Country schedules, city schedules

I don't recall if I've mentioned previously in My Minnesota that one reason for living in the country instead of the city is that, if I want to see a play or eat at a particular restaurant, I can buy tickets or make a reservation for a date and time certain. Wildlife, waterfowl, storms and many other natural phenomena that I care about and enjoy watching aren't readily scheduled. Yesterday evening provided a classic example. During late dusk (after sunset, before full dark) three does decided our back yard should be checked out to for anything good to eat. The four human adults in the house had been eating popcorn and watching a movie when we noticed we had company. (Thank heavens for pause buttons.) It was dark enough that I couldn't get a decent natural light photo and I didn't want to spook the deer by using the flash. I probably need to play some more with the telephoto lens and low light conditions. I didn't want to set up a tripod for a longer exposure, and the does weren't exactly standing stock still. Anyhow, the pleasure of seeing three healthy, active deer within a 100 yards or so isn't something I could pencil in on my calendar if I lived in an urban environ. As a matter of fact, unless our weather cycles become more stable, even figuring out a schedule for ice out will continue to be an interesting exercise each Spring. As you can see below, turkeys, unlike deer, often wander through during the day and present opportunities for the kind of photo shown.

tom turkey at wood's edge              © harrington

The Minnesota stream trout season opened yesterday, and today is day 13 of National Poetry Month, which makes this a good time to share Ronald Gower's (Wabasha County) The Way of Trout from County Lines.

Ronald Gower

The Way of Trout

How explain that
It must be this way
My face turned upward
Unless it is only
In this way
To walk in beauty.

It is all ritual
And the crafted
Fly must be a
Perfect song
To walk in beauty.

The water is
A sheet of music
With no notes
and one at hem.
But you must read
To walk in beauty.

A piece of water
Breaks, a note
Turns solid fire
Perfect music
As you walk in beauty.

Trout too catch fire
Sing, hook in lip
Send music up
The line and rod
To end in beauty.

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