Yesterday's itch to paddle -

I hadn't been on the water for a week. With the gas prices, my convictions say don't drive to town and I'm doing my best, but getting a little buggy.

So I wheeled my kayak across the street under the cover of clouds, and a breeze that was turning the leaves. It would be a short paddle, because I didn't want to chance being struck by lightning on the water.

The short paddle was bare bones. Since the neighborhood male gator has been quite vocal, I took my cell phone in the Pelican case. No camera. And wouldn't you know it...there went a white heron and a few seconds later, a blue heron. The turtles were sitting on their floating logs and never bothered to move. There are gazillions of snail eggs in all stages of hatching, including some sterile, sunbaked white clusters.

I met the neighbor finally, who has a stunning tree in his yard. It's called a Princess tree, and it's a fast grower. Imagine foxgloves in tree form. Dick (Clark) says the hummingbirds love them.
His is pale mauve. He planted it last year, and it's about 12 feet tall. I need one. They're beautiful.

I found a blueberry "tree" (it overhangs the creek), and on it were huge, succulent blueberries, the likes of which I've never seen. After checking for snakes in the branches, I brought them home in my funny red hat.

The beavers have never returned to the hammock where they were building a dam. The flood took care of that. The wise ones probably have moved off to a better place. I hope so.

And then I came upon a little green heron. It came from behind and left and settled on a lilypad. Had I had a camera, I would be showing you a photo of it catching a small fish while standing on a floating log. It may be the same one I've seen before closer to the house. As I drifted, it lost some of its fear.

I should always have my camera, rain or shine, every time I go anywhere.