Clearing a Path with a Friend
A trip to the "Sugar Bowl," and more...
One of the things I often ponder is how beautiful and fascinating the natural world is, but how little I actually see of it, and how deep my ignorance is of it, despite a lifetime of seeking to know more.
As I walk I try to take in as much as I can, my eyes scanning the sky, the ground, and the scenery around me. Our brains are amazing, interpolating rapidly amongst the millions of things around us. For lack of a better word, I’m going to call them the pixels of life. Readers of this column know that sometimes I take photos standing, from my knees, and occasionally from my belly. Other times I lay on my back and look up and watch the clouds move, and the birds fly.
Always amazed.
One of the things I do know is that being the unofficial “park steward” of the Cedar Bluffs Natural Area is fun. Sometimes it’s work too
On Friday last week, Violet the Dog and I found a tree down across the path (and not for the first time!). I didn’t have time that morning to clear it, but knew that we should get to it on Saturday.
My friend Megan had texted me that she had been walking at Cedar Bluffs most afternoons. I had other obligations early Saturday morning, and I thought Megan might want to help me clear the path and that she might like to walk to the geological formation they call the “Sugar Bowl.”
I’m lucky she did!
Megan is a good hand with a saw but in this photo, she is helping by being a counter-balance so my saw wouldn’t bind. I always carry this saw in the back of my orange vest, as I never know when I might need it. It went a lot faster with Megan’s help. It was more fun too.
.The path is clear! Thanks, Megan!
Here we are at the Sugar Bowl. I need to clear out some trees down there, but that’s for another day. There are historic inscriptions behind Megan to the right.
The hillside behind Violet the Dog will soon be blossoming. Everything is starting to bud out. Hopefully the cold snap that came last night won’t do too much damage.
Do you see the “monster?” Its two horns, two eyes, and gaping maw? I wonder what it sees when it looks at me…
The fungi in the lower photo was large—each one was maybe 6-8 inches across.
If you enjoy Cedar Creek Nature Notes, I encourage you to subscribe to my friend Larry Stone’s “Listening to the Land.” It’s fantastic. Larry has forgotten more than I will ever know about our outdoor world.
For another glimpse of the wonders of the Iowa outdoors, Diane Porter’s My Gaia is another Substack I enjoy. It’s full of observations on nature and is ripe with wisdom.
And don’t miss Al Batt’s Substack at Al’s Substack. Al Batt of Hartland, Minnesota is a writer, speaker, storyteller, and humorist. Al writes humor and nature columns for many newspapers and does regular radio shows about nature. He writes several popular cartoon strips that are syndicated nationally and is the author of the book, "A Life Gone to the Birds." He is a columnist for "Bird Watcher’s Digest" and “Watching Backyard Birds,” and writes for several magazines and books.
I’m a member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative. Please sample the talents of my fellow collaborative members. If you can afford to be a paid subscriber, that would be great. If not, the vast majority of content is free. And here is a link to the Iowa Podcasters’ Collaborative, should you be interested. Check out my Substack Deep Midwest: Politics and Culture if you aren’t already a subscriber. My Iowa Revolution podcast with award-winning broadcaster Spencer Dirks can be found here.
Nice. I love Violet up by the bench. And I feel your appreciation, having Megan along. A good moment of reading. Thanks.
Thanks for sharing your observations of our "wonderful world," Bob. No need to apologize for not knowing everything there is to know about it. Sometimes the mysteries make us appreciate the wonders even more!