It's annoying to be rudely awakened at 3:30 a.m. for any reason, but to be awakened by anger and frustration over a dream as stupid as that one is beyond belief. But I was getting ready to take a road trip back to Jackson yesterday so naturally my irrational travel phobias made me jittery and prone to nightmares, so I finally gave up trying to get back to sleep after the bear encounter.
Despite the nocturnal disturbances, I managed the drive without a hitch and now here I am in Jackson waiting for the weather to clear so we can get the canoe out this weekend. I headed out to Lake Katharine very early this morning to beat the rain because I wanted to see whether the umbrella magnolias were blooming. They're not, but I love the way the light filters down through those magnificent massive leaves. Best of all, I heard cerulean warblers singing in two different spots, too far away for photos but the song alone is enough to make the hike worthwhile.
I made a shorter road trip Tuesday morning to drive the country roads around the perimeter of The Wilds and look at birds. I've done it many times before: drive slowly with the windows open and stop to investigate when I hear a grasshopper sparrow or Henslow's sparrow or other interesting bird. This time, though, I got followed closely by a truck carrying the logo of The Wilds and got pulled over by a deputy sheriff who wanted to know what I was up to. "Watching birds," I said--"the grasshopper sparrows are out." He immediately started telling me about his mom's birdfeeders. When law enforcement views you as a harmless old biddy, you can get away with anything, even driving too slowly on a country road with no other cars in sight. If I'd been a black man carrying binoculars, I'd be toast--and not just in my nightmares.
I'll have to head back to my house Sunday or Monday--to keep up with the mowing and tackle some home maintenance projects--but I hope I can make the return trip without nightmares. If you see Gwyneth Paltrow, please ask her to stay away from my creek, or, if she must visit, wear something that won't block my view.
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| Orchard oriole |
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| Oriole nest, in a tree near our driveway |
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| Grasshopper sparrow |
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| Tree swallow |
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| Umbrella magnolias |
2 comments:
Someday, I'd love to see those sparrows! Different from ours here!
Travel safely, and have a good canoe trip!
I've never seen grasshopper sparrows anywhere else. The Wilds is built on reclaimed strip-mined land, and they have been working very hard to remove invasive species and restore prairie conditions. Henslow's sparrows have also returned there along with bobolinks, although I've rarely had any success seeing bobolinks.
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