Rainy hike.
Today seemed a lot like yesterday, at least first thing. Then the rain got steadier and heavier. But that generally makes for a productive day of work. Which it did this day. Type design–wise, I managed to finish up my first two Greek alphabets. (The lower cases are kind of wacky.) Not until the end of the day—after waiting in vain for a clearing trend—did I ask Jack if he was ready for a hike up Beech Hill.
Birch.
He was.
And so I drove us to the hill. En route, I saw a couple of crows flapping swiftly across the sky in the rain.
We pulled into an empty, wet parking lot and got swiftly out of the pickup. Before we’d walked a hundred steps, both dog and I were drenched. It was kind of amusing, actually. Every couple of minutes, Jack would shake himself.
“Like that’s gonna help,” I’d say.
Ours was a swift hike. I certainly didn’t expect to see any birds. And photography seemed an iffy proposition, what with all the water flying around, but I did take pictures of the photogenic birch. And of Jack in front of me on the streaming trail.
Then, unexpectedly, a song sparrow flitted up into a trailside bush. Nice.
Ascending, the rain—coming from the east, more or less—flew directly into our faces, so after we circled Beech Nut, the going got a little easier. By that time, of course, we were drenched. And every couple of minutes, Jack would shake himself, and I’d make fun of him again.
Got back to the pickup. Drove home. Changed clothes. Settled in.
Now, tonight, the rain falls only lightly. The air out there feels pretty warm. And tomorrow we’re supposed to see the sun. Good thing, too, because I’ve got errands.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 5 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Song sparrow
Elsewhere
2. American crow
Tags: American crow, song sparrow
