Pigeon River Paddling

Lately I've really been enjoying my new kayak and putting it to good use on the upper half of the Pigeon River. The Pigeon upstream from Partridge Falls is one of my favorite places to paddle. There is about a 4 miles stretch of river upstream from the falls that is very easy to paddle with little current and no rapids. In the past week I've been up to this stretch of river several times, mostly in an attempt to see and photograph moose. So far this year I haven't had much luck in seeing moose. I have, however, seen lots of other wildlife on the river. Beaver, otters and ducks are frequent companions during my travels on the river. There is also usually a Kingfisher that makes an appearance, and once in a while a muskrat will swim by as well. Even without moose sightings, an evening spent on the upper Pigeon River is always wonderful.

Rituals

What do ya'll think about this?"This is what rituals are for.  We do spiritual ceremonies as human beings in order to create a safe resting place for our most complicated feelings of joy or trauma, so that we don't have to haul those feelings around with us forever, weighing us down.  We all need such places of ritual safekeeping.  And I do believe that if your culture or tradition doesn't have the specific ritual you're craving, then you are absolutely permitted to make up a ceremony of your own devising, fixing your own broken down emotional systems with all the do-it-yourself resourcefulness of a generous plumber/poet.  If you bring the right earnestness to your homemade ceremony, God will provide the grace.  And that is why we need God."
I wish I knew who said this.  I'll refrain from comment until I get your feedback.  So go........

Spores gone wild

Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) bends over backwards.
I really love the Ontario Ferns site. It provides photos during all stages of development, plus it tell you things like, "Christmas Fern does not have a separate fertile stalk. Instead, the fertile pinnae (leaflets) are carried at the top of the regular fronds."

Rattlesnake fern (Botrychium virginianum). Not the greatest photo, but it was the only time I'd seen the fertile frond.
I love that phrase, by the way: fertile frond. (Much more pleasant than cellar door, if you ask me.)
Ontario Ferns tells me that this isn't one of the similar Grape ferns, since the fertile stalk separates at the same level that the leaves do.
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No idea what this is, but I loved the way the branches formed little arcs. (Please tell me if you know the ID!)

Knocking Out the Bucket List

I posted on Friday, August 27, about five things I wanted to accomplish before my 55th birthday on October 27th. One of the five was to make a Victoria Sponge Cake.
Well, I made one for my bookgroup last Friday. I'll have to say that it was pretty delicious. But it wasn't perfection. I'm looking for the perfect Victoria Sponge Cake and won't stop until I've made one.
This recipe called for 3 cups of flour. I think I should have made thinner layers. The top layer kept trying to slide off. I ended up holding it together with toothpicks.
I used strawberry jam in the filling. I think raspberry would have been better.
I did nail the icing, though. I used a recipe for petite fours only substituting almond extract for vanilla. It was delicious.
So all I have to do is make thinner layers and add raspberry jam, and I'll have it; the perfect Victoria Sponge Cake!
That book you see in the photo is what we're reading for our next meeting. It's Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry. I've wanted to read something by him for a long time.

Hot heron?

OK, we've established that chickens pant in the heat. But do wild birds do this too?

I guess so.
Or maybe he was just hoping that a fish would hop right on in.

We've gone for the "natural look" around the ponds this year, can you tell?
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias).
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Edited to add:
Leave it to Swamp Things to know that this behavior has a name: Gular fluttering! I looked it up, and it's not exactly the same as panting: the bird is rapidly vibrating the floor of its mouth and upper area of its throat. According to what I read, this does not require as much energy as panting, and is exclusive to birds.

Bike Bash

A great finish of the road and mountain bike racing season. The hall was filled with people attached to that 2-wheeled machine called a bicycle. I just wondered what took me so long to rediscover the joy of riding a bike.

I was surprised to be recognized for the work with T.H.O.R - serving on the board, working on trails, and being Webmaster. That was enough, but the floored me when they presented me with the PsyCow-Spririt Award! The photo is me with my award. Roxzanne allowed me to pass on mike time (I was tongue tied). Martin, thanks for grabbing my camera to take the photo.
The evening ended with a video montage of photos with a "Thanks" for the photos I took during the races.

Update 10/22 - Photos and commentary are now posted on my web site.

http://www.tomwinfield.com/bike/mtn-bike/mtb_festivals/bikebash07.html