2020-07-31

Fetching mail

Late in the afternoon, I often take a walk to our mailbox which is down the road. It gives me some minutes of brisk walking exercise and I can then cool off in the lake. So today I donned a shirt and set off....

I immediately noticed plumes of dust emanating from a pile of dirt at the side of the road. The dust would shoot up into the air and catch the late afternoon light, rather like a red plume of whale spray, if whale spray was red. I crept closer to see what was happening and saw the local large family of Turkeys was taking a communal sand bath in the sun.

I decided to back off and go later so as not to disturb them. After doing some yard work I decided to try again, and I set off. This time there were no red plumes of dust, but instead two young deer were standing at the edge of the road.

I could not disturb them either so I decided to back off again, and just go for a swim instead. I removed the shirt and started off down the slope only to find that a Black duck and her ducklings were hanging about on our beach....

I could not disturb them either, so I decided to slip into the cove a bit further upstream. At last I could get in, and I sat quietly in the shaded water.

Then the fish attacked. The sunfish like to bite at any blemish one may have, such as a mole, and the shock it produces always gives one a fright.

So now that it is dark, it is time to put the shirt on again, and see if I can get to the mailbox...

Update: As I went out through the carport, the outside light came on, which disturbed an Eastern Phoebe that was roosting there. It flew around in circles, unable to escape my presence so I left quickly.

The moon was up, and big enough to create a shadow! There were fireflies about.

On the way back it rained on me.

Now that I am inside, the wildlife can relax again.