A doe and two fawns have been hanging around our yard lately, and yesterday morning I saw them nibbling amongst the tomato plants. That explains a lot. This year it seems I'm raising a garden to feed the wildlife and putting out bird-feeders to give the raccoons a challenge. And then one of my hummingbird feeders sprung a slow leak, which a horde of bees discovered before I did. I can't get close enough to take down the feeder without disturbing the bees, and one thing I don't want to do right now is disturb a horde of bees.
So I left 'em alone and went to Jackson, where this morning we saw some deer out at Lake Katharine and heard a whole lot of quiet. When the songbirds take a break, the woods just feel emptier. We saw rattlesnake plantain blooming in several places, their tiny white blossoms barely visible at the end of a narrow stalk. Otherwise it feels like the whole place is at rest, just gathering energy for the next big show--the fall color season.
Early August is a limbo time even when I'm not in the woods. I've finished much of my summer work and I can't get back to my course preps until I get some more clear guidance about teaching conditions. I'll enjoy some fun grandkid time over the next couple of days but then when I get back to campus, the hiatus will be over and it will be all systems go.
So it's nice to let all systems stop for a little while. Let the bees, fawns, and raccoons enjoy their feast; I'm baking zucchini bread.
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| Rattlesnake plantain orchid |
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