Noticing Nature - Stinkbug and Wetlands in Winter

Well-built walkway through the wetlands
in our local county park.

The endeavor: noticing one thing in nature each day. And attempting to be grateful.

February 26th through March 6th

On Wednesday Feb 26th, nature presented itself in the form of a malfunctioning furnace.  As the morning wore on, I noticed that I was feeling colder and colder.  The thermostat was set on 69oF but the temp was 64oF.  After some vain attempts to ask the Common Household Husband if he had turned off the heat for some reason (no reply from the CHH), I called the furnace company.  Within an hour repairperson Dan showed up.  He claimed that the deteriorating body of a stink bug inside the furnace had prevented the igniter from igniting.    So stinkbug is our featured item in noticing nature for Wednesday.

Thank you, repairperson Dan.

On Thursday, on the way home from shopping at a small locally-owned grocer, I decided on a whim to stop off in the county park for a nature walk.  The county has built a raised wooden walkway through a wetlands area.  It was more wet than land on Thursday.  To get to the raised walkway, I had to splash through numerous puddles and swampy places.  I was grateful that whoever built that walkway did a good job.  I thought, it was sound government and non-corrupt workers and business who brought us that walkway.   Sound government keeps us all from sinking into the muck.  I was so glad for a chance to consider all the living creatures I could not see but who make the wetlands area alive and worthwhile.  As I turned to walk back to my car, a huge heron / egret flew past.  Magnificent!  HeronEgret is the nature feature for Thursday. (Nope, no photo of HeronEgret)

Puddle.  
See below for a few more photos 
of our little wetlands.

Friday.  Hmm.  I was very busy not buying anything.  Did I even go outside?

Sat, Sun - we had out of town visitors - Older daughter and her husband!  A quick but wonderful visit.  The Common Household Son made it home from his business trip in time to join us.  And we had a lengthy fun facetime with Younger Daughter.  I cooked Chicken on Sheet Pan 3 ways (I only did one way), Sheet-pan Veggie Shawarma, and oven-roasted potato wedges.  I had delicious berries on my waffle Sunday morning at the waffle place.  Food is our featured nature item for the weekend.

On Monday, after spending close to an hour outside rallying for Ukraine, my frozen toes were a reminder of nature.   It is extraordinary good fortune that we were able to quickly get back in the car and restore toes to life.  The prospects for Ukraine, however, are uncertain.  Likewise, our own country.

Tuesday.  It was quite warm today. I went out to get the mail after sunset, without having to put on outerwear as if I was going searching for Ernest Shackleton.  The sky was still a beautiful dark blue and I noticed the “evening star” e.g. planet.  At the apex of the sky was the faithful crescent moon, along with some stars twinkling through the bare tree branches.  

Wednesday was when I realized I had forgotten to take my meds for 3 straight days. I NOTICED the nature of heartburn, for sure.  But this is proof that this drug works.  This particular med is to me a miracle and I am thankful for it.  I am counting as nature the way such chemicals work in the human body.

Thursday March 6th.  It snowed a bit today and was blustery.  The furnace is still working fine.  Yay!I didn’t go out until evening, when it was time to go to a Dem committee meeting.  I was grateful that the meeting was packed.  I hope these people stick around for the hard work.

* * * * * * * * * *

I wrote this on March 6th, back when it was still actual winter, but the rapid advance of fascism has made me too busy to post it until now.

History of this spot.

Three benches sunken into the wet.
This seems like a pointless place to put benches.
Who wants to sit there?!

The rushing creek.

Flora encroaches on the walkway,
near the end of it.

Lots of standing water. 
I mean, it is wetlands.

Poster of tiny life forms.