Porcini mushrooms. Letting them get a bit bigger and into the pan with partners garlic and butter. So rain is good for some things. Alright fine. Many things benefit from rain, humans, being whiners only like so much rain. But when the sky does decide to go on a diet, traipsing through the woods with an eye out for edible fungi is always a good time. The rain is interesting this year. There seemed to be this counter clockwise pattern that centered over New England and created some interesting weather. Pop up storms were the norm. Hot, steamy sun one minute and downpours the next. On a recent drive, I was moving from dry conditions to, I couldn't even call it rain, it was as though someone was throwing 5 gallon buckets of water on the windshield. Heavy waves of dihydrogen monoxide sloshing over the glass. Wipers were a poor tool given these conditions. Then......POOF! Nothing....dry pavement. Insane. While we westerners might call the Green Mountains, hills, their watersheds can collect water at an astonishing rate. Overnight, the lake filled to overflowing encroaching on the picnic area, parking area, toilets (that could have been ugly had they not moved them higher) and dock access. Usually this happens in early June, but not sure there is a norm any more. Nice to see the adult eagles back to their old haunts. For the past 4 evenings, I've seen both adults hanging around. Sometimes in or near the nest. I thought I even saw a head in the nest, which is interesting and worth investigating. Since there is little light, it is hard to discern, the profile is in silhouette. Is it possible they laid late and new eaglets are within the nest. Odder things have happened, but it might just be wishful thinking.
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Totally random, but what is the deal with Spiderman? Three iterations of live action movies with 3 different actors extending back to 2002. Then the whole animated world of the arachnid man. The latest is still breaking box office records. There has got to some appeal beyond the coolness of it. Is it an American thing or are other countries gaga over it too? Now there is a sociological question that needs answering or at least a few hypothesis. On to Google to see what the appeal is from some opinionated surfers.
Oh yes. I finally saw an adult bald eagle near the landing last evening. Nice time to visit the lake. Clicking on the pics brings up the full photo. What is it about water that is so alluring? It is more than just the recreational opportunities. Sure, swimming, diving, boating (in all its forms), snorkeling, beach/shorecombing, fishing, simple contemplation provided by the longer views afforded by the openness of water are all well and good on their own. But there is that intangible element to this element. Underneath the surface, all reality is suspended. It truly is an alien world where sound is nonexistent, sight is limited or gone and the blanketed feeling of the slight pressure allows one (or me) to disappear from the terrestrial Earth and enter the known unknown. With a little practice while underwater, you can keep "panic" at bay by quieting your mind and slowing your movements. This creates the symmetry necessary to be part of the invisible world if only for 30 or some more seconds. Time is also altered. Just time yourself when you are beneath the surface. For me, time slows down as I cruise the shallow depths of my lake looking at fish, rocks, logs and the dark nothingness of the deep parts. It's a feeling that I can't re-create on land. So yes, water is special. The feeling is rudely ruined as we breach the surface, light slapping our face, splashing noises invade our ears and the sweet air is sucked into yearning lungs. But the ability to return to that environment is but a few breaths away. Maybe the allure is the fleeting nature of holding one's breath to experience what can only be done in the water. No eagles this year. At least not in this nest. Word is, a 42" snowfall added too much weight to an already large and heavy nest. A good part of it came down. In that part of the woods, there are a lot of white pine branches (the aerie was in a large white pine) strewn on the forest floor. The breaks seem like brittle breaks, very shardy, coarse. I thought that the early spring drought made the pines brittle, but a 42" dump would do the same thing snapping long ranging branches. The woods on Castle Hill (here) have some amazingly old trees; ancient hollowed out, but living maples, soaring oaks with DBH's (diameter breast height) of 4+', towering white pines, the masts of 18th century ships and flaky, big yellow birches that tend to rot from the bottom and fall from being top heavy and my favorite conifer, the majestic hemlock. Soft needles, tiny cones, platy, deep brown bark as they age creating a fantastical look that would fit in LOTR. I watched 2 juvenile eaglets soaring above our end of the lake and others have seen at least one of the adults in the area, but for the most part the beach seems empty without them. Hopefully, another season will bring them back, but like most wishes, only time will tell. On a similar note, animals in general seem to be scarce. Very few birds at the feeder, not many deer anywhere, no waterfowl yet, we had numerous porcupines the last couple of years, not one yet, no bears either. The red efts have hatched and are quite small now and of course, the chipmunks have taken over and Stella spends most of the day inside and when outside can't see or hear them unless they run right in front of her. Went to see Dead & Company at SPAC with cousin Rori and her son Shane. Brought back so many wild memories and made me feel fresh. Their sound was phenomenal! Bobby was Bobby and in good form and while no one can take Jerry's place, John Mayer did a great job, such a talented guitar player. Makes me want to buy a VW Van and follow them around. Of course that would kill me as one concert made me sore the next day from dancing so much.
These EV charging stations were installed sometime after Oct. of 2022. They were up and running when I got to Vermont in late May. Someone here knows how to get things done. Kudos to the powers that be. Of course, depending on the bars one hangs out in, they are either what should be happening or the stupidest waste of money imaginable. They are in a small public lot in Wilmington, VT, pop. 2255. The town sits at the crossroads of Rte. 9 and Rte. 100, so the traffic is consistent with weekends seeing the a major increase in vehicles. The rise of continued sales of electric vehicles will no doubt motivate other small towns to invest in these charging stations as well. Grafton, VT, about 30 mi. north had one installed at a tavern about 6 years ago. Vermont understands progress, even if many residents do not. Vermont is probably as paradoxical as other states. The reputation of the Green Mountain State is one of tolerance and progress. But many of the, how do I say it, true Vermonters, real locals, poor opinionated residents, find the EV thing to be in the realm of the elite. They do not and will not have an electric vehicle. To them it makes no sense. Their cars, trucks need to be practical, tough, ready for dirt roads, salt, and steep hills, not to mention most don't have a garage to house it, nor the money to set up a charging station at home. Why should their taxes go toward these charging stations that only second home residents and transplants use? I had no answer to the questions, I just lent an understanding ear. Perhaps I should research some of the answers because they have a point as do my gas guzzling friends in Idaho. Or better yet, some signage at the stations explaining the funding so people get it. Then, when the topic comes up in a bar, maybe one party can buy a beer for the other party. Answers are usually never simple, so several drinks may be in order. On another note, I finally hiked the Lye Brook Trail to see the Lye Brook Falls. The trailhead is just east of Manchester, VT toward Bromley. It is a typical eastern trail, wide, muddy and rocky in spots and well marked. Signs say it is 2.3 miles to the falls. It pretty much goes up from the start, steep in places, with a few easy stream crossings. The trail never tops out, but contours across the mountainside about 3/4 of the way up, then the trail begins the descent to the, we'll call it the base of the falls, but that is hard to tell. (The falls is probably quite spectacular when the stream is flowing full. We are coming out of a dry period so the flow was rather sparse. But to be sure a worthy sight after the 2+ miles. I scampered around the base trying for a good photo. My 5.10ies (older hiking shoes) performed so well on the wet rocks I 've a mind to write to the company to bring them back. There is no easy lookout area for the falls so be cautious. Since I was alone, there was no competition for a good spot. 20 minutes was enough for me and the brisk hike was more to my liking than the falls, but a destination always helps.
The chase is ever on. Sometimes I love it, yet other times I ask why? My conclusion is that I am fortunate. My life is not perfect and never will be. The question is to strive for the unattainable, accept the status quo or constantly tweak things to create a betterment to keep things fresh. FOMO. I think it is a human condition, not some new emotion created by a generation looking for answers. When I am in Idaho, I want to be in Vermont. Now in Vermont, I miss my kids, partner, friends and built in social life. The conclusion is one can never have it all or perhaps you can have it all but just not at the same time. Changing things up, for me, is important for growth, stimulation and creativity. This morning, donning a fleece due to a 40 degree start, Stella and I wander through the new trail we cut last year. Rain always makes the woods different. The colors pop, branches droop lower and the crunching leaves turn to silencing sponges. Since Stella is slowing down, she hangs closer to me and usually behind me. This allows for a bit of stealth as evidenced by the deer that were unaware of us until we were 30 ft. away. It was only 2 does, but getting so close without them knowing is a bit, well.......thrilling. One stared then slowly wandered away. The younger one stayed and stared long enough to get the shot. Thanks. Did Stella wake up? Yes, and she did want to chase it, but a quick "no" stifled the instinct. The rain was welcomed as it has been unnaturally dry. Streams, wetlands and rivers are low. The lake is full, but certainly not high. This poor amphibian looks like it could have used a bit more moisture when coming out of hibernation, but most likely came out because of an early warm stretch then it froze again. Aquatic frogs don't really hibernate by burying themselves in the mud. They will hang out just above the bottom. Up to 70% of the water in a frog's body can freeze during the winter (many die because it is just too cold). The frog will generate lots of glucose before which acts as an antifreeze and protects vital organs during the long cold. As the lakes thaw, the amphibians do as well, but inconsistent temperatures can create the situation above. Welcome back little one with the contortionist wings. Feed that metabolism!
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Retired Educator
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