The Madness of the Month of May

What on earth do I disappear into the woods for weeks on end to hunt? 

The deliciously difficult to find (but easy to enjoy) morel mushroom, that's what.

There's a trick to pattern recognition, especially when they're hidden in thatched grasses that are virtually the same color as the mushrooms.

They can be hard to see, even when you know they are there and I have gotten down among them with the camera, right? 

As we frequently quip, "They can hide, but they cannot run." - and they do it so very well!

So, now you know at least a big chunk of what my family and I are up to during the merry month of May. 

Of course, the eating comes after the finding...

Bayside Marathon

There was a big race day out on the peninsula over the weekend. The runners and their support folks nearly tripled the usual population we have out here. There was a marathon, a half marathon and a 10k race all at the same time with different beginning and turnaround points so that they all ended at the same spot at the base of the peninsula. 

This is the start of the half marathon that began just down the street from me. The line of people went all the way up the hill in one direction and all the way to the bay (and around the corner) in the other as they waited to be off across the starting line. 

Some residents don't like the extra traffic and disruption, but Baloo and I just cheer them on their way - and the participants couldn't have had a more perfect day.

A Heartfelt Thank You

Baloo and I frequently walk past the Memorial at the 45th Parallel - we were there yesterday.

Whenever we walk the trails that take us near the monument, I always stop and take a few moments to reflect on the sacrifices made by men and women in the armed services - and their families. 

This memorial honors those from this area who served in World War I and World War II. 

Their names are listed on all four sides of the stone structure.

Many of the names are familiar, since their families still live in the area.

It's a sober reminder that freedom is not free and that many have paid with their lives for the liberties I treasure so deeply and strive never to take for granted. 

I can never thank them enough.

Happy Memorial Day.

Barking up the Wrong Tree?

There is a lovely little trio of river birch trees growing in my front yard. Their bark is so striking when the sun shines on the trunks. They sort of take on a golden glow with these rusty flags of loose bark that wave in the breeze and make a gentle rustling sound. I know these trees are not indigenous to the area, but I still love them. 

I don't know, you probably have to see this in person to appreciate the effect of both the texture and color. To top it all off, when the branches are weighed down with leaves, they hang low - almost to the ground - providing shade for the plants that grow around it. Or the person and dog that sit underneath to watch the world go by. 

Speaking of dogs (who also bark), Baloo finds it easier to keep from getting too excited about his dinner hour if he holds something in his mouth while he awaits the completion of suppertime preparations. Or maybe he's just waiting to trade a prized possession for a full dish of kibbles and gravy. On this occasion he chose a well-cleaned marrow bone, but held it so that it looked like he was making a big "O" with his lips. He won the goofy award for the day (yes, I know, that usually goes to me....).

Hoodies!

I spent some time watching a pair of hooded mergansers paddling around Pyatt Lake.  

They're such interesting looking birds with striking markings - and awesome hairdos.

They were shy, so I didn't manage to get close enough for really detailed pictures, but you can get a pretty good idea of the wing markings as they face away in this photo.

One of the really cool things about Pyatt Lake, especially at this time of the year, before the lily pads and other types of vegetation take over, is the way the trees paint the water with their reflections.  It's almost like an artist's canvas with that streaky, painterly effect.

Baloo was amazingly quiet and attentive - he just watched right along with me.  

Chicken Thoughts

Driving back from a walk out in the woods with Baloo, I spotted this Rhode Island Red chicken striding across her yard.

She reminded me of my brother's pet chicken (though this one probably hadn't seen the wrong side of a snowbank and probably had all her toes).

Naturally, while I was visiting with my family, we were telling chicken stories. She's still missed and remembered with fondness, that world famous chicken.

A Popular Poplar

There was quite a cacophony in the forest one evening as Baloo and I took a stroll after he'd had his dinner. I wondered what the excitement was all about until I saw the probable cause.   

There was a large nest near the top of a very tall poplar tree. Apparently, the crows raising their young in that nest took exception to our presence in their territory. From the amount of noise they made, a person might have thought there was an entire rookery nearby, but it was just this single nest and two very protective parents.

I did get a pretty good feel for why the lookout post way up on the mast of a tall ship is called a crow's nest, though. It's a pretty apt name.