nature

A Day At The Lake

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As is tradition now (at least since 2017), we went up to the Uinta mountains for the Fourth of July. This time, we didn’t do the full Lofty Lakes Loop trail; we haven’t been on real hikes at all this year because of the rona so we didn’t want to attempt a thousand feet of elevation gain per mile, at altitude.

Instead, we hiked to the lowest lake and played around in it. This is Scout Lake, but it should really be called Bob Ross Lake:


Likewise, Bald Mountain should just really be called Mount Bob.

Back At It

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We didn’t go up into the mountains for the three months of the first wave, both because the Forest Service had asked people to stay away and because there was no way to stay six feet apart on a narrow trail.

Which means we missed all of the snow melt and leafing out and jumped right into summer:

 

Which means….Moley’s back in the river!

 

We still avoided a real trail–this is all just off the road at the upper canyon in Millcreek, which is closed to cars until July. But wow, was it nice to get out (and get in the water):

“The bare bones of it”

By in children's literature, nature

The canyon is mostly bare of leaves but not yet snow-covered; we went up for a walk yesterday and I thought of this passage I found in The Wind in the Willows (at the start of the chapter when Mole ventures into the Wild Wood):

Copses, dells, quarries, and all hidden places, which had been mysterious mines for exploration in leafy summer, now exposed themselves and their secrets pathetically, and seemed to ask him to overlook their shabby poverty for a while, till they could riot in rich masquerade as before, and trick and entice him with the old deceptions. It was pitiful in a way, and yet cheering—even exhilarating. He was glad that he liked the country undecorated, hard, and stripped of its finery. He had got down to the bare bones of it, and they were fine and strong and simple.

Mole Visits The Autumnal River, Does Not Get In

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We made it up into the canyon for a little bit for the first time in two weeks and the colors are at their peak. But the spray from the river is starting to freeze, so there was no splashing around in it for Moley.

 

Autumnal

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It’s the Autumnal Equinox today and the mountains have gotten the memo: The light has changed to that slanting golden light and it was brisk up there.

A beaver lodge that’s just right off the road in upper Millcreek!

 

Mole Just Wants To Live By A River

By in children's literature, nature

We went for another hike by another mountain stream over the weekend. (I couldn’t get in this one, since it’s a watershed; very hard for Moley.)

I don’t know where this fascination with running water has come from but I’m about ready to see if I can go make a life on a river, just like Mole:

This day was only the first of many similar ones for the emancipated Mole, each of them longer and full of interest as the ripening summer moved onward. He learnt to swim and to row, and entered into the joy of running water; and with his ear to the reed-stems he caught, at intervals, something of what the wind went whispering so constantly among them.

(The entirety of The Wind in the Willows is online, btw.)

Mole Visits The River

By in children's literature, nature, weekend report

Instead of a hike, we went wading yesterday. I’m not a great swimmer and have no desire to become one, but rivers (or creeks, in this case) have my heart. Let me stick my feet in one and see the hidden banks and suddenly I’m thinking of becoming a river guide and breaking out The Wind in the Willows quotes:

Never in his life had he seen a river before—this sleek, sinuous, full-bodied animal, chasing and chuckling, gripping things with a gurgle and leaving them with a laugh, to fling itself on fresh playmates that shook themselves free, and were caught and held again. All was a-shake and a-shiver—glints and gleams and sparkles, rustle and swirl, chatter and bubble. The Mole was bewitched, entranced, fascinated.

A happy Mole, “bewitched, entranced, fascinated.”

 

Playing Hooky

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Doc had yesterday off, so I took it off too and we finally went up to my favorite lake and spent an afternoon there. I’m trying to “throw the comb away” about summer winding down, but that “hurry and do all the things!” feeling is strong, so I’m glad we were able to get to the lake–especially since we’ve talked about it for two years.

Take Your Kids To Work Day

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We’ve had hawks living in the neighborhood for a few years now and this week they’re teaching their two kids how to hunt. There’s a lot of flapping and frustrated scree! (and all the pigeons are hiding) but Mom and Dad will make sure they don’t starve.

I wish I had gotten a picture of the kids–their legs are still super feathery so it looks like they’re wearing lil hawk pants.

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