The Nature Hidden In Plain Sight...

 Yesterday,  New Life threw a fund raiser for Dave to help him on his quest for "Re-home-ification."   A word I just made up.  ( Who needs chat GPT or Grammarly?)    They had a potluck with a number of wonderful dishes.  I ate way too much,  as I always do when I am stressed and there is an abundance of free food....  Hey!  We all have our weaknesses,  right?  (I'm working on it... it's an uphill struggle....) 

After having a wonderful conversation with a number of people.   I hung out with Pastor Bauer for what seemed like only 10 minutes, but was closer to two hours!  I noted we were both at Shoreland for nearly  9 months and this was the longest I had ever chatted with him.   Proving that even though you go to the same school, there are many people you simply will not be able to engage with any meaning because you are in different circles.   Funny how things work out. 

But eventually, we had to head out and since we were near one of my fishing spots, I stopped in for a few tosses.   The fish were not biting as feverishly as before, but I still managed to catch a few between bouts of rainfall.  (Usually overcast skies and rain trigger the Crappie to bite.. but not yesterday.  Still, it was a great way to spend an afternoon.  

As I tried to navigate the Labyrinth of  one of the Kenosha residential areas,  I saw something you don't normally see everyday:    A Wild Turkey! 

Now, Unless you live in Michigan, (or Iowa) seeing a wild Turkey in the Suburbs is one of those things you should stop the car for and take pictures. 

Which is what I did.   Slowly getting closer and closer,  I approached cautiously while the turkey seemed to approach me.    Perhaps she was curious.   Maybe she was hungry.    Either way,  I felt the entire moment was blog worthy... so I tried to see just how close we could get. 

I didn't get a chance to pet her. (which would have been VERY cool...)   But I did offer her some Peanuts!    Which.. she gobbled down greedily.  (Hehe... Gobble....Get it?)  By the way,  she did not gobble.   Only the Males do that.  And she did not have a beard.  

That was a lot of fun, but the wildlife sightings did not end there.   Today!  After kidnapping Christina's Dog again,  I walked up on a sleeping deer!   I am impressed that I noticed it, and could see her from a distance.   And just when I thought my Mushroom vision was failing me.  

But to add another layer to that,  I found a SECOND deer laying down in a different place!   Perhaps it was the wind or the cooler air.    That is two deer lying down on a nice day.    Ladybird did not seem to mind.   She was busy running around and pointing out the new born robins.  Looks like they finally are getting their feathers!

And finally,  I got another Email from Zebra and was able to complete all of the tasks it set before me.   Now it is a waiting game for them to get the results, make a determination, and let me know when to show up.    Hopefully it will go through faster than Haribo...   Which Christina was nice enough to point out all  of the things I did wrong on that one.   Ah well...  Live and learn. 

Tomorrow is another day.   And things could go quickly or could go by at a snail's pace.   I just hope they go smoothly as there are a number of other things I have to be aware of at the moment.   I am hesitant to make any sudden or bold moves.... Then again,   It might be that Bold action is required at  this time.   I can only Pray that God gives me guidance and helps me make the right decision for the best result.   It has been a long time since I made one of those life changing decisions that put me on a new path.  But...   We shall find out when I get there.   After all,  Life is a Journey... not a destination.    And you never know when you path will hit a wall or a deep crevasse.  How you handle it in the time you have is entirely up to you.   So you have to make every second count. 

Weekend Fishing And Dives

A couple of days ago, I discovered that fishing in the parks was a great way to enjoy an afternoon and find a little peace during this rather "trying" time.   I have known about these little ponds in various parks around the area, but now that I have new found time on my hands,  I find them a delightful way to connect with nature.  Especially when I don't want to bring anything home. ( Catch and release fish is better than harvesting mushrooms that I have no place for....)   

Bluegill, spawning colors!

The Lincoln Park pond was non stop action.   The Bluegills are on the beds and are   a Barrel of Monkeys worth of fun!   However,  there are not many preditor fish in that lake, so the bluegills are rather small.   Occasionally, you find a brute around 7 inches,  but otherwise,  things are limited to the "small" side of Panfish.  

They DO have a nice variety of species.   

Bluegill.   Very pretty when they are spawning,   Fun to catch when they are larger than 7 inches.   

Green Sunfish. Check out the mouth!

Green Sunfish:  Small, aggressive, and they have a fairly large mouth so they will take large bait. 

Crappie.  Fun to catch and grow large!

Crappie!   Fun to catch, but these guys tend to be small.   They are REALLY fun when you find a cluster of 12 inch + sizes. 

Golden Shiner!  Excellent Forage Fish

 Golden Shiners!  An interesting change-up.  They are larger than most shiners, and will take flies right along with the Bluegills.  Having these guys present proves that there are not many Bass in this pond.   (Because Bass would target these fish until they are wiped out!...  Excellent Forage Fish!)  They have an interesting incubation story...

Having caught just about everything Lincoln Park had to offer,  I tried my luck over at Pritchard Park, in Racine.   They have a couple small ponds there but those ponds  are FILLED with small green sunfish.   Not very fun, Even with flies!   The fish are so small, that a modest Bass population would have a field day reducing their numbers. 

And then I stumbled upon a small pond near the Home 2 suites.   The first cast I caught a small Largemouth Bass.  (Perfect size to control those little sunfish!)  I caught several others and spent the entire Saturday afternoon there, catching brutish Bluegills and Crappie.   If the Bass were a little larger, I think the bluegills would also grow to a decent harvest size.  

The fact that there is that diversity of fish in that pond is probably because it is  hidden in plain sight.   No one fishes these small retention ponds because they probably don't think there is anything in them.   But, nature has a way of balancing things out.  I would call the Bass the "Keystone Species" 

Very Pretty Colors!

keeping the numbers of bluegills down so that the ones that are a certain size have enough food to continue to grow.   That would require people tossing the bass back ( no matter how large or small) so that they can regulate the rest of the fish in the pond.  And that would make fishing that small pond that much more fun....

After that, I picked up a cake for the Potluck this afternoon and headed to our new found digs in Racine.   Americans Very Best Suites, I think is the name.     I guess their grading scale might be generous, but I would say that "Very" best would be a bit of an exaggeration.   

The rates are CHEAP!  And that is a good thing for two guys on a bit of a budget.   But upon entering the room, we discovered how they are able to keep their rates down.   

No chairs!   

Who really needs chairs anyway?    We sleep on beds and occasionally a couch, right?   It is a curiosity how they managed to have "desks" and tables without any means of sitting next to them, though.    But that is alright.  

The bathroom was clean and well stocked.    And the room seems nice.   The AC could use a little attention as we ran it all night last night and it never really got cool.  

And the breakfast Bar was rather sad.   That being said,  they DID have plenty of coffee.  And that is pretty much the only thing I consume in the morning anyway, so that was not a big deal. 

Oh!  And an extra bed would have been nice.  Then again,  I find that sleeping on couches has been good practice lately.   It certainly beats a cold park bench or camping on the cold ground.  

They DO have internet access.   And I am currently using it for this blog posting.   So that is nice.  Free wifi allows me to stay in the room rather than drag all of my tech over to the Local Library!   Hurray! 

Happy 81 "Uncle" Bill Arnold!

 So... We will call this place home for the next week and go from there.  My brother has invited me to come over to the property in Michigan and hang out for a bit while Uncle Bill celebrates his 81 birthday.  That might be an opportunity I will consider.  I

In the mean time,   We are still here and still above water.  So things are currently stable.   As the begin a new week, I will be looking for more Emails from Zebra and filling out things as they come.  And if I find that I nave time to spend on things that are not a necessity,  There is always  the fishing thing.  It's a nice way to keep my mind occupied so I don't go down some dark path or do something stupid.  ( Which is often what the idle  mind will do...) It might seem like I'm simply killing time,  but, in reality, I'm trying to make every second count.

A Case For Dog Napping...

 I have had to fill large blocks of my time trying not to focus on my current situation.   Also,  Waiting for the Zebra Email/ phone call will drive you crazy if you let it.   So, as a reaction to this dilemma, I have taken up dog napping! 

Don't worry!  I return the dog after a couple of hours.   Just enough time to take it for a walk so I get my exercise and have an excuse to explore some unknown mushroom area.   

Where do I get the dog?   You may be asking.   Well,   Funny story.    There is this female friend named Christina.   And Christina  has a dog named "Ladybird". Who happens to be the prefect dog for walking in a forest looking for mushrooms ( and other things)  She is small... But not too small.   She is tough and adventurous,  but not violent.   She likes to play and run around and obeys traffic signals.  She even looks both ways before crossing the road!   In short...   She is (mostly) well behaved.  ( Unless she rolls in something...) 

 And so it goes that I have been stealing Christina's dog every afternoon this week for a couple hours... just so Ladybird will accompany me for a walk.   I know you might be thinking that I am simply using Christina for her dog...  Which certainly looks to be the case at the moment.   But honestly,  I don't know if she actually knows.   And if what you don't know won't kill you,  then where is the harm?  

So we are all good as long as she never finds out.   I'm pretty sure Ladybird won't talk.   She always has a Fabulous time with me each time we execute our little caper.  We do all kinds of things while Christina is out at work.   

"What kind of things?"   You ask? Well..   It's more than just walking around the apartment complex for a potty break.    No sir!   We explore the forest and soccer fields near Parkside.   And I have to tell you,   every since I learned that the mushrooms are finally making an appearance,  Ladybird has brought lots of luck!   

I'm not sure if she can smell them or if we simply stumble upon them by pure accident    Either way,  I have managed to find a few clusters every single time we have gone out together.  

And that is not all!   We have found small animals.   Take this chipmunk for example.   He was pretty small and let me scoop him up just like a little dog toy.  So cute!   

I did not want Ladybird thinking he was a toy, so I had to hide hi in a small  hole in one of the trees.    

There is also the Robin's nest!  Which has finally hatched!   The robin mother was very angry with both of us.  I'm sure it was Ladybird.   But,  some animals...  like birds,  just don't like dogs.  ( even though the dog is named after a bird....) 

And then there were the butterflies!   I 'm not sure why there are so many Mourning Cloaks this year.  But I do like seeing them  while walking in the forest.   Someone even pointed out that   she had never seen so many of this particular butterfly before.   ( And yes,  I told her all about them... because I am kind of a nerd that way...) 

And so,  we go out for a few hours to explore the wilds of nature and then we return... Before Christina gets back from work.   And before anyone ever finds out.   It's the perfect crime.   A little secret just between the two of us.  How gloriously scandalous!  

Unless Ladybird rolls in something.    Which she did today.   I'm not sure what it was, but if I had to guess, I would say it smelled like some sort of rotting mushroom mixed with dead snake.  Whatever it was...  It was Noticeable and Obvious! 

So I had to give her a bath!

Is this what it is like having kids?  You plan a fun  weekend get away only to have the kids play in the mud in their good clothes?   Or get hurt..  Or get fussy!  I always knew that a dog was the closest thing to having a kid.   Only I think dogs are smarter!   And are not as much of a commitment as kids.   

But I digress....

In other news,  Dave and I finished cleaning out the house.   Not really a cleaning as you might think it would be.   More like a "treasure hunt".   Looking for things that are small enough to take but not damaged enough to call for a total loss.  Mostly the collectables, and a few remaining clothes and tools.   

They came for the Car today,  so when they opened up the garage, Dave and I made our way in.   And like all good guys from the Midwest,   we salvaged the Fishing gear and beer!   Because,   as long as the fire did not damage the can,   the beer should still be drinkable!  

Of course,  several cans did not make the grade.    Possibly some debris punctured the can or something,  (And Ommagang makes such good beer.... ) But the wine bottles made it!  They might looks a little rough, but nothing a little Brillo pad and soap can't fix.   None of that effects the flavor of the wine either. 

I'm hoping that will be the last time we have to enter the house.  It is going to begin to smell bad once the contents of the freezer hits the Summer heat.  And everything you touch turns your clothes and skin black.   Like working in a coal mine...  

I think we salvaged what we could for the time being.   Until we find a new place of residence that is temporary, but more permanent than out current situation,  we will not be able to do any more.  

Nothing brings happiness like a dog running in the field...

And speaking of the "next level".  I finally got my Email for Zebra.   It came in rather late (After 5!)  I accepted it, but will complete the rest of it tomorrow.   It will give me something to do that is probably more socially acceptable than stealing someone's  dog every afternoon so you can battle anxiety and depression.   Right? 

And then there is the laundry and Friday Night Fish Fry... Where does the time go?     Sometimes it is a challenge to make every second count.

Moving Pastor Gorte

 Today was moving day for Pastor Gorte to his New Calling in Hartford Wisconsin.  And whenever I discover thaqt someone is about to move... I volunteer my services.  

Why?   Well,  a couple of reasons.   First:  I have experience!  I worked with both United and Allied Van Lines for a number of years.   I also worked with Israel's furniture store...  Which was very similar to moving households. ( In many ways, it was easier....  Only furniture.. No boxes. No packing....)   

Second:  Everyone likes it when people help them move.   Because stuff is heavy and it can be mentally overwhelming.   Also,  Not many people like moving other people's stuff!  (Because stuff is heavy and it can be mentally  overwhelming...)  So there is a certain level  of appreciation when you volunteer to help.   And I like it when people like me...

And third:  I simply like the job.   Moving was actually rather fun...   Under the right circumstances.   If you had a good crew, a nice shipper, and a wonderful day,  it was one of those jobs that are a lot of fun.  

Of course, the downside of that job was that  those three things rarely alliegned.  And also,  the Pay was not the best for the amount of effort you ended up putting in.  And there was always the wear and tear on your body. ... When you realize that coming home with aches and pains was not going to be a possitive, long-term solution for your future. It might be time for a new career... But I digress....

It  was a beautiful day.   And the rain held off until the very end.   And when it did finally begin,  we had most of the stuff inside and safely stowed. (It also helps when there are five to seven extra people who are motivated to help.)  Overall, it went fairly quickly and smoothly. 

We even had a couple of "beasts" to move.  No hide-a-bed,   But there were a couple of things....   Namely:  the Downstairs freezer... and  ( drum roll...) 

A piano!

Now this one might look small and cute, but it is still a MONSTER!!   HEAVY!   It took five guys to get it out of the basement ( Because they are ALWAYS in the basement or upstairs...)   Once we had it at the top of the stairs from the basement,  we strapped it to a "4-wheeler" and packed it away in the truck.   

Finding its final resting place in the new house was far easier.   We simply rolled it off the truck and onto the first floor.   The floor was even hardwood, so we did not have to fight any carpeting.   

The new house was a little over an hour away,   And, after fighting traffic and construction, I only just made it back.   But it was a good day.   I enjoyed driving and listening to my songs on the radio.  

And besides,  what else was I going to do today? 

  I actually welcomed the distraction and the physical activity. I was a little worried I was not going to get a good workout today.... But now, all of my muscles ache.. In a good way.  And I feel like I actually earned my lunch today. 

That being said,  I'm sure I will be a little sore tomorrow.  

I was in contact with Zebra today, and I had to fill out a couple things before they could hire me again.   So Paul said to look for the welcome email tomorrow.  In the mean time,   I will see if I can take Ladybird out mushroom hunting again.   She is serious good luck, as I found several clusters of Spring Oysters yesterday while out with her   Luck?   Maybe.  

Still,  I enjoy her company.  And I think she enjoys the exercise.  I know I do.  Having someone to walk  and talk with is a little more fun.   And I do talk to her a lot. 

Bunny!   So cute!

So now,   It's the end of the day.   Time to relax and hatch a plan for tomorrow.   I believe the storms have passed so tomorrow could be another pleasant day.   Once all of the errands are finished,  I might have to find some alone time with nature.    Because nature is something that we should not take for granted.    And all the time spent out in it, is time spent well.   Because every second counts.