud….and the subsequent complete rainbow halo around the sun at that point in time.

I think they headed east again, but very high and I lost them against the sun and the trees.

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When the wind is walking in the trees and the clouds are breaking in the evening light, stormy weather is the weather I love for all trouble that it brings.

But for all I love it, trouble it does bring.  No trees down here this week, though some elsewhere.  (Including a rather funny one landing on a security camera…..so much for that camera, made for a good video….if a bit short.)  Still, the wind on the water yesterday put me in mind of this song.  The trees of the sea love the wind, but the price is high.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmyRDiomcb0&nohtml5=False

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