I remember many years ago when we lived in Ohio my friend called me at 8am when, I admit, I was just becoming functional for the day. "Hi!" she said.
"Uh, Hi," said I.
"The sun is out!!!" She gleefully pointed out it had been something like 21 straight days of clouds and drizzle that winter. She was from San Diego and wilted in the drippy midwestern winters. I didn't get it. I had grown up in the upper midwest and moved to Germany and then Ohio. Clouds were not all that noteworthy to me, at least not at 8am. Having since lived in the American west and southwest I do get it now.
When we woke to sun streaming in the windows after a similar stretch of drizzle I began pummeling my husband with pillows insisting we GO somewhere. Anywhere. Outside. And we did. We decided to hike the Lakenheath Fen. Despite the bright sun overhead it was still in the 40's and the wind was powerfully strong. The boys and I were covered in mud by the time we got back to the car due to the muddy lanes and off roading we tend to do.
Walk with me, if you have a minute. I want to show you. It was awesome. I really needed some open air.
There is a board where local bird watchers make notes of recent sightings. We didn't see anything too exotic but lots of ducks and swans. And birdwatchers. Hard core bird watchers. I admit to some camera envy. Holy cow. The equipment there rivaled the sidelines of an NBA game.
If you look closely you see the blonde backs of some lowland cattle grazing in the tall grass prairie.
My guys. This is where having some of each kind of kid is really nice. My daughters generally love to walk with me, but not in the mud. The boys are game for any kind of slop we may trudge through.
Throwing myself in this one. A personal project this year is to get on the other side of the camera. My family has made comments that I am virtually absent from many of our pictures and that has to change.
Starry Sky Journal 