Back home

The pace of life back home does not slow.  I've been involved in several projects that inhale time.  But there are reminders of the different pace that animates the wildlife around us.  The latest such reminder came in the form of a pileated woodpecker, the giant pecker of the forestlands around us, swooping as they ususally do in front of the new clunker truck that is my transportation around here. Is there a more vivid red than the red of pileated woodpecker?  Maybe the scarlet tanager's -- but few others.  Also glimpsed a broadwing flying fast across the landscape, heading south for an annual migration.

Then, recently coming home one night on Warwoman Road, there was that big, old and slow black bear -- moving much more slowly than normal. This fat bear could barely scramble up the roadbank -- must have been weighted down by a recent meal.   Guess even bears need to slow down sometimes, like people.