Blog 473
I have written before about the tonic of nature being an assist to writing better. It is very stressful teaching during a pandemic, but I found time to revitalize by bowhunting this weekend. Three of the high points were birds that I saw during my time in the woods. One afternoon a Cooper's hawk perched just three feet from me and never knew I was there. Another time a tufted titmouse was just a foot away on a limb. One morning a family of bluebirds, unlike the other birds, actually saw me and "attacked" what they likely thought was a large owl for about 20 minutes. I never flinched the entire time they were bombing me and after numerous forays, they must have collectively decided I was no threat.
I felt refreshed from my time in nature.
There's nothing like being alone in the woods, not a squirrel in sight, when Mr red tail makes his appearance and the ensuing chaotic symphony of a dozen squirrel that were perched around you the whole time. Also love the experience of a leaf storm on that perfect day. It might only be one day every several years, but what a sensory experience. You're sitting in the woods maybe a half hour after sunrise when you think you hear some deer, then suddenly you grip your gun because you believe a herd of deer are running in your direction, then you wonder what ridge they're on. Perplexed you hear what sounds like a distant freight train but settle on the fact it's just the wind. You look up to "watch" it coming to you when you realize it's happening, a gorgeous leaf storm. you look to see the sun cresting the mountain behind you and it's beam striking the mountain in front of you and with every degree it moves down the trees surrender what leaves it had left in a gorgeous downpour. It only happens in years when the leaves are past peak and falling but we get that first real hard freeze early in the year one night, The next morning if it's clear and the bright morning sun hits the tree tops the leaves just pour down like a rain storm. The sight and sound is just incredible!
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