Spring has arrived! The Klamath Basin is alive with waterfowl. Snows, specks, and honkers are everywhere. I even saw some pintails this week. Pintails are the true harbingers of warmer weather to come. If there is even the slightest possibility of freezing weather, pintails will be absent from the wetlands. I also saw a few canvasbacks. I sure wish that game biologists could figure out why these fantastic representatives of diving ducks continue to decline in numbers. They are truly a majestic bird to behold. Large flocks of swans dotted the pasture lands. I believe that somebody forgot to inform them that they are the royalty of the migratory waterfowl realm. They were quite comical looking as they trudged through the muddy pastures and it was hard to imagine them as regal birds especially since their faces, necks, and chest areas were caked with dark brown mud. There is a small truck stop in Midland, Oregon which is lucky enough to have the Klamath Wildlife Area for a neighbor. I stopped by there this week for a soda pop, stretch, and equipment check. You could hardly hear yourself think while walking around outside. The cacophony of avian voices surrounded your very being. Waterfowl are such busy folks this time of year.
At home, the annual season for clean up has begun. Now is the time for my seasonal battle against an omnipresent blanket of pine needles. I never seem to win. I think that the ponderosa pines find me slightly amusing. As soon as I have exposed the lawn to the rejuvenating effects of photosynthesis, the pine trees meet secretly at night, form a coalition with the wind, and haphazardly discard their old needles all over the yard yet again. Our aspens are close, of so close, to budding forth with new life. I only hope that I don't miss the big event. Our resident population of squirrels have also become active as they search for optimum locations to soak up some rays. I hope that all of our yard residents won't laugh too loudly as I venture forth today, armed with rake, pitchfork, and wheelbarrow in a vain attempt to control Mother Nature.
I spent the better of the afternoon today removing several piles of pine needles. It was quite relaxing. I sure wish that somebody would discover a method for composting pine needles. The method of choice for Mother Nature is the utilization of fire. In a semi- controlled environment such as our yard, the use of fire is not a viable option. The usual contingent of grey squirrels spent their time scolding me for daring to disturb their solar ambiance. Robins have begun to show up and search for worms near the lawn's surface. I noticed that our resident troop of quail have begun their single file marches along the tops of our lava rock flower bed borders in search of insects. How long before the daffodils and tulips arrive? Will the deer once again devour the tulips before I've even been able to enjoy them for a day? Time will tell.
I had intended to continue with my theme on individualism however, I need more time to thoroughly analyze my thought patterns. I find much in common with the events of the 1840's and the travails of our country in today's world. Has our search for an individual identity led to selfish narcissism? I'm not sure but, I truly believe that this is a topic worthy of analysis. So, I'm heading east for a couple of weeks and this will provide me with an opportunity to listen to and observe folks outside of my own backyard. In my free time I'll rediscover some of the works from Margaret Fuller, DeToqueville, Emerson, Thoreau, and Melville. I don't know where all of this may lead but hopefully I'll identify some parallel thought patterns which might be applied to the present time.
De Oppresso Liber
No comments:
Post a Comment