The Animal World Laughing

Riding down the hill, as I generally do to start my ride, I came upon the groundhog.  Once he noticed me he began to run away.  Instinctively I pedaled faster.  I wanted to see how fast he could waddle.  That wasn't very kind.  But it's what I did.  He increased speed and I did too and then I braked quickly to make the turn and while my bike stopped my body somehow didn’t and I went over the handlebars and on to the grass.  I thought I could hear much of the animal world laughing at me as I reckoned with what I’d done to myself.  Had it been asphalt I’d have left a fair amount of skin behind but as it was the covering on my legs was sore but generally there where it should be.  Sore ribs.  No blood.  It was the kind of fall that would probably have earned me a hospital visit if I was two decades older.

I’ve gotten more methodical about choosing micro-environments I haven’t yet looked for plants in during my daily rides.  There is a turn in the rail trail a mile down from us, where a grassy path cuts through.  It’s always a bit more moist that other sections.  Puddles form there and last longer.  The earth remains muddy after other areas dry up.  I was rewarded with five new species:  American Germander, Hemp Dogbane, Common Ragweed, Royal Fern and American Hog-peanut.  I found an oak called the Scarlet Oak that I’d seen before but only once and then another interesting oak that the app couldn’t figure out.  Down the trail by the stream I eventually re-identified a Pacific Crab Apple which must have looked lovely a few months back in full, floral bloom. 

Up early, of course, at 5:00AM I had the flood lights on in the back yard and this always draws critters.  There was a large green bug walking across my window that I learned was a Mediterranean Katydid.  Invasive.  Not usually in these parts.  I’ve seen and indeed written about Marmorated Stink Bugs.  We had plenty of these strange, brown polygon bugs plodding slowly and occasionally flying quickly around our house all winter.  Later this morning, out of the porch I found another emerald green bug that turned out to be a “Green Stink Bug,” who is more immediately attractive than his molted cousin.  Much smaller, I zoomed in on a Red-headed Bush Cricket and a Rice Leaf bug as well, during a conference call where many different people from around the world, were reporting in. 

I was just about to nap.  I’ve been up since two and my body will just take what it needs if I don’t proper allow it to visit oblivion.  I told my daughter’s to make the grilled cheese themselves.  I was typing.  I was waiting for a call.  Tired and worse, hungry as I’m one day into another fast, the last thing I wanted to do was prepare delicious food.  But they were persistent and convincing with the burnt sandwiched they displayed they’d made for themselves.  Give young women a sandwich they will eat for a day, teach them how to grill cheese and . . . They watched closely this time.  We’ll see if they’ve now acquired the intellectual property. 

I shall arise now, for my rendezvous with nod.  

Tuesday, 07/21/20