As I write this tonight, 5-8 inches of snow has begun falling outside my gallery windows and I'm already searching for an extra flash card to bring for my Day 37 journey.
I started my day by snowshoeing to the river beyond Daedee and Dancer's nest. I hiked about a quarter mile north stopping frequently, watching and listening for the pileated woodpecker to appear again. He always goes into the tree groves, and I can't find him in all the dark tree trunks he calls from. Of course, maybe one day this month we'll have sunshine again, instead of dark overcast skies.
I never saw the woodpecker again. I did however, find and follow a little red squirrel who was chattering while running up and down tree trunks. He appeared to be all upset over a male downy woodpecker who had found a food cache. Maybe it was the squirrels, maybe not.
No sign of Daedee or Dancer today, but I shot views on all sides of their nest. They build a loose nest. They leave lots of peep holes when adding sticks so they can watch their surroundings. It's just their style. I equate it to someone who likes to have a peep hole on his steel door with ten dead bolt locks.
Every year I watch Daedee, peer around a stick, and I think she must think she is invisible up there because she has to peak around the stick to see me. I have thousands of pictures of her doing this. I always laugh because it so precious to watch her "hide."
I hiked out and moved on down my journey. I didn't find any eagles on Nest 2, 4, or 6. However, a Nest 5 eagle was busy working on their nest. Nest 3 had both eagles present; on the nest and one on the nest tree.
The swans were busy paddling and rooting up bulbs and plants. They had a mallard hen following close grabbing at their heads every time they came up. Those swans can hold their breathe for at least 15 seconds. It would neat to get a shot underwater of their heads under the water, deep down in that pond.
On the other hand, I've seen the critters in that pond, including the four foot snappers, and well, you'd have to do a lot of convincing to get me to snorkel in that pond let alone bring my underwater camera.
It was a slower day for wildlife today. Maybe the animals sensed the storms approach? Maybe I was just missing my opportunities. All I know is I literally searched north and south, west then east, then west again to find stories. I had to have done at least two or three miles on snowshoes alone.
I can't go home without a story. My family expects something, some adventure to share. I had only one good story that I shared with my daughter and husband over my Lisa's BBQ & honey chicken, apple and feta cheese salad, and garlic mashed potatoes, hot-buttered sweet corn, and fresh-from-the-oven homemade chocolate chip cookies dinner spread. Well, this isn't the Timber Lodge you know.
We sat down at the hand-me-down table, and said our evening grace. Then Em asked excitedly, "So what did you find today mom?"
I couldn't disappoint her so I thought for a moment and began, "Well Em, I had about an hour left in my day before I had to leave. So I thought about snowshoeing this area that I had not been to in a long time. So I parked my truck and snapped on my snowshoes. I threw my gear over my shoulder and headed off. I didn't get very far before I started heading down a small hill. From the top I could see deep blue, rippling water. If the wind was blowing during that moment there would have been three foot white-caps. I hiked down to the edge of the ice. I was unsure whether to cross the flowing water, the tiny river from above was much larger now that I faced it, a river that must have been left over from the summer flood."
I scratched chicken thigh dragging my fork across it, and then lifted the meat that fell easily off the bone. I lifted my right hand and swished the hot steam bursting from the chicken and continued, "I looked up and down the river for a narrower spot, any place I could step over, but the river only grew wider in either direction. It was blocking my access to the great unknown west, those unmarked trails with the knee deep snow. I looked at all the deer tracks. Why there must have been at least a hundred deer that gathered there, everything from the giant bucks that roamed the dawn there, to young little yearlings. Huge, white tailed deer with antlers that dangled over their amber colored eye. Big game hunt-bucks who were ready to drop them at any moment on any leap. There were so deer that they trampled their own path right to the moon, but none . . . not even one dared to cross that river and that only made me wonder if I dared to? Should I?"
Em and Dave watched my lips stop and their eyes followed mine as they leaned in over their dinner waiting intently for me to finish. I could see the questions on both their minds already forming. I took a bite of chicken, a quick swallow of my berry burst Kool-aid and continued.
"You have to know, I had been there before and I knew there was this incredible view, where sky meets valley; a view to die for up that way. It was only about 3/4 of a mile once I had conquered the gurgling sound of that thirsty river below my step."
I had their attention now so I gave them the details in full, "In fact, I had already done the logistics, I knew with my gear and walk time it would take me twenty minutes each way, plus I alloted another 10-15 minutes of free time to photograph subjects or scenes that I came up on. Em, Dave, I thought about both of you as I took a deep breath and then I walked right down onto the edge of the river. As I did the ice thundered, a seriously loud crack from the pressure of my right snow shoe. I have to tell you, this was the greatest moment of truth my entire day."
I looked at Dave and Em, "Aren't you going to eat?" Both were sitting like hound dogs with chicken wedged on their forks, and both with insatiable appetite, but it had become obvious to me that neither of them were going to take a bite until they heard the rest of my adventure.
I paused, took a bite of my salad, another swallow of Kool-aid, and looked back at Dave and Em who both had their eye's wide open, and forks in hand, waiting patiently, listening to my every word, and waiting to find out what happened next.
I didn't want to keep them waiting, so I continued, "I thought about trying to jump the three feet across, but I had to face the truth, I hadn't tried a long jump in thirty years, and I didn't want my long jump to catch me short with the extra weight . . . of my camera gear, okay, and my extra baggage around my middle that came easily over time. I expected a hawk or eagle to fly down to lead me on, but no creatures came. I looked across the water and decided to go for it. I would just step right in and do it. So I did."
Em and Dave's mouths dropped and it wasn't because of the chicken, they felt proud of me, inspired by my determination. In fact, in their pupils you could almost see them crossing the deep rivers of their futures, all because I did.
I cleared my throat and finished, "So, I crossed that mighty river. I got to the other side and I looked back at my steps, proud that I had taken them, even if icicles already were already clinching the tips of my snowshoes. My only regret was that I knew inside that I would have to cross that river again on my way back to my truck. So I hiked---"
Em cut me off, "Yeah but mom, how deep was the river?" She asked empathetically.
I bowed my head, and then looked her straight in the eye, "Well, best I could tell, it was about up to here. I leaned down stretching out my index finger as I pointed to my right ankle."
"Oh--mom!"
I laughed, "Okay, it wasn't that deep, but I still had to chance getting my boots wet."
I hiked to that view I mentioned earlier. If I had more time I would have taken the deer track trail another mile. I found half chewed corn cobs at the bases of several trees, bunny tracks, and a flock of Junco's entertained me.
Time always goes too fast and before I blinked it was 13:35 and I had to hike out and cross that "river" again to get back to Rochester within an hour.
No problem I convinced myself I could hike fast. My legs are feeling it tonight. In fact, my leg muscles feel like I ran a marathon today.
After school I took my daughter to the bookstore and we picked up some great books to enjoy.
Then we read, laughed, and then Em took Shadows water that had a frozen ring in it and placed it on Shadow's head as a joke. Shadow tightened her neck proud to balance her ice crown before it crashed on our deck. Then we made cookies, dinner and told our stories.
I'm looking forward to Day 37.
See you on the journey--
Lisa
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