Stream!

 Yesterday I continued cutting and hacking.  It's not like I'm trying to find the old path (although bits of it are there).  I clear a couple of feet, and then decide where to go from there.  Sometimes I can use my brush cutter, and a couple of times I needed the chainsaw, but 95% of this is being done with hand clippers and loppers because I don't use power tools if I can see clearly where I'm cutting.

The memories keep popping up.  I looked off to the side, and remembered the "Spud Bypass."  When Bob and I would head down to the picnic area, we'd follow the loop of the stream.  When Spud (one of the cats) would go with us, he'd just take a shortcut through the woods and meet us there.

Other memories are not so funny.  One time, when I was stressed out (I think it was when I was working on my Master's degree) I took a break to walk in the woods, and sat down by Squeaky Frog Pond.  As I relaxed, I just listened to the frogs, and admired the flashing red throat patches of the anoles showing off.  Eventually I lay back, hands behind my head, and looked at the trees overhead.  I glanced over to the side - and saw an equally relaxed water moccasin basking in the sun about 8 feet away from me.  I decided that study break was over and gently eased myself out of there.  (Now, years later and with a bit more snake knowledge, I wonder if it was a banded water snake.  I'll never know)

But as I was cutting away, I couldn't help but worry a little.  Was the stream still there?  Had it dried up, or been diverted, or would it be choked with trash and weeds?

But I finally found it.  It's still there, and it's still beautiful.

 I find it hard to describe my feelings.  It was like coming home after being gone for years.  It was like sitting with an old friend that I thought I would never see again.  Getting back something that I thought was lost  It was like getting a hug.

I felt happy.

That was about 6 hours of work to get there.  Even though it was spread over 3-4 days, I'm a little tired (I'm also working extra shifts at the museum) so I'm taking a couple of days off and then I'll tackle the next section.  The next goal is to make a path around to our old picnic area.  It's a lot further than I've been so far, so it might take, who knows?  10-20 hours?  It doesn't matter; I'll just work on it.

But I can also now take my book down to the stream, lean against a tree, and just enjoy being back.