With temperatures cranking up to the 90's, today I decided to do something terribly un-American. I turned off the air-conditioner and wandered outside to plunk myself down in the stream.
Having spent much of the day reading a book about our "growth" economy, I have to recommend Deep Economy by Bill McKibben. He had me thinking deeply, in particular, musing over the concept that "money consistently buys happiness.right up to about $10,000. per captipa income, and after that the point of correlation disappears."
Seems that a booming economy doesn't really predict happiness. Good health and nature are more likely to enhance your well-being. No surprise there.
I soon remembered, as a child, nothing made me happier than sitting by (or better yet in) a stream. I resolved to put to practice this practical knowledge and cease my carbon consumption for a couple of hours.
This is the creek-side philosopher's equivalent of stop the world- I want to get off... at least for a few hours.
The fishes swam about my feet, and I waded underneath the new bridge. The county replaced our old metal one (that the Phoebes loved) with a slick-sided, concrete monstrosity. So I vandalized it last year... just a little. I glued nesting shelves onto the walls in hopes my favored birds would return.
A new nest with a green mossy lining and delicate white eggs suggests my "evil" plan worked.
... a bit too close for comfort, sits the green frog.
The steep banks support a fine crop of Milkweed, and the Monarch seem to approve. This one fluttered along nectaring on the sweet honey scented flowers.
My bank side stroll produced a well-concealed nest, woven neatly into a Joe-Pye-Weed. I didn't get too close for fear my scent-trail might give the location away. After all, raccoons visit this stream too.
A terrible ruckus was being made, suggesting this handsome Red-winged Black Bird is the proud pa-pa. He bobbed and weaved, riding the wind currents atop of the sapling, as skilled as a hang-ten surfer.
And the sky was so blue.
The whole exercise makes me agree, I should spend more time at a frog's-eye view of the creek. It is certainly more sustainable, and guaranteed to use less energy: both carbon fuels' and mine.
The water in your creek looks nice and cool. I would enjoy a wade like that in my creek, but the rains continue to pass us by and there's not enough water to cover the tops of my feet.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful reflection, Ms Weedpicker.
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