Wednesday, May 09, 2007

so where have I been?

-at work wasting time while Spring happens.

-out experiencing that brief time between bud and green leaf, that quick time of spring flower, that we call Spring here in Minnesota.

-counting the new spring migrants that appear on a daily basis, and realizing we're in the thick of Spring. Realizing I am not seeing as many warblers as I should be, and missing waterfowl.

-worrying about the Gunflint Trail forest fire, since I have spent many good times at Gunflint Lodge, which I guess is safe due to outdoor sprinkler systems. I feel for the many people who have lost cabins and even whole lodges there. It is/was such a beautiful place, but Nature will prevail.

-tending kids and dogs at home while The Hermit was at a wildlife banquet, which comes with the territory. But he told me, last night after the banquet was over, he was in the hotel bar/restaurant getting something to eat, when suddenly a young woman in her twenties came up and gave him a hug. It turned out to be his daughter, my stepdaughter, who happened to be in her old college town visiting friends. You couldn't write a movie plot like that if you tried.

-getting engulfed in the amphibian rhapsody, which tonight includes wood frogs, Western chorus frogs, gray tree frogs, and, for the first time tonight, toads. Wonderful.

-Taking Mr. Attitude out for the first spring swim in the pond.

-feeling unexpectedly, and unwelcomely, in a fog. It's all I can do to raise my head and write this before crashing into bed. I went out to the pond tonight with Mr. Attitude, and all I could do was sit in a lounge chair. With my feet up. I'm researching and taking all kinds of supplements, but it is frustrating. Since the last two or three months I had been feeling better than ever!

- looking for batteries for my camera. We suddenly are experiencing a deficit of double A's, and I haven't been able to sneak any from any other device.

So that explains it, more or less. I have Spring Adjustment Disorder.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Deb,
We, too, have spent many summers and falls at Gunflint Lodge and at Hestons. I pray all will be well for them. The top of "the trail" has sure had some changes in the last few years, what with the "blow down" and last years fire and now this. Our Blueberry picking areas are all but gone now. It will be interesting to watch new life beginning up there.
Cindy

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

Deb- You're right in saying that nature will have it's way. The repercussions of the blow-down aren't over yet. I feel for those folks too. That's funny about Hermit and his daughter. Don't you think the world just gets smaller and smaller? I don't know about your fog, but I do know that sometimes I feel overwhelmed- as if I'm sitting still, because the natural world is spinning and throbbing with new growth and life. I'm not sure that made sense.
We're bringing our camper up to Hasty Brook this weekend. I'm wondering when we'll find out about the Lake Superior bird trip.

R.Powers said...

We have a few fires here too ... about 200 according to the news this morning. We are living in smoke.

Sorry you are not feeling powerful, but hoping you get your energy back soon.

Deb said...

Cindy- Blueberry picking should be great in a year or two! I've only been there in the winter, cross country skiing, and have not been back since the blowdown. Praying for Gunflint Lodge and Gunflint Pines and Heston's.

Lynne- Hoping for good weather this weekend for you! I imagine it will be the middle of next week before we get the final word.

FC- I've heard about fires in Florida and Georgia on the news. We're not in so much of a drought as you, but this one is happening in an area where trees got blown down in a wind storm in 1999, so there's lots of fuel. They've been managing the area with prescribed burns and such, but they knew this would eventually happen.

I took the day off of work, feeling incredibly listless. Being awakened by the dogs at 5 am, and not being able to get back to sleep due to combined dog and cat action didn't help. But I did hear a few first-of-the-season birds: brown thrasher, great crested flycatcher, and sedge wren.

Larry said...

Just keep on keeping on Deb.-Before you know it,you'll be on the upswing again.-

Viv said...

I have to say that Mississippi doesn't seem to have wildfires as do other states. I don't dare brag! I'm just now reading your entries. Good to know what's going on in Minnesota and that folks there never have batteries at the right time any more than we do down here! I look forward to reading more of your writing.

Deb said...

Larry- Thank you. I don't know what it was, but I was feeling much better Friday.

cabinwriter- Thanks so much for commenting, and welcome!

Cathy said...

Wow. I didn't get the full impact of the green frog pix until I clicked on it. That's really amazing. I'm glad you explained the flocculation bit. Very interesting.

(Glad you're feeling better - I've been doing the same thing recently)

Deb said...

cathy- I think that picture looks somewhat surreal, with the green leaves and frog against the orange stuff in the water.

And, this must be a spring thing. Maybe seasonal allergies?