Ahh... Jeff!

Jeff and I went out on the river a few days ago, and while he isn’t in midsummer form, everything went well. He was pretty chill and didn’t run out onto the bow or think he was going to move from bow to stern and back again. Maybe he could sense that the water was too cold for that kind of foolishness. Neither of us wanted him to get wet.  

The day was beautiful and the first where the midday sun cut through the chill in the air. We have had plenty of sunny days lately, but it has been chilly, too chilly for Jeff. With a negligible percentage of body fat on a 5 pound frame, once he gets cold, it’s tough for him to warm up, thus the need for a little warmth in the air for our first day out for the year. 

Jeff is an awesome paddling partner. Sometimes he chews on the PFD that’s strung up on the bow, but only when he gets bored. Usually an increase in speed regains his interest. He generally is on the bow and while he sometimes stands, he loves to lay down or sit up there. When he sits his ears flick around and he is focused on the birds as well as the sounds and smells. 

We have a PFD for him since he does fall in from time to time and the handle on his jacket makes for easy retrieval. A towel is at the ready if I need to dry him off. 

Once he gets his sea legs as we move into the summer, he’s unstoppable on the boat. Not sure he’s a fan of the rocky part down at the end of our stretch as he gets slammed (mini-slammed) every so often as the boat caroms through the rocks. 

The water dog. Ahhh… Jeff!

#jeffontheriver

My Favorite, For Now

Fauna discussion disclaimer: I am not a naturalist and have no expertise in ornithology. I look at birds a lot, though. 

The big birds are on the river: eagles, red-tailed hawks, great horned owls, barred owls, vultures, geese, herons, ducks (a big bird? idk). These are year round. Of the big birds, osprey and great egrets show up in early spring. 

Everybody loves an eagle sighting, but I guess the osprey is my favorite. At least my favorite at this very moment, but you know how that goes. 

While it may seem that I am about to go into a list of birds I have seen (or heard - thanks, Merlin!), let’s skip that part and just say that there seems to be more and more bird activity as we get into March. Yes, it’s warmer and the days are getting longer so I guess one would expect an increase, but it could also seem like there is more bird action because of the bird desert that was this January (so cold!) and most of the winter. 

Writing about the return of the birds has me thinking about the eastern wood pewee and its hail-like call. 

That’s my favorite now.

Those aren't birds.

Tree-Bud Explosion

There were a few days in the 50’s last week and everyone around here was beyond themselves thinking that the cold may be over. OK, so it’s not International Falls or anything, but this winter has seemed a bit harsher than that in recent years. Spring is on the mind.

But, we’re back in the windy 30’s - a reminder that we have some time to go before we can get the Chaco’s out. 

However… the snowdrops and crocuses are hitting the scene and there are hints of emerging greenness here and there. Part of this movement is the tree-bud explosion. It hasn’t happened yet, but one of these days I’ll go out and the trees will suddenly have volume in their canopies. 

At the moment, the trees are bare, though there is evidence that the buds are on, but they just haven’t opened. But they will. In what is seemingly an overnight process, the trees along the Conestoga will fill the lattice that has been empty throughout the winter and the forest will have volume. 

And we’ll be that much closer.

Explosion in the sky - not the trees... yet.