June 16, 2007
-
Three Woodpeckers
I’m resting. Really. I am not procrastinating… okay, maybe I am. That I had to ask myself if I was, is sorta suspiciously suggestive.
I can’t rest here too long, anyhow. There is a plastic camp shower bag full of warm (and cooling) water waiting for me. I need to get my shower, then air up a flat tire and hit the road to Wasilla to set up my yard sale tables. Greyfox has volunteered to watch them for me while I do some grocery shopping. Otherwise, the grocery shopping might not get done, and that is not acceptable given the echoing hollowness in our fridge. Last time I did the yard sale, I was so tired afterward I couldn’t do any shopping, and I pulled away from the gas pump on my way home without taking the nozzle out of my tank. I’m considering staying over in town tonight if I’m too tired to drive home.
I am tired, so tired. This is really early in the day for me. My energy spurt doesn’t usually hit until midafternoon, and then is gone before evening. Already, today, I have done as much walking, stooping, reaching and lifting as I do on any ordinary day. All that was just the preparation for the town trip: heating water for my shower, pouring the water from the eggs I boiled for Greyfox last night onto my newly-planted rhubarb, gathering stuff to take to town…. I hope I find some stamina somewhere.
Heading out the door to the outhouse a few minutes ago, I heard a woodpecker knocking on a tree, then another, beating on a different tree that sounded bigger and more resonant. There was some back-and-forth drumming, with the more resonant thwacks coming less often than the lighter, sharper sounds, before I realized that it wasn’t two birds on two trees, but three of each. All were generally south of here, out in the section of woods where I walked the wolf trail last week.
I stayed in the outhouse longer than I really needed to, resting and listening to the woodpeckers. Then the mosquitoes found me and I decided I could just as easily rest here and listen to NPR. I might not learn as much from listening to the woodpeckers, but they are a lot less disturbing than the news.
Gotta go.
Comments (8)
Good post. One time I actually paid for the gas and pulled away from the station even before pumping the gas. I also remember being a little boy in Mexico where my mom would heat up some water on the stove and I would take it out dip some over my head for a shower. We also had an outhouse so your post reminded me of good ol’ times.
I hear what you are saying, but I was focusing on the irony in the photographs.
The beaut that surrounds us, taking a step backwards and enjoying it is bliss.
Hey Kathy,
I dropped by to see how you made out with flea market yesterday. I’ll assume that your well and hope that to be the case. 8-) Take care…until next time…Sue
Nice new look to your page.
interesting, do you make “into town” trip often? is it a weekly or monthly thing or just when you have to go?
I wanna build one of those outhouses that compost/recycle. I don’t think it would go over too well in this city tho.
Well you’re most certainly right and I feel that this Wheel of Fortune for the year because I have had a lot of ups and downs but in the end they all balance out for the better of my growth.