Lolly

Took a long, kinda slow, trip up the river today with my friend Shelley. Don't tell her,...but, she is a stronger paddler than me. Perhaps it's because she is in a 12 foot kayak, and I am in a 10 footer. That must be it.

It was a different experience going upstream. It forced you to work a little harder, and you can't take a paddle or two off to rest. If you did, the current tends to turn you around.

We saw swans, kingbirds, swallows, geese, warblers, and a single sandhill crane, although we could hear many of the long, gutteral cackle that the cranes make.

I had my cell phone in my dry bag. I was on water heater call at the new house, while my daughter and husband took baby Merrick to the doctor. It rang and I could'nt get it fast enough. We were already headed downstream, and I stopped paddling to call her back. By the time I told her what I was doing...the current had turned me around, and semi-slammed me into a downed tree. Just a little jolt, and another lesson learned.

2 and a half hours on the water. My longest trip yet. Beautiful morning- 65 and sunny.

I decided to call this male swan Lolly...as in Lolly Gagger. He's still lollygagging around the pond, while mom is on the nest. No cyngets yet. My friend asked why their heads were so brown. On our way back...we saw him doing the dip, and when he came up his entire head was covered in mud. Question answered.